Canadian Warplanes 1: Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3726516)

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphins, Canadian Air Force, No. 1 and No. 2 Fighting Sqns, Upper Heyford, UK, 1919.

The Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin was a British fighter aircraft manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It was used by the Royal Flying Corps and its successor, the Royal Air Force, during the First World War. The Dolphin entered service on the Western Front in early 1918 and proved to be a formidable fighter. The aircraft was not retained in the postwar inventory and was retired shortly after the war.

No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron, which operated Dolphins along with S.E.5as, Sopwith Snipes, and captured Fokker D.VIIs, was disbanded on 28 January 1920. Although retired from Canadian Air Force service, a small number of Dolphins were sent back to Canada. (Wikipedia)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390998)

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin, RAF, c1918.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390999)

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin, (Serial No. D5338), RAF, c1918.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390997)

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin (Serial No. 5263), Canadian Air Force, No. 1 and No. 2 Fighting Squadrons, Upper Heyford, UK, 1919.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390995)

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphins, Canadian Air Force, No. 1 and No. 2 Fighting Squadrons, Upper Heyford, UK, 1919.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3523022)

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin, No. 1 and 2 Fighting Sqn, CAF, Upper Heyford, Oxon, UK, 1919.   Canadian Aces Don Mclaren with 54 victories is the first on the left and Andrew McKeever with 31 victories is second from the left.  McKeever was to become CO of Camp Borden post war but died in a traffic accident on Christmas day, 25 Dec 1919.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin (Serial No. C3988), RAF Museum, Cosford, UK.

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin (Serial No. C4017), was flown by Major A. D. Carter, DSO and bar, while serving with No. 19 Squadron in the Spring of 1918.  Major Albert Desbrisay Carter had already become an ace with 15 victories flying SPADs with No. 19 Squadron before the Dolphins arrived at the front in early 1918.  Carter was the highest scoring ace to serve with No. 19 Squadron, being credited with a total of 28 victories (10 in this aircraft).  On 19 May 1918, he was captured behind enemy lines after his Sopwith Dolphin was shot down by Lt Paul Billik of Staffelfurer of Jagdstaffel 52.  Repatriated on 13 Dec 1918, Carter was killed in a flying accident flying a Fokker D.VII on 22 May 1919.

According to research conducted by Ed Soye, Major Carter was taking part in a mock dogfight with Captain Carl Falkenberg, who was flying a No. 1 Squadron Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 at the time.  The gauntlet had been laid down in the mess the night before, and the following morning they went up to resolve who was right about their piloting ability/preference for aircraft.  Carter's top wing bolts failed and the wing departed in flight.

Carter apparently had a habit of being quite unfair and unkind to his ground crew - a group who were keen to be repatriated and had little tolerance for such treatment, and with the war now over, they just wanted to go home.

The  Canadian Air Force (CAF) accident report noted the typical nature of structural failures for Fokker-designed aircraft.  In a subsequent interview with Don Maclaren, the evidence suggests that the ground crew actually sabotaged the bolts, with the aim of getting rid of Carter.  Given that the future of the CAF was quite tenuous at the time, the serving officers hoped the organization would be repatriated intact, and used to form the nucleus of a post-war air force.  The nature of the incident was therefore hushed up.  Based on the archival records that Ed examined, that appears to be what happened.  (Edward P. Soye)

No. 19 Squadron Dolphin had letters for each flight: A-F for A Flight, G-M for B Flight, and N-S for C Flight. For a while they also unofficially used white, red and blue painted tails for A,B, and C Flights, respectively. Wheel covers were similarly painted white, red and blue for A,B, and C Flight respectively. In the spring of 1918, 19 Squadron Capt Pat Huskinson was in charge of “A” Flight, Major Albert Desbrisay Carter “B” Flight and Capt John Leacroft “C” Flight.  Carter flew another Sopwith Dolphin (C4132) at the end of his service (three victories), just before he was shot down by Lt Billik.

On 17 March 1918, an aerial combat took place over France involving No. 19 Squadron Dolphins of B and C flights. Three Dolphin formations at five and one minute intervals had climbed clear of the training areas, rest camp and casualty clearing station arranged around the complex of Bailleul aerodromes into a bright spring sun.  Their left hand circling climbs topped out at 14,000ft, the height of Major Carter’s B Flight.  Five strong, they were positioned 3,000ft above Capt Huskinson’s A Flight and Capt Leacroft’s C Flight; these last two groups working in close co-operation with each other.  North east of Menin, about a quarter after noon, a chase began.  Capt Leacroft spotted a Jasta formation.  One enemy aircraft (EA) swung west, tried to bolt and was shot down in a mass of flames by 2Lts Fairclough and Oliver, Capt Leacroft’s two C Flight wingmen.  About the same time the C Flight commander caught a glimpse of another large German formation, about fifteen or more, chasing six No. 70 Squadron Sopwith Camels east towards Ypres, until these Jasta pilots whirled eastward and, coming in from the north, ran directly into the Dolphins some 12,000 ft to 15,000ft over Roulers.  The two opposing forces were both game, spoiling for combat.  Ten minutes of hot and heavy fighting began.  Nine combat reports were later submitted.

1. 2Lt A.B. Fairclough        Dolphin C3940,            1 Albatros Scout in flames NE Menin
   2LtEOlivier                     Dolphin C3902 N         12.15, 8,000 - 6,000ft                            
                                                                                                               
2. Major A.D. Carter           Dolphin C4017 T           1 Albatros Scout OOC S Roulers
                                                                                   12.20, 10,000ft
3. Lt H.R.H. Jennings          Dolphin C3820              1 Albatros Scout crashed SW Roulers
                                                                                   12.25, 8,000 ft
4. Capt J. Leacroft               Dolphin C3829 V           1 Pfalz D.III in flames

                                                                                   12.25
5. Capt P. Huskinson           Dolphin C3792               1 Pfalz D.III crashed Roulers
                                                                                    12.25, 12,000ft
6. Lt E. Olivier                    Dolphin C3902 N           1 EA Scout in flames Menin/Hoo
                                                                                   12.15-12.30, 15,000ft
7. 2Lt G.B. Irving                Dolphin C3838              1 Albatros Scout driven down
                                                                                   Roulers 12.30, 14,000 to 4,000ft
8. 2Lt N.W. Hustings           Dolphin C3899              1 EA Scout crashed SW Roulers
                                                                                    8,000ft
9. Major A.D. Carter           Dolphin C4017 T           1 EA Scout crashed Oostnieuwkerke
                                                                                   2.35, 5,000ft

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3523018)

Work Shop, No. 1 Fighting Squadron, Canadian Air Force, Upper Heyford, Oxon, England, 1918-1919.