Sopwith F.1 Camel
For this first week, I'd like to take a look at the Sopwith F.1 Camel! The Sopwith Camel was a British biplane introduced during the first world war. Camel served extensively with the United Kingdom Royal Flying Corps and the United States Army Air Service, as well as other allied nations in more limited capacity. For the duration of its service in the war, Camel proved to be shockingly effective, scoring 1,294 air-to-air kills, more than any other aircraft in World War I. Camel was incredibly maneuverable, due to the heaviest components being placed towards the front of the plane. The engine, weapons, fuel, and pilot all sat in line with or in front of Camel's wings. While this design provided an advantage in aerial dogfights, the arrangement also made it a difficult aircraft to fly. It was notably prone to entering dangerous spins during more violent maneuvers, and would leave pilots scrambling to recover control of their craft. ...