Canadian Warplanes 2: Sopwith Type 860 floatplane

Sopwith Type 860 floatplane

(RNAS Photo)

Sopwith Type 860 (Serial No. 938).

The Sopwith Type 860 was a c1914 British biplane floatplane torpedo bomber designed and built for the Admiralty by the Sopwith Aviation Company.

First flown in December 1914 the Type 860 was an unswept biplane. The upper wings had a strut braced extension and ailerons were fitted on all four wings. It had twin strut-mounted floats under the fuselage and a float mounted under the tail and each wingtip. Some models were powered by a nose-mounted 200 hp 14-cylinder engine; others used a 225 hp (168 kW) Sunbeam Mohawk engine. Both models utilised a two-bladed propeller. It had two tandem open cockpits and could carry one 810 lb (367 kg) torpedo under the fuselage. An initial order of ten Type 860s was received from the Admiralty on 21 August 1914. An additional nine were ordered on 9 Oct 1914, and another 24 were ordered on 7 Dec 1914. More must have been ordered, as the Serial Nos. run from 851 to at least 896.

(Sopwith Photo)

Sopwith Type 860 (Serial No. 9396.

The Sopwith Seaplane Type 860 was built in two versions. The standard version had wings of equal span; the second version had a lower wing of shorter span. In both versions, the wings were designed to fold. The type remained in service with RNAS until at least 1916. The experience gained from testing this aircraft helped Short Brothers in the creation of one of the most successful English seaplanes of that time - the Short Type 184. (Wikipedia)

Canadians serving in the RNAS would likely have flown this aircraft.

(RNAS Photo)

Sopwith Admiralty Type 860.

(RNAS Photo)

Sopwith Admiralty Type 860 (Serial No. 851).

On 1 Nov 1914, the first Sopwith Type 860 225hp floatplane (Serial No. 851), was launched from the Sopwith sheds at Woolston. It sported a broad four bladed propeller and five floats with two under the tips of the short lower wings. It was also the first Sopwith floatplane with folding wings, on this, its first flight.