1916 Sopwith Pup (Representation)
The Sopwith Pup was the first aircraft to land on a moving ship, a tricky maneuver with the crew stopping the plane by grabbing leather straps attached to the wings. It had no brakes! The Pup was used extensively in the development of deck landing techniques. Delightful to fly, they were agile with excellent high-altitude performance. Some had eight rockets mounted on the outboard wing struts to make them Zeppelin killers.
Specifications: span 26 ft. 6 in.; length 19 ft. 4 in; takeoff weight 1225 lbs.; engine 80 hp LeRhone nine-cylinder air-cooled rotary; maximum speed 111 mph. Armament one Vickers or Lewis .303 cal. machine gun.
Accession no. 1992P41.
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