| The Gun Bus was essentially a landplane derivative of
the S.P.Gn (Sopwith Pusher, gun), a gun-carrying two-seat
pusher biplane with twin floats. Six of these floatplanes
were ordered from the recently-founded Sopwith
Aviation Company by the Greek government in
March 1914, but immediately commandeered by the
Admiralty when war was declared in August that year,
subsequently serving with the RNAS. The Gun Bus, intended
for the fighting role, carried a 7.7mm
machine gun on a flexible mount in the forward cockpit and was powered by a 100hp Gnome Monosoupape
rotary engine. A more powerful version, with a 150hp
Sunbeam eight-cylinder water-cooled engine, was developed
specifically for the RNAS, this having a redesigned
nacelle and a revised undercarriage. Six of the
Sunbeam-powered Gun Buses were built for the RNAS
by Sopwith, a further 30 being ordered for the service
from Robey & Company, these last being intended for
bombing (and possibly anti-submarine) duties as distinct
from fighting. The pilot was moved forward to the
front cockpit, a bombing panel being let into the floor
and four bomb carriers being fitted beneath the lower
wing.
 | A three-view drawing (1280 x 836) |
DIMENSIONS |
Wingspan | 15.24 m | 50 ft 0 in |
Length | 9.90 m | 33 ft 6 in |
Height | 3.45 m | 11 ft 4 in |
Wing area | 44.03 m2 | 473.93 sq ft |
PERFORMANCE |
Max. speed | 129 km/h | 80 mph |
David Rice, e-mail, 20.11.2008 18:22 I have a propeller boss which I have been informed is off a WW1 Sopwith. The boss is off a 4 bladed propeller, I suspect it could be off the Gun Bus. Can you offer any help please ? Regards David reply |
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