Endnotes
- “Churchill an Aviator: British Minister Guides a Biplane for
Forty-five Minutes,” New York Times, 2 December 1913, p. 1.
- “Review of the Past Year,” The Aeroplane, 1 January 1914,
p. 10.
- Ibid., 16 February 1914.
Fred Glueckstein is a regular contributor to Finest Hour
and author of Churchill and Colonist II (2015).
piloted the Sopwith Sociable on several occasions with
Churchill aboard, and the biplane gained the nickname
the “Sopwith Churchill.”
On 4 March, Churchill was guest of honor at the Royal
Aero Club Annual Dinner, and he was warmly welcomed
for his active role in advancing naval aviation. There were
seventy-one pilots present, including almost every well-
known name in British military and civil aviation.
The Sopwith Sociable was praised in The Aeroplane:
“Its speed is 80 to 85 mph and it is intended mainly for
shore patrols from Naval Air Stations. It is an excellent
piece of work throughout.”^3 Churchill, who was learning
to fly a plane himself, would have agreed that the Sopwith
Sociable was an impressive British-built machine.
The biplane’s future, however, was short-lived. While
based at Eastchurch in Kent, the Sopwith Churchill spun
into the ground on take-off on 25 March. It was repaired
by Sopwith Aviation and delivered to No. 3 Squadron
RNAS in Belgium in September, one month after the
First World War had started. The aircraft was fitted with
an additional fuel tank and a bomb rack. Subsequently,
the biplane was used on an abortive attempt to bomb a
German airship shed at Cologne on 22 September.
Final Flight
T
he Sopwith Churchill was then transferred to No.
I Squadron RNAS, but broke an axle on take-off
from Antwerp, damaging the landing gear and
the upper wing. While awaiting repair at Antwerp, the
Sopwith Churchill was abandoned following the advance
of German troops. It was deleted from Admiralty Lists on
14 October 1914.
Although the only one built during the First World
War, the Sopwith Churchill is an interesting historical
note in the annals of British military aircraft design and
manufacture. It is also an example of Winston Churchill’s
keen interest as First Lord of the Admiralty in military avi-
ation for the Royal Navy.
Churchill’s interest in military aviation during the
First World War continued after the conflict as he fol-
lowed with great concern England’s failure to maintain
corresponding air power with Nazi Germany in the years
leading to the Second World War. When it came to air
power, Winston Churchill both literally and figuratively
was always looking out for Britain. ,
The Sopwith Tabloid, upon which Churchill‘s model was based, pictured in 1915
Endnotes
1.“ChurchillanAviator:BritishMinisterGuidesa Biplanefor
Forty-fiveMinutes,”NewYorkTimes, 2 December1913,p.1.
2.“ReviewofthePastYear,”TheAeroplane, 1 January1914,
p.10.
3.Ibid., 16February1914.
FredGluecksteinis a regularcontributortoFinestHour
andauthorofChurchillandColonistII(2015).
pilotedtheSopwithSociableon severaloccasions with
Churchillaboard,andthebiplanegainedthenickname
the“SopwithChurchill.”
On4 March,ChurchillwasguestofhonorattheRoyal
AeroClubAnnualDinner,andhewaswarmlywelcomed
forhisactiveroleinadvancingnavalaviation.Therewere
seventy-onepilotspresent,includingalmosteverywell-
knownnameinBritishmilitaryandcivilaviation.
TheSopwithSociablewaspraisedinTheAeroplane:
“Itsspeedis 80 to 85 mphanditisintendedmainlyfor
shorepatrolsfromNavalAirStations.Itisanexcellent
pieceofworkthroughout.”^3 Churchill,whowaslearning
toflya planehimself,wouldhaveagreedthattheSopwith
SociablewasanimpressiveBritish-builtmachine.
The biplane’s future, however, was short-lived. While
based at Eastchurch in Kent, the Sopwith Churchill spun
into the ground on take-off on 25 March. It was repaired
by Sopwith Aviation and delivered to No. 3 Squadron
RNAS in Belgium in September, one month after the
First World War had started. The aircraft was fitted with
an additional fuel tank and a bomb rack. Subsequently,
the biplane was used on an abortive attempt to bomb a
German airship shed at Cologne on 22 September.
Final Flight
T
he Sopwith Churchill was then transferred to No.
I Squadron RNAS, but broke an axle on take-off
from Antwerp, damaging the landing gear and
the upper wing. While awaiting repair at Antwerp, the
Sopwith Churchill was abandoned following the advance
of German troops. It was deleted from Admiralty Lists on
14 October1914.
Although the only one built during the First World
War, the Sopwith Churchill is an interesting historical
note in the annals of British military aircraft design and
manufacture. It is also an example of Winston Churchill’s
keen interest as First Lord of the Admiralty in military avi-
ationfortheRoyalNavy.
Churchill’s interest in military aviation during the
First World War continued after the conflict as he fol-
lowed with great concern England’s failure to maintain
corresponding air power with Nazi Germany in the years
leading to the Second World War. When it came to air
power, Winston Churchill both literally and figuratively
was always looking out for Britain. ,
The Sopwith Tabloid, upon which Churchill‘s model was based, pictured in 1915
