Sopwith Triplane

The Full-Size Aircraft

The Sopwith Triplane was a British fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was first built and entered combat service in 1916. Its design and overall appearance were strongly influenced by the highly successful Sopwith Pup.

Like many aircraft of the period, the Triplane was powered by a rotary engine producing approximately 100 hp. The triplane configuration was intended to provide greater maneuverability—and in this respect, the aircraft lived up to expectations.

Despite its performance, only a little more than 160 Sopwith Triplanes were built. Considering the extremely high attrition rate of combat aircraft at the front during this period, this represented a relatively small production run.

The Model

Precision CAD-Designed, CNC-Cut Construction

This is a CAD-designed, precision CNC-cut kit engineered around an efficient tab-and-lock construction system. Components align accurately and securely, simplifying assembly and allowing the airframe to come together considerably faster than with traditional model aircraft construction methods. The result is a building experience that is both more precise and more rewarding.

The kit features carefully selected plywood, poplar, and birch components, all precision-machined for an accurate fit. The interlocking construction minimizes measuring, alignment work, and guesswork while significantly reducing overall building time.

The comprehensive hardware package includes virtually everything required to complete the model, with the exception of covering material and adhesives. No soldering is required during construction.

For easier transportation and storage, the tail assembly is removable, making this impressive large-scale aircraft considerably more practical to transport.

Despite its size and robust construction, the completed aircraft is remarkably lightweight. The result is a model that is not only enjoyable to build but also an exceptionally rewarding aircraft to fly.

Authentic Scale Design

This model is a true scale reproduction of the original aircraft, developed from original full-size plans to faithfully reproduce the proportions, geometry, and distinctive character of the prototype.

The structure has been engineered to combine scale fidelity with practical modern model-aircraft construction, resulting in an airframe that looks authentic while remaining straightforward to assemble, transport, maintain, and fly.

Complete Kit Contents

The comprehensive kit includes:

• Complete set of precision CNC-cut wood components

• Landing gear

• Wheels

• Fuel tank

• Aileron, elevator, and rudder control linkages

• Prefabricated, matched flying and bracing wires

• All required CNC-machined fittings

• Pre-cut and pre-drilled sheet-metal components for the forward fuselage

• Aluminum engine cowl

• Prefabricated cabane struts and wing struts

• Pre-cut servo trays

• Detailed construction drawings

• Full-size plans

• Instrument panel

• Comprehensive building instructions

• Extensive assortment of small hardware and fittings required for completion

With its precision-cut structure, comprehensive hardware package, authentic scale design, lightweight construction, and straightforward assembly, this kit offers an excellent combination of traditional model-building craftsmanship and modern CNC manufacturing.

Powerplant

For an aircraft of this type, a Fiala FM 250 with the optional starter cannot be beat.

Despite having three wings, the model remains surprisingly practical at the flying field and can be assembled and ready for flight in approximately 20 minutes.

Flight Characteristics

Flying the Sopwith Triplane presents no particular difficulties for an experienced RC pilot.

Because its three wings have a narrower chord—while providing approximately the same total wing area as the similarly sized Sopwith Pup—the Triplane's basic flying speed is somewhat higher. Nevertheless, it remains very pleasant, predictable, and stress-free to fly.

The model has no unpleasant handling characteristics and responds very well through a wide variety of aerobatic maneuvers.

One undesirable characteristic sometimes associated with triplanes is their tendency to nose over during landing. On my Sopwith Triplane, however, this tendency is barely noticeable.

Scale 1 to 3

Wingspan 106.3 inches

Length 74.8 inches

Height: 41.3 inches

Weight ca. 33 lbs+