Sopwith Triplane

The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. It has the distinction of being the first military triplane to see operational service.

The triplane concept had a brief life and in less than two years it had been eclipsed by the new and more powerful biplane fighters on both sides.

The arrival of the Triplane on the Western Front in early 1917 made such an impression on the Germans that they produce their own triplane fighters, this lead to the Fokker Dr1 which the infamous Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen flew. 

Both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service ordered the type but policy changes led to the Triplane only being used by the Royal Naval Air Service fighter squadrons on the Western Front.

The Sopwith Triplane at RAF London is one of only two known survivors.

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