The Sopwith Triplane was a single seater triplane fighter aircraft used by the British in World War I. It was manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company and was nicknamed the Tripe or the Tripehound.

Introduced in November 1916 the Sopwith Triplane was flown by the Royal Naval Air Service. 152 of them were built. The planes were more agile and faster climbers than early biplanes but they were slower and less well armed than the German aircraft of the time. Most of the triplanes were armed with a single fixed Vickers machine gun that fired, using an interrupter gear, through the propeller. Six of the planes however were fitted with twin Vickers.

The tripe was famously flown by the "Black Flight" (of No. 10 Naval Squadron) which was commanded by Canadian ace Raymond Collishaw. The unit shot down 87 German aircraft in three months while equipped with the Sopwith Triplane. Collishaw himself scored 33 victories in the aircraft, more than any other pilot.

After less than a year, the triplanes were withdrawn from service and replaced by Sopwith Camels.

Specifications (variant described)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 pilot
• Capacity:
• Length: 5.73 m (18 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 8 m (26 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: m² ( ft²)
• Empty: 500 kg (1,100 lb)
• Loaded: kg ( lb)
• Maximum takeoff: kg ( lb)
• Powerplant: Clerget 9Z, 9 cylinder, rotary, 110 hp [82 kw] or
• Powerplant: Clerget 9B, rotary, 130 hp [96 kw] or
• Powerplant: Le Rhône, 9 cylinder, 110 hp [82 kw]

Performance

• Maximum speed: 188 km/h (117 mph)
• Range: km ( miles)
• Service ceiling: 6,248 m (20,500 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: or
• Power/mass: