# Sopwith Bulldog > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Bulldog > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Bulldog.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Bulldog > Source revision: 1321135032 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British WW1 two-seat biplane fighter aircraft Bulldog General information Type Fighter/reconnaissance aircraft National origin United Kingdom Manufacturer Sopwith Number built 2 History First flight 1918 The **Sopwith 2FR.2 Bulldog** was a prototype [British](/source/United_Kingdom) two-seat [fighter](/source/Fighter_aircraft) of the [First World War](/source/World_War_I). A single-engined [biplane](/source/Biplane), the Bulldog was a fighter/reconnaissance aircraft intended to replace the [Bristol F.2 Fighter](/source/Bristol_F.2_Fighter), but was unsuccessful, with no replacement for the Bristol Fighter being purchased. ## Development and design In August 1917, the [Sopwith Aviation Company](/source/Sopwith_Aviation_Company) started design of a two-seat fighter reconnaissance aircraft intended to replace the [Bristol F.2 Fighter](/source/Bristol_F.2_Fighter), and received permission to build prototypes of the Sopwith FR.2. It was intended to power the FR.2 with a 200 hp (149 kW) [Hispano-Suiza 8](/source/Hispano-Suiza_8) water-cooled [V-8](/source/V8_engine) engine, but the Hispano was in great demand, and it was decided to switch to the new [Clerget 11](/source/Clerget_11), an eleven-cylinder [rotary engine](/source/Rotary_engine), a change which led to the prospective design being redesignated 2FR.2.[1] The Bulldog was a compact single-bay [biplane](/source/Biplane) resembling the first prototype [Sopwith Snipe](/source/Sopwith_Snipe) single-seat fighter. The pilot sat under the upper wing, with his head and shoulders protruding through a large gap in the centre section, while the observer's cockpit was aft of the trailing edge of the upper wing. Armament was two [synchronised](/source/Synchronization_gear) [Vickers machine guns](/source/Vickers_machine_gun) in a hump ahead of the pilot, while the observer/gunner was provided with two [Lewis guns](/source/Lewis_gun), one on a telescopic mounting forward of the observer's cockpit, and the second on a pillar mounting to give rearward defence.[1][2] The first prototype appeared early in 1918, but it was overweight and handled poorly. It was quickly rebuilt with much larger two-bay wings,[3] which improved the handling, but the prototype's performance remained disappointing,[4] not even matching that of the aircraft it was intended to replace. The poor performance was in part due to the Clerget engine's failure to provide the expected power, producing only 200 hp (149 kW) instead of the expected 260 hp (194 kW).[5] The second prototype was fitted with a 360 hp (267 kW) [ABC Dragonfly](/source/ABC_Dragonfly) [radial engine](/source/Radial_engine), becoming the Bulldog Mk.II, with the first prototype becoming the Bulldog Mk.I. However, although the Dragonfly gave much more power than the Clerget, it was hopelessly unreliable, with one test pilot stating that "... I never remember being able to get all cylinders to fire at the same time" and "I don't remember that we got a single successful performance with the engine."[6] Work on a third prototype was abandoned because of the failure of the first two aircraft,[4] although the second prototype continued in use until at least March 1919 carrying out test flights in futile attempts to solve the problems of the Dragonfly.[7] ## Specifications (Mk.I, two-bay wings) *Data from* *War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three Fighters* [7] **General characteristics** - **Crew:** 2 - **Length:** 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m) - **Wingspan:** 33 ft 9 in (10.29 m) - **Height:** 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) - **Wing area:** 335 sq ft (31.1 m2) - **Empty weight:** 1,441 lb (654 kg) - **Gross weight:** 2,495 lb (1,132 kg) - **Powerplant:** 1 × [Clerget 11Eb](/source/Clerget_11Eb) 11-cylinder rotary piston engine, 200 hp (150 kW) - **Propellers:** 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller **Performance** - **Maximum speed:** 109 mph (175 km/h, 95 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) - **Endurance:** 2 hours - **Service ceiling:** 15,000 ft (4,600 m) - **Time to altitude:** 15,000 ft (4,600 m) in 15 minutes 35 seconds **Armament** - **Guns:** 2× forward firing [.303 in](/source/.303_British) [Vickers machine guns](/source/Vickers_machine_gun) and 2× [Lewis guns](/source/Lewis_gun) in rear cockpit ## See also **Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era** - [Bristol F.2 Fighter](/source/Bristol_F.2_Fighter) - [Sopwith Hippo](/source/Sopwith_Hippo) ## Notes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mason_Fighter_p131_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mason_Fighter_p131_1-1) Mason 1992, p.131. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_v3_p8-9_2-0)** Bruce 1969, pp.8–9. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_v3_p9-10_3-0)** Bruce 1969, pp.9–10. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-complete_p538_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-complete_p538_4-1) Green and Swanborough p.538. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_v3_p10_5-0)** Bruce 1969, p.10. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_v3_p11-12_6-0)** Bruce 1969, pp.11–12. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bruce_v3_p12_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bruce_v3_p12_7-1) Bruce 1969, p.12. ## References - Bruce, J.M. *War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three Fighters*. London:Macdonald, 1969. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-356-01490-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-356-01490-8). - Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. *The Complete Book of Fighters*. New York:Smithmark, 1994. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8317-3939-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8317-3939-8). - Mason, Francis K. *The British Fighter since 1912*. Annapolis, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-55750-082-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55750-082-7). ## External links - [Photo](http://1000aircraftphotos.com/APS/2339.htm) 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 Bulldog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Bulldog) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Bulldog?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.