Sopwith Cuckoo
Sopwith Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1917 · bomber
The Sopwith T.1 Cuckoo was a British single-seat carrier-based torpedo bomber of World War I, notable as the first purpose-designed shipboard torpedo aircraft to enter service. It was intended to attack enemy warships with an 18-inch torpedo.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Torpedo carried beneath fuselage between divided undercarriage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- WWI British carrier torpedo bomber biplane
- First purpose-built carrier torpedo aircraft
- Torpedo carried beneath fuselage between divided undercarriage
Large single-engine biplane with long span wings (foldable for carrier stowage), wide-track divided undercarriage to accommodate the torpedo, and a conventional tractor propeller.
Specifications
- The Sopwith Cuckoo has a length of 8.69 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.25 m (47 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 170 km/h (106 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Cuckoo was designed in 1916 and entered service in 1918, too late to participate in major combat operations before the Armistice. Planned attacks on the German High Seas Fleet were never carried out as the war ended. It was operated from the newly commissioned HMS Argus and established the concept of fleet torpedo aviation. Several hundred were built.
Variants
The Cuckoo Mk I used the Hispano-Suiza engine; the Mk II used the Sunbeam Arab. The Mk III with a Wolseley Viper engine was also produced. All carried a single 18-inch torpedo.
Where you'll see it
Entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service/RAF in 1918. Used from HMS Argus and shore bases in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Retired shortly after WWI. No meaningful postwar service.
Related aircraft
- Sopwith Dolphin
- Sopwith Snipe
- Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog
- Sopwith Pup
- Airco DH.9
- Albatros C.VIII
- Avro 529
- Breguet 14 B.2
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