What is Sopwith 920?

[Oldman]

I recently have found such information: «The British Admiralty sent a RNAS Expeditionary Squadron under the command of Lt. Cull consisting of two Sopwith 920 seaplanes and twenty men».
What is Sopwith 920? I for the first time have read about such seaplane. Help to understand with this problem. Technical data and a photo are necessary.
The same problem and with Sopwith 860.
Thanks.

[pspiranha]

From British Aircraft 1914-1918 by JM Bruce

Sopwith 860
THIS little-known Sopwith seaplane was contemporary with the Short 184 and Night 840; like them it was powered by the 225 h.p. Sunbeam engine and was designed to carry a torpedo. In common with its contemporaries it was given a designation derived. from the serial number of an aircraft of the first production batch, and was known as the Sopwith Seaplane Type 860. It was not the first torpedo-carrying seaplane of Sopwith design, for it was preceded by the Type C seaplane of 1913, which had flown success*fully with a 14-inch torpedo late in that year.

The Sopwith 860 was a two-seater which, in its standard form, had three-bay wings of equal span arranged to fold on the Short principle. The engine had a frontal radiator, and a massive central exhaust stack was fitted. The sprung floats were single-step pontoon structures, and torpedo crutches were fitted at the centre of each of the two cross-bars. There was a single tail-float, and stabilizing floats on unusually long struts were mounted under each lower wing-tip. The fin and rudder were an ill-assorted combination it appeared that a rudder similar to those of earlier Sopwith seaplanes was used, together with a new fin which, in order to provide the necessary area, had a humped leading edge.

An unequal-span version of the type also existed, as the second illustration shows. The extensions of the upper wing were braced from king-post structures; and longer ailerons were fitted to the upper main*plane only.

The aircraft was flown from the rear cockpit. There was an aperture in the centre-section directly above the observer's cockpit, and it seems probable that he would be provided with a gun-mounting above the upper mainplane.

The Sopwith 860 was built in small numbers, but no large-scale production was undertaken; four of the machines of the second batch were not delivered. No doubt the lack of further orders for Sopwith 860s was attributable to the decision to standardize the Short 184, but the Sopwith type remained in service until 1916 at least.

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturers: The Sopwith Aviation Co., Ltd., Canbury Park Road, Kingston-on-Thames

Power: 225 h.p. Sunbeam

Armament: One 14-inch torpedo, weighing 810 lb. It is probable that a single Lewis machine-gun could he fitted to a mounting above the upper centre-section.

Service Use: Flown at R.N.A.S. Station, Isle of Grain.

Production: Serial numbers were allocated for at least twenty-two Sopwith 860s, but four were not delivered. Serial .Numbers: 851-860; 927-938, 0f which 933, 934, 936 and 937 were not delivered.



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Sorry I don't have anything on the 920

V/R

David Johnson

[Oldman]

Many thanks, David, for the information on Sopwith 860. What is Night 840? It is a mistake? It Wight 840?
Valery.

[Graeme]

Oldman

The Sopwith with the serial 920 was a Sopwith Admiralty 807-Type Tractor Biplane Seaplane and Cull flew this machine in February 1915 in search of the Konigsberg. It was damaged whilst landing in Kilcudini Bay, Mombassa but was salvaged and saw service until being wrecked in a forced landing on 1 January 1917.

Also taking part in the search for the Konigsberg was 921 which was erected in February 1915 but wrecked on the 25th.

These two machines were in the batch 919 to 926.

The aeroplane alloted the serial number 840 was a Wight Admiralty 840-Type Tractor Biplane Seaplane, the last in the batch serialled 813 to 840. It was tested at Cowes in May 1915, delivered to Calshot the following month and struck off charge in February 1916.

Graeme

[Oldman]

Thanks Graeme for the excellent information.