First Flight Airdrome Aeroplanes Sopwith Tabloid

[Rob W]

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/














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...

[Rob W]

a few more pictures:

[Rob W]

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






and our little representation:

[Chad Jensen]

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

[Rob W]

Here is a video of the first flight

[Bill Greenwood]

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.

[Rob W]

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.

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

[Cap'n Jack]

Congrats on getting her built & flying!

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




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.

[Rob W]

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

Here is 1205 in 1915


and ours



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

[Eric Page]

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