Sopwith Wallaby

The Sopwith Wallaby was a British single-engined long-range biplane built during 1919 by Sopwith Aviation Company at Kingston upon Thames.

Wallaby
Sopwith Wallaby G-EAKS, side view
Role Long-range transport biplane
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Sopwith Aviation Company
First flight 1919
Primary user Australian Aerial Services
Number built 1

Development

The Wallaby was designed to compete in an Australian government £10,000 prize for an England to Australia flight. It was a single-engined biplane powered by a Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine. It had an open cockpit with two seats that could be retracted inside the enclosed cabin.

Operational history

The Wallaby registered G-EAKS departed Hounslow on 21 October 1919 for Australia. On 17 April 1920 it crashed on the island of Bali in the Dutch East Indies. It was shipped to Australia and re-built as an 8-seater transport and was used by Australian Aerial Services.

Operator
 Australia
  • Australian Aerial Services

Specifications

Data from Sopwith—The Man and his Aircraft[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m)
  • Wingspan: 46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
  • Height: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
  • Wing area: 583 sq ft (54.2 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,780 lb (1,261 kg)
  • Gross weight: 5,200 lb (2,359 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 200 imp gal (910 l; 240 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII water cooled V8 engine, 360 hp (270 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed, 12 ft (3.7 m) diameter

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 115 mph (185 km/h, 100 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 107 mph (172 km/h, 93 kn)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References
  1. Robertson 1970, pp. 236–237, 240–241.
  • Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 3. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
  • Robertson, Bruce (1970). Sopwith-The Man and his Aircraft. Letchworth, UK: Air Review. ISBN 0-900435-15-1..
  • "Sopwith (Australia) Transport Machine". Flight. XI (42): 1362–1367. 16 October 1919. No. 564. Retrieved 13 January 2011. Contemporary technical description, with photographs and drawings, of the airplane and the planned flight from England to Australia.
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