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The Airdrome Sopwith Camel is an American amateur-built aircraft, designed and produced by Airdrome Aeroplanes, of Holden, Missouri. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The aircraft is a full-scale replica of the First World War British Sopwith Camel fighter. The replica is built from modern materials and powered by modern engines.

Design and development

The Airdrome Sopwith Camel features a strut-braced biplane layout, a single-seat open cockpit, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft fuselage is made from welded 4130 steel tubing, covered in doped aircraft fabric. The Airdrome Sopwith Camel has a wingspan of 26.2 ft (8.0 m) and a wing area of 195 sq ft (18.1 m). The standard engine used is the 150 hp (112 kW) four stroke Rotec R3600 radial engine. Building time from the factory-supplied kit is estimated at 450 hours by the manufacturer.

Operational history

One example had been completed by December 2011.

Specifications (Sopwith Camel)

Data from Kitplanes

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Wingspan: 26.2 ft (8.0 m)
• Wing area: 195 sq ft (18.1 m)
• Empty weight: 943 lb (428 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,243 lb (564 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 18 U.S. gallons (68 L; 15 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rotec R3600 nine cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke radial engine, 150 hp (110 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed wooden

Performance

• Cruise speed: 85 mph (137 km/h, 74 kn)
• Stall speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn)
• Range: 200 mi (320 km, 170 nmi)
• Rate of climb: 675 ft/min (3.43 m/s)
• Wing loading: 6.4 lb/sq ft (31 kg/m)

References

1. ^ Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 41. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
2. Airdrome Aeroplanes (n.d.). "Sopwith Camel". Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2012.

• Homebuilt aircraft
• Biplanes
• Single-engined tractor aircraft
• Replica aircraft