Sopwith Dolphin
Sopwith Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Sopwith Dolphin was a British single-seat biplane fighter of World War I, notable for its unusual negative stagger — the upper wing was set behind the lower — giving the pilot an outstanding forward and upward view.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.78 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane with backward-staggered wings — upper wing behind lower
- Hispano-Suiza inline engine giving a narrow nose profile
- Two fixed Vickers guns firing forward through the upper wing centre section
Immediately identified by its unique negative-stagger biplane layout with the upper wing visibly aft of the lower, combined with a long chin radiator beneath the Hispano-Suiza engine.
Specifications
- The Sopwith Dolphin has a length of 6.78 m (22 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.91 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 194 km/h (121 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Entering RFC service in early 1918, the Dolphin equipped several Home Defence and Western Front squadrons. Its inline engine gave it better high-altitude performance than many rotary-engined contemporaries. By the Armistice some 1,532 had been built.
Variants
The Dolphin Mk.I was the primary production version; the Mk.II and Mk.III saw limited development.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during 1918; most were scrapped immediately after the Armistice.
Related aircraft
- Sopwith Cuckoo
- Sopwith Snipe
- Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog
- Sopwith Pup
- AEG C.VIII
- AEG D.I
- Albatros C.X
- Albatros C.XII
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