The last pre-Christmas week takes off ....The 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 was the first military triplane to see operational service. The Triplane joined Royal Naval Air Service squadrons in early 1917 and was immediately successful.

The Royal Air Force No. 1 Naval Squadron became fully operational with the Triplane by December 1916, but the squadron did not see any significant action until February 1917, when it relocated from Furnes to Chipilly. No. 8 Naval Squadron received its Triplanes in February 1917. Nos. 9 and 10 Naval Squadrons equipped with the type between April and May 1917.The only other major operator of the Triplane was a French naval squadron based at Dunkirk, which received 17 aircraft.

One of the Triplanes was operated by the Greek Helenic Navy and one by the Imperial Russian Air Force.