Sopwith Dolphin

The Sopwith Dolphin was a British single‑seat fighter introduced in early 1918 by the Sopwith Aviation Company. Developed as a response to the Royal Flying Corps’ demand for a high‑performance interceptor, the Dolphin featured an unusual sesquiplane layout with the upper wing mounted lower than the fuselage, giving the pilot an unobstructed forward view. Powered by the 200‑hp Hispano‑Suiza V8 engine, the aircraft achieved a top speed of around 205 km/h (127 mph) and could climb to 5,000 ft in under ten minutes. Its armament comprised two synchronized Vickers machine guns and, in later models, an additional pair of Lewis guns mounted on the upper wing. Although the Dolphin’s unconventional wing arrangement caused initial handling concerns, pilots praised its maneuverability and stability at altitude, making it effective in both dogfighting and bomber escort duties. Deployed mainly on the Western Front during the final months of World War I, the Dolphin helped maintain Allied air superiority. Post‑war, it influenced the design of later high‑wing fighters and demonstrated the advantages of improved pilot visibility, cementing its place in aviation history. A total of 865 Dolphins were built, and several survived into the early 1920s as test aircraft for aerodynamic research.

Sopwith Aviation Company

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