Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog

Sopwith Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1918 · fighter

The Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog was a British two-seat fighter-reconnaissance prototype of early 1918, designed to replace the Bristol F.2B Fighter but found to be inferior in performance.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	7.01 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Two-seat fighter-reconnaissance biplane with Sopwith family structural style
Staggered equal-span wings with characteristic Sopwith cabane struts
Observer's cockpit aft of pilot with ring-mounted Lewis gun

Resembles other Sopwith two-seaters of the 1917–1918 period; distinguished by its particular strut arrangement and the observer's rear cockpit with defensive armament — easy to confuse with contemporary F.2B-influenced designs.

Specifications

The Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog has a length of 7.01 m (23 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.29 m (34 ft).
Its maximum speed is 175 km/h (109 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by Sopwith as a two-seat fighter-reconnaissance type, the Bulldog underwent evaluation in 1918 but was passed over in favour of continued Bristol F.2B production. The type did not progress beyond prototype stage, though its name was later reused for an entirely unrelated interwar single-seat fighter from Bristol.

Variants

A small number of prototypes were evaluated; no production order resulted.

Where you'll see it

The 2FR.2 Bulldog never entered operational service with the RFC or RAF; it is a minor footnote in Sopwith's otherwise prolific wartime output.

Related aircraft

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