110hp Sopwith Pup?

[sgt Joch]

Hi Guys,

first post here, but I have lurked for some time absorbing all the great info on WW1 aviation.

This is more of a history question, but I am trying to get more reliable info about the engines used by the Sopwith Pup.

Officially, the production Pup came with either the 80 hp Le Rhone 9c or the 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape. It's not clear whether the 100 hp Gnome engine was ever used in combat in France or just kept for home defence, but I have not seen anything definitive either way.

But, I have also seen various hints in various sources that the 110 hp Le Rhone 9ja used on the Nieuport 16/17 may also have been used in the Pup, but I have not seen definitive reliable info on this either way.

JM Morse in aircraft profile 13 and also in a 1954 article states that RNAS no. 8 squadron received engines from France from crashed "Nieuport Scouts" (which could mean 80hp engines from Nieuport 11s, but could also refer to 110 hp engines from Nieuport 16/17s) and from the French Naval Air Service which were overhauled in Dunkerque and then shipped to Dover to be installed in Pup airframes.

The Le Rhone 9j was slightly larger than the Gnome and weighed 20 lbs more, but would certainly appear to fit on the Pup. Based on its construction, the Pup airframe would also appear to be as sturdy as the Nieuport 17.

Certainly if some of the RNAS Pups were fitted with the 110 HP engine, it would partly explain the success of RNAS no.8 squadron in late 1916-early 1917.

Anyone have info on this?

[YavorD]

Pup A6220 was tested with Le Rhone 9J and DH 5 propeller.
Pup B5908 with Le Rhone 9J went to No 66 squadron RFC on 14 October 1917 and was back to No 1 AD on 17 October 1917.
B5259 and B5941 were converted too. B5941 was used for structural test at R.A.F.

Source:
J. M. Bruce, Gordon Page and Ray Sturtivant, The Sopwith Pup, Air-Britain, 2002.

Regards,
Yavor

[sgt Joch]

Thank you, very informative.