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 . Pilots nicknamed it the " Tripehound " or simply the " Tripe " . The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was immediately successful . The Triplane was nevertheless built in comparatively small numbers and was withdrawn from active service as Sopwith Camel s arrived in the latter half of 1917 . Surviving aircraft continued to serve as operational trainers until the end of the war . Design and development . The Triplane began as a private venture by the Sopwith Aviation Company . The fuselage and empennage closely mirrored those of the earlier Pup , but chief engineer Herbert Smith gave the new aircraft three narrow - chord wings to provide the pilot with an improved field of view . Ailerons were fitted to all three wings . By using the variable incidence tailplane , the aircraft could be trimmed to fly hands - off . The introduction of a smaller 8 ft span tailplane in February 1917 improved elevator response . The Triplane was initially powered by the 110 hp Clerget 9Z nine - cylinder rotary engine , but most production examples were fitted with the 130 hp Clerget 9B rotary . At least one Triplane was tested with a 110 hp Le Rhône rotary engine , but this did not provide a significant improvement in performance . The prototype Triplane , serial N500 , first flew on 28 May 1916 , with Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker at the controls . Within three minutes of takeoff , Hawker startled onlookers by looping the aircraft three times in succession . The Triplane was very agile , with effective , well - harmonised controls . When maneuvering , however , the Triplane presented an unusual appearance . One observer noted that the aircraft looked like " a drunken flight of steps " when rolling . In July 1916 , N500 was sent to Dunkirk for evaluation with " A " Naval Squadron , 1 Naval Wing . It proved highly successful . The second prototype , serial N504 , was fitted with a 130 hp Clerget 9B . N504 first flew in August 1916 and was eventually sent to France in December . This aircraft served as a conversion trainer for several squadrons . Production . Between July 1916 and January 1917 , the Admiralty issued two contracts to Sopwith for a total of 95 Triplanes , two contracts to Clayton & Shuttleworth Ltd . for a total of 46 aircraft , and one contract to Oakley & Co . Ltd . for 25 aircraft . Seeking modern aircraft for the Royal Flying Corps , the War Office also issued a contract to Clayton & Shuttleworth for 106 Triplanes . In February 1917 , the War Office agreed to exchange its Triplane orders for the Admiralty ' s SPAD S . VII contracts . Production commenced in late 1916 . Sopwith and Clayton & Shuttleworth completed their RNAS production orders , but Oakley , which had no prior experience building aircraft , delivered only three Triplanes before its contract was cancelled in October 1917 . For unknown reasons , the RFC Triplane contract issued to Clayton & Shuttleworth was simply cancelled rather than being transferred to the RNAS . Total production amounted to 147 aircraft . Operational history . 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 . < ref name = " Franks p55 / 68 " > Franks 2004 , pp . 54 , 68 . < / ref > The only other major operator of the Triplane was a French naval squadron based at Dunkirk , which received 17 aircraft . < ref name = " Franks p62 / 63 " > Franks 2004 , pp . 62 – 63 . < / ref > The Triplane ' s combat debut was highly successful . The new fighter ' s exceptional rate of climb and high service ceiling gave it a marked advantage over the Albatros D . III , though the Triplane was slower in a dive . The Germans were so impressed by the performance of the Triplane that it spawned a brief triplane craze among German aircraft manufacturers . Their efforts resulted in no fewer than 34 different prototypes , including the Fokker V . 4 , prototype of the successful Fokker Dr . I . The Triplane was famously flown by No . 10 Naval Squadron ' s " B " Flight , better known as " Black Flight . " This all - Canadian flight was commanded by the ace Raymond Collishaw . Their aircraft , named " Black Maria " , " Black Prince " , " Black George " , " Black Death " and " Black Sheep " , were distinguishable by their black - painted fins and cowlings . Black Flight claimed 87 German aircraft in three months while equipped with the Triplane . Collishaw himself scored 34 of his eventual 60 victories in the aircraft , making him the top Triplane ace . Withdrawal from service . For a variety of reasons , the Triplane ' s combat career was comparatively brief . In service , the Triplane proved difficult to repair . The fuel and oil tanks were inaccessible without substantial disassembly of the wings and fuselage . Even relatively minor repairs had to be made at rear echelon repair depots . Moreover , spare parts became difficult to obtain during the summer of 1917 , and No . 1 Naval Squadron ' s complement was reduced from 18 to 15 aircraft . The Triplane also gained a reputation for structural weakness because the wings sometimes collapsed in steep dives . This defect was attributed to the use of light gauge bracing wires in the 46 aircraft built by subcontractor Clayton & Shuttleworth . Several pilots of No . 10 Naval Squadron used cables or additional wires to strengthen their Triplanes . In 1918 , the RAF issued a technical order for the installation of a spanwise compression strut between the inboard cabane struts of surviving Triplanes . One aircraft , serial N5912 , was fitted with additional mid - bay flying wires on the upper wing while used as a trainer . Another drawback of the Triplane was its light armament . While contemporary Albatros fighters were armed with two guns , most Triplanes were armed with a single synchronised Vickers machine gun . Efforts to fit twin guns to the Triplane met with mixed results . Clayton & Shuttleworth built six experimental Triplanes with twin guns . Some of these aircraft saw combat service with Nos . 1 and 10 Naval Squadrons in July 1917 , but performance was reduced and the single gun remained standard . < ref name = " Franks p13 / 69 " > Franks 2004 , pp . 13 , 69 . < / ref > Triplanes built by Oakley would have featured twin guns , an engineering change which severely delayed production . In June 1917 , No . 4 Naval Squadron received the first Sopwith Camels and the advantages of the sturdier , better - armed fighter quickly became evident . Nos . 8 and 9 Naval Squadrons transitioned to the Camel between early July and early August 1917 . No . 10 Naval Squadron converted in late August , turning over its remaining Triplanes to No . 1 Naval Squadron . No . 1 operated Triplanes until December , suffering heavy casualties as a consequence . By the end of 1917 , surviving Triplanes were used as advanced trainers with No . 12 Naval Squadron . Survivors and modern reproductions . Only two authentic Sopwith Triplanes remain in existence . N5912 was one of three aircraft built by Oakley & Co . Ltd . and delivered in late 1917 . The aircraft saw no combat service and instead served with No . 2 School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery at Marske . After the war , the Imperial War Museum displayed the aircraft in a temporary exhibition until 1924 . In 1936 , the Royal Air Force acquired and restored the aircraft , flying it in several RAF Pageants at Hendon . Today , N5912 is preserved at the RAF Museum London . N5486 was supplied to the Russian Government for evaluation in May 1917 . In Russia , the aircraft was fitted with skis and used operationally until captured by the Bolshevists . The aircraft then served in the Red Air Force , probably as a trainer , and was rebuilt many times . Today , N5486 is preserved at the Central Air Force Museum , Monino , Russia . The popularity of the Triplane has resulted in numerous modern reproductions , built by both museums and individual enthusiasts . Northern Aeroplane Workshops built a notable reproduction for the Shuttleworth Collection . The aircraft is marked as " Dixie II " , representing the original " Dixie " , serial N6290 , of No . 8 Naval Squadron . In recognition of the reproduction ' s remarkable authenticity , Sir Thomas Sopwith decreed it to be a “ late production ” Triplane .