The first British fighter equipped with a fixed, forward firing, synchronized machine gun, the Sopwith 1½ Strutter was built in both one and two-seater models. In the latter, the gas tank was dangerously positioned between the pilot and observer. This prompted some airmen to joke that the designer of the aircraft must surely have been German. Not long after its introduction, the 1½ Strutter was replaced by the Sopwith Pup.


With 13 victories, the highest scoring ace to fly this aircraft was Geoffrey Cock.

Country: Great Britain
Manufacturer: Sopwith Aviation Company
Type: Figher; later used for reconaissance/bombing
First Introduced: 1916
Number Built: About 6000
Engine(s): Clerget, 95 kW
Wing Span: [10.21 m]
Length: [7.69 m]
Height: [3.12 m]
Empty Weight: [592 kg]
Gross Weight: [975 kg]
Max Speed: [161 kmh]
Ceiling: [4570 m]
Endurance: 3 ¾ hours
Crew: 1 or 2