Why did the RFC order the Sopwith Tabloid ?
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Given that the RFC had chosen the BE2 as its ‘benchmark’- and Frederick Sykes was prevented from standardizing the RFC on this single type only due to the ‘pusher’ lobby (who preferred the downwards view, and saw the AMC licenced Farman as a cheap alternative to continuing development of the FE2) – and, to quote Morrow, “the concentration on reconnaissance and artillery spotting led armies to prefer slow, stable two-seat airplanes (sic) whose top speed in 1914 was 65 to 75 mph”, why did the RFC order the Sopwith ?
Given that the RFC had chosen the BE2 as its ‘benchmark‘- and Frederick Sykes was prevented from standardizing the RFC on this single type only due to the ‘pusher‘ lobby (who preferred the downwards view, and saw the AMC licenced Farman as a cheap alternative to continuing development of the FE2) – and, to quote Morrow, “the concentration on reconnaissance and artillery spotting led armies to prefer slow, stable two-seat airplanes (sic) whose top speed in 1914 was 65 to 75 mph”, why did the RFC order the Sopwith ?
Nick, could I ask which Morrow book your quote is taken from? I have The Great War in the Air, but cannot find it in there.
Yet the RFC had no perceived role for a ‘high speed scout’.
The French had, they attached single-seater Bleriots to the cavalry with, presumably, the intention that the pilots fly home with the information rather than communicate it to the ground via lamp, wireless, flare or message bag.
No such pre-war co-operation with the British cavalry I know of, though I can cite examples of British cavalry officers going to France during manoeuvres, and even taking joyrides in aircraft.
So, was this French influence, or were the Sopwiths a type without a perceived RFC role which is why they went to France with the Aircraft Park ?
Quote is from ‘The Great War in the Air’ (Smithsonian 1st edition), page 54, para 2.
I’d recommend his ‘German Air power in World War 1’ also.
Thank you Nick – I’ve now found it! The index wasn’t much help. I shall certainly keep an eye out for Morrow’s other book.
As I still regard myself as a ‘newbie’ to the world of WW1 research, and having only been in possession of a copy of The Great War in the Air for about 12 months, I now realise what a mine of information it is.
Dry is certainly not a word I would use to describe it; if other researchers need more info on ‘red tri-planes’ there are surely plenty of other publications available.For what it is worth. I have always thought that the early single seaters came by the name of scout because of the original intention that the RFC was to be used in the reconnaissance mode just as cavalry was used in a war of movement. Cavalry regiments were organised in squadrons and could be used to range forward of an army to locate and report on the movement of the enemy. Similarly a single mounted trooper could be sent as a scout, could get closer to the enemy without being discovered and would be quicker to return with important information. So the RFC had several scouts attached to their squadrons to do just that. Also some single seaters were given to the RFC so they needed to be used. Some pilots thought they were dangerously fast
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