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Sopwith Camel |
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The Sopwith Camel, well-known
to readers of the famous "Peanuts" cartoon strip, was the most
successful fighter plane of WWI. It shot down more enemy aircraft than
any other fighter of any of the warring nations. It
was a very powerful aircraft powered by a rotary engine. The power and
torque generated by the engine coupled with the masses of the motor, the
pilot, guns, ammo and fuel in one small area gave the Camel a very tight
turning radius to the right. Taking off was hazardous as the pilot had
to apply considerable left rudder and aileron to avoid torquing the
airplane into the ground once it took off.
Because of its tricky handling characteristics, more men lost their
lives while learning to fly it than died while using it in combat.
The Camel was produced in Great Britain
and went into action in June 1917 with the 70 Squadron ,Royal Flying
Corps and 4 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service. Two
U.S. Air Service squadrons, the 17th and 148th, used the Camel in combat
while assigned to British forces during the summer and fall of 1918. In the
hands of an experienced pilot, it was highly maneuverable and at its
best combat altitude of 12,000 feet, it was very difficult to defeat in
a dogfight. The Sopwith Camel and the RAF SE5a spelled the end of
the Germans in the air, even in their new Fokker DVIIs. Baron von
Richthofen was shot down in his Dr.III probably by A.R. Brown, who was
flying a Camel. It defeated the "Red Baron."
Although 5,490 Camels were produced,
very few remain in existence today. The Camel on display at the
Air Force Museum was built by U.S. Air Force personnel from the
original WWI factory drawings and was completed in 1974. It is
painted and marked as the Camel flown by Lt. George A. Vaughn,
Jr., 17th Aero Squadron. |
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Sopwith
Camel - Sunburst RAF
Sunburst design. Later used by Japanese in World War II.
From our Premier Collection
1/17th scale. 19.25" wingspan x 12.75" long.
No. ACA80-P3. Only $219.95 |
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Sopwith
Camel - Solid Colors.
Premier Collection. Same size as above.
No. ACA80-P1. Only $219.95 |
Sopwith
Camel - Checked
Premier Collection. Same size as above.
No. ACA80-P2. Only $219.95 |
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Sopwith
Camel - Sunburst Design
From our Deluxe Series. 1/20th scale. 17" wingspan x
11.25" long.
No. ACA80-DX. Only $169.96 |
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Sopwith
Camel
From our Standard Series. 1/24th scale.
14.25" wingspan x 9.75" long.
No. ACA8D-ST. Only $139.95 |
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