Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter by Roden

1/48 scale
Kit No. 402
Price: $19.99
Decals: Two versions, one Bristish Royal Flying Corps, one French Armee de l’Air — both on the Western Front, 1917
Comments: Detailed cockpit and rotary engine, choice of upper wings, well-detailed machine guns

History

The Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter marked a milestone in British fighter development because it was the first scout/fighter to be equipped with a forward firing machine gun that was synchronized to fire safely through the arch of its propeller. Designed by the Sopwith Aviation Company led by Thomas Sopwith himself, it was initially known as the Sopwith LCT (Land Clerget Tractor), a reference to its first powerplant, a 110 hp Clerget 9Z spinning radial engine. Unlike other contemporary rotaries in which the ignition system was either switched on or off to provide a rudimentary form of engine speed control, the Clerget featured a throttle.

The 1 1/2 Strutter made its first flight in mid-December 1915, and soon afterwards the British Admiralty placed an order for the type on behalf of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The Sopwith soon got its unusual name — 1 1/2 Strutter — because the cabane struts with their distinctive “W” shape were reminiscent of half-struts. The first versions of the 1 1/2 Strutter, which were notably unarmed, appeared in April 1916, with the first unit to receive the new type being No. 5 Wing of the RNAS. The Royal Navy, pleased with its performance, soon placed additional orders with Sopwith.

The Royal Flying Corps also placed orders, showing interest in both the two-seat fighter version (which Sopwith called the Type 9400), and the single-seat bomber (Type 9700). Sopwith was unable to independently fill such large orders for the RNAS and RFC simultaneously, so arrangments were made for production to also occur under license agreements at the firms of Morgan & Company, Hooper, Westland, Vickers, Mann & Egerton, and Ruston & Proctor. Sopwith and these subcontractors built a combined total of 1,282 1 1/2 Strutters of all types.

At the same time France urgently needed a new type of fighter-bomber because the Voisins and Farmans they were operating were by that point in the war completely obsolete. Impressed by reports of the 1 1/2 Strutter, France initially purchased a limited number of the new aircraft direct from Britain, but soon therafter bought a license for their manufacture on French soil. The French proceeded to built single-seat fighters, two-seat reconnaissance, and two-seat bomber versions in great numbers, with manufacture of all types totalling 4,497 machines.

As was often the case with combat aircraft during the Great War, notwithstanding its satisfactory performance, the 1 1/2 Strutter was soon becoming obsolete. By the middle of 1917 the majority of the British machines were withdrawn from the front line, but the French kept them in service for another year. Upon its entry into the war, the United States purchased 514 aircraft, mainly for training purposes during 1917-18. The 1 1/2 Strutter had a measure of export success beyond the French and Americans, as it was also in service with the Air Forces of Russia, Belgium, Romania, Japan and Greece. Very limited numbers were also purchased and operated by Latvia, the Ukraine, and Holland, but by the mid-1920’s all nations had phased it out.

The Kit

Roden’s Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter is injection molded in grey plastic and consists of 77 parts, including most notably a choice of upper wings. The two upper wings appear to be of identical shape and dimension, but one version has the outline of two panels over the mid-section of the wing, directly over the pilot, clearly marked — these are to be cut out and replaced with pieces of lightweight, clear styrene which are provided. On the actual aircraft these clear panels were likely made of a type of rugged, clear cellophane, and offered the pilot greater visibility, which could mean life or death in a dogfight.

Construction begins with the assembly of the powerplant, which is either a Clerget or Le Rhone spinning rotary engine. The cockpit is fairly detailed with a seat, control yoke, rudder pedals, and instrument panel for the pilot, and a fixed three-legged stool — yes, a stool — for the rear observer/gunner. A Lewis gun with a separate drum magazine and mount is provided for the rear cockpit, and a forward firing Vickers gun for the upper engine decking. Both guns are rather well detailed, and Eduard provides spares for each.

There are two different parts for the upper section of the mid-fuselage, both of which provide openings for the two bay positions of the pilot and rear observer. One of them has a circular and what appears to be a more robust coaming for the mount of the Lewis gun. The instructions direct the modeler to disregard the other one, which has a more oval-shaped coaming and is likely for Roden’s alternate version of this aircraft, the Sopwith Comic nightfighter, which carried no rear machine gun.

The instructions are clear and well laid out and do not appear to present any unusual challanges for modelers, but there is one unusual feature: where you might expect to see “N” struts attaching the fuselage and the upper wing, there is instead a pair of fairly large “W” struts which straddle the fuselage. A rigging diagram is provided on the final page of the instruction sheet. Paints are called out by the instructions in Humbrol colors only.

Markings

The kit provides decals for two versions of the 1 1/2 Strutter day fighter. The first is a machine of No. 70 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, piloted by Lt. J.H. Gotch in the Spring of 1917; this aircraft appears in a paint scheme of Matt WWI Green with Matt Linen under surfaces, and an aluminum cowling. The second version is a machine in the service of the French Armee de l’Air, Escadrille No. 226, also during 1917. It appears in a scheme of overall Matt Linen with an aluminum cowling whose forwardmost section is Matt Scarlett, with the upper mid-section of the fuselage in Natural Wood. No information is provided on the pilot.

Conclusion

Roden has produced a painstakingly accurate mid-war fighter of the Great War. Highly recommended.

Reference

Kit instructions