First Flight Airdrome Aeroplanes Sopwith Tabloid

On June 23d, 2012, Harvey Cleveland masterfully piloted our Airdrome Tabloid on its first flight.

The plane flew great! It is powered by a Valley Engineering 115HP 2332cc VW with a 2.47:1 Reduction drive swinging a 90" propeller. Empty Weight 791pounds. Wing span 26'. Gross Weight ~1320pounds.

This is a two seat side by side aircraft that represents a 1913-1915 Sopwith Tabloid. It is offered as a kit from Airdrome Aeroplanes and can be built in one of three variants: 1) Sopwith Tabloid (race/sport plane) 2) Sopwith Schneider (WWI Naval Scout aircraft) 3) Sopwith Baby (WWI Scout aircraft).

http://www.airdromeaeroplanes.com/

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...oid1253008.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...oid1253011.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...oid1253019.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...oid1253066.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/DSC00679.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...1658_copy2.jpg


Our aircraft is painted to represent a Royal Naval Air Service 1915 Sopwith SS3 variant of the Tabloid.


Rob Waring & Shelly Wells
Great War Aerodrome
In the Air, Over There...

a few more pictures:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/DSC00643.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/DSC00644.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/DSC00641.jpg

And some photos of the original we are representing...
SS3 1205 on Tenedos in 1915

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...5ontenedos.jpg


http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...5fromfront.jpg

and our little representation:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...d/DSC00422.jpg


http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...d/DSC00428.jpg

Congrats Rob!! That is fantastic news! This picture is just pure joy to look at...

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...1658_copy2.jpg

Here is a video of the first flight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgRqB...=youtube_gdata

Great looking plane. It sure takes off in a short distance.
May I suggest that the steep nose up climb out after takeoff may not be a good idea. Without flying speed you are really relying on the engine , which is not an standard aviation one. If it should quit when the nose is high and the airspeed low, you could quickly be in a stall/spin before you could get the nose down to gain flying/gliding speed.

By the way, I have never flown such a plane and don't know speeds for it or anything specific.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bill Greenwood

May I suggest that the steep nose up climb out after takeoff may not be a good idea. Without flying speed you are really relying on the engine , which is not an standard aviation one. If it should quit when the nose is high and the airspeed low, you could quickly be in a stall/spin before you could get the nose down to gain flying/gliding speed.

By the way, I have never flown such a plane and don't know speeds for it or anything specific.

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Harvey knows exactly what he is doing... this wasn't his first, or second, or even his twentieth first flight of a new plane. I wouldn't do that, or recommend that anyone else do that... but Harvey is not just anyone else.

rob

Congrats on getting her built & flying!

Here's one displayed at the RAF Museum I saw last year:


http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5230/5...050304b1_z.jpg

That was probably the best angle I could get on the shot. They did the cowling vents a bit differently from those in the photographs posted earlier in the thread.

Yep, that one represents #168, one of the first ones... ours represents #1205, one of the last ones...

Here is 1205 in 1915
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...5fromfront.jpg

and ours

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...d/DSC00422.jpg

Not quite the same, but close. There were some obstructions with the engine that made it difficult to get right.

Wow, what a beautiful airplane. You can be very proud!

Here is a video showing us getting in and out of the Tabloid... yes it does hold two folks...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLGtuft9Z8M&feature=youtube_gdata

rob

WWI planes get all the pretty women...

Gorgeous!

Cool! I guess instead of a wing walk you have a "butt slide"! Very cool airplane.

What were your engine temps with this cowl arrangement?