An attempt was made to cross the Atlantic in a Sopwith Atlantic biplane by Com. Mackenzie Grieve and Maj. Harry Hawker on 18 May 1919. This plane generally followed the design of Sopwith warplanes, and had a 46 feet wingspan and was 31 feet long, weighing 6000 pounds fully equipped for flight. It was supposed to have a flight duration of 25 hours at 100 miles an hour, and was driven by a Rolls-Royce engine developing 375 horse power, at 1800 RPM. A 4-bladed propeller was used, geared down to 1281 revolutions.
Sopwith designed this machine for commercial transport, especially trans-Atlantic crossings, and named it the “Sopwith Transport (Trans-Atlantic Type)”. It was a two seater with a cargo capacity (including 330 gallons of fuel) of about 3,000 pounds, a distinct departure from the firm’s previous specialty: single seat fighters.
Several test flights were made in March and April which seemed hopeful, and on May 18th Hawker and Grieve flew from St. Johns, and after 16 hours in the air were forced to alight on the ocean 1000 miles east of their starting point and 900 miles from their destination. The difficulty was due to the choking of the filter and defects in the circulation system of the engine, and realizing that the motor was functioning improperly, the course was changed so as to cross the main shipping route. Sighting a steamer, which proved to be the Danish ship Mary, signals were made and the aviators were taken off in a rough sea, but it was impossible to save the airplane. Hawker and Grieve were about 14 hours from Newfoundland and accomplished about 1000 miles of the journey. The British destroyer Wolston met the Mary off Loch Eireball and the aviators were brought ashore.
Top Speed: n.a.
Manufacturer: Sopwith
Year: 1919
Engine: 375 h.p. Rolls-Royce inline
Wingspan: 46 feet
Weight: 3,000 lb.