Sopwith 1½ Strutter
 Sopwith 1½ Strutter. Photo: unknown RAF photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Sopwith |
|---|---|
| Model | Sopwith 1½ Strutter |
| Type | Biplane general purpose aircraft |
| Country |  United Kingdom
|
| First flight | December 1915
|
| Number built | 4,500 France, 1,439 Great Britain |
| Registered in the US | 1 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | 2 |
| Engine | Clerget 9B, 130 hp
|
| Service ceiling | 15,500 ft (1½ Strutter two-seater) |
| Max weight | 2,154 lb (1½ Strutter two-seater)
|
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The Sopwith 1½ Strutter is a British World War I biplane, flown with one or two seats. It was the first British two-seat fighter with the engine in front, and the first British airplane to enter service with a machine gun synchronized to fire through the propeller.[1] Its name comes from the long and short struts that held up the top wing.[1] France built about 4,500 and Britain 1,439.[1] In the U.S. there is 1 with a valid registration.[2]
History
In December 1914 Sopwith designed a small two-seat biplane, the "Sigrist Bus", named after works manager Fred Sigrist. It set a British altitude record on its first flight on June 5, 1915, and became the basis for the larger Strutter.[1] The 1½ Strutter first flew in December 1915 and entered service in April 1916.[1] Both British air services used it, and the French flew it widely, though without great success.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 1 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| 1 1/2 STRUTTER | 1 |
Specifications (1½ Strutter two-seater)
| Item | 1½ Strutter two-seater |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
| Length | 25 ft 3 in |
| Wingspan | 33 ft 6 in |
| Height | 10 ft 3 in |
| Wing area | 346 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 1,305 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 2,154 lb |
| Engine | Clerget 9B, 130 hp (9-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine) |
| Propeller | fixed-pitch propeller |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph |
| Service ceiling | 15,500 ft |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Sopwith 1½ Strutter. Photo: TMWolf, CC BY 2.5 -
Sopwith One-and-a-Half Strutter preserved at the Musee de l'Air et de l'Espace Paris Le Bourget. Photo: RuthAS, CC BY 3.0 -
Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter WW1 aircraft on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London. Photo: Nimbus227, Public domain -
Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter of the Belgian Air Force preserved in the Brussels Military Museum. Photo: RuthAS, CC BY 3.0 -
French-built Sopwith 1B.2 Strutter at Air Service Production Center No. Photo: Air Service, United States Army, Public domain -
Sopwith 1½ Strutter. Photo: Colart's Studio, Melbourne, Public domain -
Sopwith Strutter, the first aircraft of Lithuanian Air Force. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Sopwith 1½ Strutter
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Wikipedia, "Sopwith 1½ Strutter", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.