# Sopwith Buffalo > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Buffalo > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Buffalo.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Buffalo > Source revision: 1321136408 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British WW1 Armoured biplane fighter/reconnaissance aircraft Buffalo General information Type Armoured fighter/reconnaissance aircraft National origin United Kingdom Manufacturer Sopwith Aviation Company Status Prototype Number built 2 History First flight 19 September 1918 Developed from Sopwith Bulldog The **Sopwith Buffalo** was a British armoured [fighter](/source/Fighter_aircraft)/[reconnaissance aircraft](/source/Reconnaissance_aircraft) of the [First World War](/source/First_World_War). A single-engined [biplane](/source/Biplane), two examples of the Buffalo were built by [Sopwith](/source/Sopwith_Aviation_Company) to carry out reconnaissance missions low over the trenches while protected against machine-gun fire from the ground, but no production followed, with the end of the war removing the need for such an aircraft. ## Development and design In July 1918, the British [Air Ministry](/source/Air_Ministry) requested Sopwith, who were already building the [Sopwith Salamander](/source/Sopwith_Salamander) armoured single-seat ground attack fighter, to build an armoured two-seat aircraft to carry out the dangerous contact patrol mission.[1] This mission involved flying at low altitude over the battlefield to locate and keep in contact with attacking forces, therefore keeping commanders in touch with the progress of the battle. This exposed aircraft carrying out such missions to heavy small arms fire from enemy trenches, resulting in heavy casualties.[2][3] Sopwith's design, the **3F.2 Buffalo**, was a single-engined [tractor](/source/Tractor_configuration) [biplane](/source/Biplane), with its two-bay wooden wings taken from Sopwith's earlier [Bulldog](/source/Sopwith_Bulldog) fighter. Like the Salamander, the forward fuselage was made out of armour plate, weighing about 750 lb (340 kg), with the bottom of the fuselage 0.315 in (8 mm) thick, with the sides and front of 0.179 in (5 mm) plate. The armoured box reached back to the observer's cockpit, protecting the crew together with the fuel tanks and pipes, the [carburettor](/source/Carburettor) and the [magnetos](/source/Ignition_magneto).[3][4] The first prototype flew on 19 September 1918,[3] flying to France for evaluation in the field on 27 September.[5] The second prototype, which had its armour extended further aft, flew in October.[3] While tests showed that the Buffalo had good performance, and promised to be an excellent contact patrol aircraft, the end of the war ended plans for large scale production. The two prototypes were sent to [No. 43 Squadron](/source/No._43_Squadron_RAF), serving with the British Army of Occupation at [Bickendorf](/source/Bickendorf) near [Cologne](/source/Cologne), Germany, but were quickly damaged in crashes.[2][5] ## Operators **[Australia](/source/Australia)** - [Australian Flying Corps](/source/Australian_Flying_Corps) - [No. 4 Squadron AFC](/source/No._4_Squadron_RAAF) – One Buffalo was attached to No. 4 Squadron, it was used for tests and trials during October 1918. **[United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom)** - [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) - [No. 43 Squadron RAF](/source/No._43_Squadron_RAF) ## Specifications *Data from* *British Aeroplanes 1914-18.*[6] **General characteristics** - **Crew:** Two - **Length:** 23 ft 3+1⁄2 in (7.10 m) - **Wingspan:** 36 ft 6 in (11.13 m) - **Height:** 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) - **Wing area:** 326 sq ft (30.3 m2) - **Empty weight:** 2,178 lb (988 kg) - **Gross weight:** 3,071 lb (1,393 kg) - **Fuel capacity:** 25 imp gal (30 US gal; 110 L) - **Powerplant:** 1 × [Bentley BR.2](/source/Bentley_BR.2) 9-cylinder [rotary engine](/source/Rotary_engine), 230 hp (170 kW) - **Propellers:** 2-bladed, 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) diameter [7] **Performance** - **Maximum speed:** 114 mph (183 km/h, 99 kn) at 1,000 ft (300 m) - **Range:** 275 mi (443 km, 239 nmi) [8] - **Service ceiling:** 9,000 ft (2,700 m) - **Time to altitude:** 4 min 55 s to 3,000 ft (910 m) **Armament** - **Guns:** - 1× forward firing [.303 in](/source/.303_British) [Vickers machine gun](/source/Vickers_machine_gun) - 1× flexibly mounted [Lewis gun](/source/Lewis_gun) in rear cockpit ## See also **Related development** - [Sopwith Bulldog](/source/Sopwith_Bulldog) **Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era** - [Sopwith Salamander](/source/Sopwith_Salamander) - [Junkers J.I](/source/Junkers_J.I) - [AEG J.I](/source/AEG_J.I) - [Albatros J.I](/source/Albatros_J.I) ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Robertson 1970, p. 229. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bruce1957p629_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bruce1957p629_2-1) Bruce 1957, p. 629. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mason139_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mason139_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-mason139_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-mason139_3-3) Mason 1992, p. 139. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Bruce 1979, p. 199. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bruce1979p200_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bruce1979p200_5-1) Bruce 1979, p. 200. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Bruce 1957, p. 630. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Robertson_p240_7-0)** Robertson 1970, p. 240. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *Flight*, 6 February 1919, p. 174. ## References - Bruce, J. M. *British Aeroplanes 1914-18*. London:Putnam, 1957. - Bruce, J. M. "The First British Armoured Brigade",Part 3. *[Air International](/source/Air_International)*, April 1979, Vol 16 No. 4. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll Publishing. pp. 182–190, 199–200. - Mason, Francis K. *The British Fighter since 1912*. Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-55750-082-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55750-082-7). - "[Milestones:The Sopwith Machines](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200163.html)". *[Flight](/source/Flight_International)*, 6 February 1919. pp. 163–174. - Robertson, Bruce. *Sopwith-The Man and his Aircraft*. Letchworth, UK:Air Review, 1970. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-900435-15-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-900435-15-1). v t e Sopwith aircraft By role Fighters Buffalo Bulldog Camel Dolphin Dragon Gunbus Hippo Hispano-Suiza Triplane L.R.T.Tr. Pup Snail Snapper Snark Snipe Swallow Triplane Bombers B.1 Cobham Rhino Torpedo bomber Cuckoo Scouts/bombers Baby Sparrow 1½ Strutter Tabloid Two-Seat Scout Seaplanes Bat-Boat Circuit of Britain floatplane Sopwith Pusher Seaplane/S PG N Admiralty Type 137 Admiralty Type 138 Admiralty Type C Special torpedo seaplane Type C Type 807 Type 860 Schneider (1914) Baby Schneider (1919) Ground attack Salamander Sports tourer Gnu By designation B.1 B.2 2B.2 F.1 2F.1 4F.1 5F.1 7F.1 8F.1 3F.2 (I) 3F.2 (II) FR.2 2FR.2 FS.1 T.1 TF.1 TF.2 By name Antelope Atlantic Baby Bat-Boat Bee Buffalo Bulldog Circuit of Britain floatplane Camel Cobham Cuckoo Dolphin Dove Dragon Gnu Grasshopper Gunbus Hippo Hispano-Suiza Triplane L.R.T.Tr. Pup Rainbow Rhino Salamander Scooter Snail Snapper Snark Snipe Sparrow Sociable Swallow 1½ Strutter Tabloid Tadpole Three-seater Triplane Special torpedo seaplane Type C Wallaby Designers Herbert Smith Thomas Sopwith --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sopwith Buffalo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Buffalo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Buffalo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.