Sopwith Bulldog

Last updated

Bulldog
Role Fighter/reconnaissance aircraft
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Sopwith
First flight1918
Number built2

The Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog was a prototype British two-seat fighter of the First World War. A single-engined biplane, the Bulldog was a fighter/reconnaissance aircraft intended to replace the Bristol F.2 Fighter, but was unsuccessful, with no replacement for the Bristol Fighter being purchased.

Contents

Development and design

In August 1917, the Sopwith Aviation Company started design of a two-seat fighter reconnaissance aircraft intended to replace the Bristol F.2 Fighter, and received permission to build prototypes of the Sopwith FR.2. It was intended to power the FR.2 with a 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8 water-cooled V-8 engine, but the Hispano was in great demand, and it was decided to switch to the new Clerget 11, an eleven-cylinder rotary engine, a change which led to the prospective design being redesignated 2FR.2. [1]

The Bulldog was a compact single-bay biplane resembling the first prototype Sopwith Snipe single-seat fighter. The pilot sat under the upper wing, with his head and shoulders protruding through a large gap in the centre section, while the observer's cockpit was aft of the trailing edge of the upper wing. Armament was two synchronised Vickers machine guns in a hump ahead of the pilot, while the observer/gunner was provided with two Lewis guns, one on a telescopic mounting forward of the observer's cockpit, and the second on a pillar mounting to give rearward defence. [1] [2]

The first prototype appeared early in 1918, but it was overweight and handled poorly. It was quickly rebuilt with much larger two-bay wings, [3] which improved the handling, but the prototype's performance remained disappointing, [4] not even matching that of the aircraft it was intended to replace. The poor performance was in part due to the Clerget engine's failure to provide the expected power, producing only 200 hp (149 kW) instead of the expected 260 hp (194 kW). [5] The second prototype was fitted with a 360 hp (267 kW) ABC Dragonfly radial engine, becoming the Bulldog Mk.II, with the first prototype becoming the Bulldog Mk.I. However, although the Dragonfly gave much more power than the Clerget, it was hopelessly unreliable, with one test pilot stating that "... I never remember being able to get all cylinders to fire at the same time" and "I don't remember that we got a single successful performance with the engine." [6]

Work on a third prototype was abandoned because of the failure of the first two aircraft, [4] although the second prototype continued in use until at least March 1919 carrying out test flights in futile attempts to solve the problems of the Dragonfly. [7]

Specifications (Mk.I, two-bay wings)

Data fromWar Planes of the First World War: Volume Three Fighters [7]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Notes

  1. 1 2 Mason 1992, p.131.
  2. Bruce 1969, pp.8–9.
  3. Bruce 1969, pp.9–10.
  4. 1 2 Green and Swanborough p.538.
  5. Bruce 1969, p.10.
  6. Bruce 1969, pp.11–12.
  7. 1 2 Bruce 1969, p.12.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sopwith Snipe</span> British WW1 biplane fighter aircraft

The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of the conflict, in late 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol F.2 Fighter</span> British fighter aircraft used in World War One

The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British First World War two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company later known as the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, "Brisfit" or "Biff".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sopwith Dolphin</span> British WW1 biplane fighter aircraft

The Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin was a British fighter aircraft manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It was used by the Royal Flying Corps and its successor, the Royal Air Force, during the First World War. The Dolphin entered service on the Western Front in early 1918 and proved to be a formidable fighter. The aircraft was not retained in the postwar inventory and was retired shortly after the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armstrong Whitworth F.K.10</span> British WWI quadruplane fighter aircraft

The Armstrong Whitworth F.K.10 was a British two-seat quadruplane fighter aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth during the First World War. While it was ordered in small numbers for the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service, it was not used operationally. It is one of the few quadruplane aircraft to reach production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuport 12</span> French WW1 fighter and reconnaissance aircraft

The Nieuport 12 was a French sesquiplane reconnaissance, fighter aircraft and trainer used by France, Russia, Great Britain and the United States during World War I. Later production examples were built as trainers and served widely until the late 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuport Nighthawk</span> Type of aircraft

The Nieuport Nighthawk was a British fighter aircraft developed by the Nieuport & General Aircraft company for the Royal Air Force towards the end of the First World War. Although ordered into production before the aircraft first flew, it did not enter large scale service with the RAF owing to unreliable engines. Re-engined aircraft did see service in Greece, serving from 1923 to 1938.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sopwith Dragon</span> British WW1 biplane fighter aircraft

The Sopwith Dragon was a British single-seat fighter biplane developed from the Sopwith Snipe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickers Vampire</span> Type of aircraft

The Vickers F.B.26 Vampire was a British single-seat pusher biplane fighter built by Vickers during the First World War.

The Armstrong Whitworth Ara was an unsuccessful British single-seat biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War built by Armstrong Whitworth.

The Westland Wagtail was a prototype British fighter aircraft of the First World War. A single-engined tractor biplane, the Wagtail was a failure owing to the unreliability of its engine, only five being built.

The Sopwith 8F.1 Snail was a prototype British Fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was unsuccessful, being abandoned due to an unreliable engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westland Weasel</span> Type of aircraft

The Westland Weasel was a prototype British two-seat fighter/reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. Designed to replace the Bristol Fighter, the Weasel was a single engined tractor biplane. Four prototypes were built, but no production followed owing to the failure of its original engine, although the prototypes were used as engine test beds for the successful Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar and Bristol Jupiter engines.

The Sopwith Snapper was a prototype British fighter aircraft of the First World War. A single-engined biplane designed by the Sopwith Aviation Company to replace the Sopwith Snipe fighter, it first flew after the end of the war, but did not enter service owing to the failure of its engine, only three aircraft being built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickers F.B.11</span> Prototype British three-seat escort fighter of the First World War

The Vickers F.B.11 was a prototype British three-seat escort fighter of the First World War. A large single-engined biplane, it carried one gunner in a nacelle mounted on the upper wing to give an allround field of fire. Only a single example was completed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickers E.S.1</span> Type of aircraft

The Vickers E.S.1 was an early British Fighter aircraft of the First World War. A single-seat biplane, only three E.S.1s were built, although at least one was used by a home defence squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.

The Sopwith Buffalo was a British armoured fighter/reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. A single-engined biplane, two examples of the Buffalo were built by Sopwith to carry out reconnaissance missions low over the trenches while protected against machine-gun fire from the ground, but no production followed, with the end of the war removing the need for such an aircraft.

The Sopwith 3F.2 Hippo was a prototype British two-seat fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was a single-engined biplane with considerable negative stagger. It was not successful, the Bristol F.2 Fighter being preferred by the Royal Flying Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickers F.B.16</span> Type of aircraft

The Vickers F.B.16 was a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was originally designed to be powered by an experimental radial engine, development of which was abandoned. When re-engined with more powerful and reliable water-cooled V-8 engines, the F.B.16 demonstrated good performance, but only a few prototypes were built, the type not entering service.

The Vickers F.B.24 was a British two-seat fighter aircraft of the First World War. Only a few prototypes were built, as, although it had good performance, the Bristol F.2 Fighter was preferred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courtois-Suffit Lescop CSL-1</span> 1910s French fighter aircraft

The Courtois-Suffit Lescop CSL C1 was a prototype French biplane fighter built in the final months of World War I. It was one of the first aircraft, if not the first, to be fitted with leading-edge flaps. It was not put into production.

References