Sopwith TF.2 Salamander
Sopwith Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1918 · bomber
The Sopwith TF.2 Salamander was a British First World War ground-attack aircraft, a single-engined, single-seat biplane based on the Sopwith Snipe. Its forward fuselage was an integral armour-plate box to protect the pilot and fuel system from ground fire.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Armoured box forming the forward fuselage to protect pilot and fuel |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat biplane with two-bay wings, derived from the Sopwith Snipe
- Armoured box forming the forward fuselage to protect pilot and fuel
- Two synchronised Vickers guns ahead of the cockpit and a Bentley BR2 rotary engine under an unarmoured cowling
A Snipe-like two-bay biplane whose forward fuselage has flat armoured sides and a front plate behind the unarmoured engine cowling.
Specifications
- The Sopwith TF.2 Salamander has a length of 5.94 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.51 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 201 km/h (125 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It followed the TF.1 trench fighter, a modified Camel with downward-firing guns, which did not go into production. The first prototype began flight tests at Brooklands on 27 April 1918, was sent to France on 9 May and was wrecked in a crash on 19 May.
Variants
The wings, tailplane, fin and rudder were identical in form to the Snipe but strengthened. After lateral control was found to be poor, the Salamander received many of the same tail and aileron modifications as the Snipe.
Where you'll see it
About 1,400 were ordered, but armour-plate production problems and Bentley BR2 shortages slowed delivery. By the end of October 1918 only 37 were on RAF charge, two of them in France, and the Armistice ended the need for the type.
Related aircraft
- Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog
- Sopwith Buffalo
- Sopwith Dragon
- Sopwith Snail
- AEG G.V
- AEG R.I
- Airco DH.10 Amiens
- Airco DH.9A
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