The Alcock A.1 (also known as the "Scout" and "Sopwith Mouse") was born at Royal Naval Air Service Moudros by Flight Lieutenant John Alcock during World War 1 (1914-1918). The fighter was of largely conventional biplane design, seating a sole crewmember and powered by a single engine. To expedite development, sections of existing fighter types (mainly from the Sopwith product line) were used to bring the machine together. In the end only a sole flyable prototype was completed and a crash in early-1918 ended its time in the skies, its potential as an in-service wartime military fighter for Britain never realized.
Lt Alcock began work on the new "fighting scout" during mid-1917 as the World War continued to rage on with no signs of ending. The makeup of the biplane involved the forward fuselage and lower wing sections of the Sopwith Triplane coupled with the upper wing assemblies of the Sopwith Pup biplane (parallel support struts being featured). To this was added an all-new tail section including original rear fuselage. The tailplane and elevator control surfaces of the Sopwith Camel biplane fighter rounded out the mix of aircraft parts used to create the new biplane. Armament was a single 7.7mm Vickers Machine Gun and power was from a Clerget 9Z 9-cylinder rotary engine of 110 horsepower (driving a two-bladed propeller at the nose). The undercarriage was fixed and wheeled at the main members (these located under the forward fuselage). The pilot's position was behind and under the upper wing element, seated in an open-air cockpit.
Dimensions of the Alcock A.1 included a length of 5.8 meters, a wingspan of 7.4 meters and a height of 2.3 meters.
As the aircraft was made up of a collection of Sopwith aircraft-related components it came to be known as the "Sopwith Mouse" by its circle of creators.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
✓X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
Length
19.1 ft (5.82 m)
Width/Span
24.3 ft (7.40 m)
Height
7.7 ft (2.35 m)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Alcock A.1 production variant)
biplane / over-under / straight
Biplane
Design utilizes a dual-plane wing arrangement in which one mainplane member is seated above the other; biplanes enhance agility at the expense of added drag.
Over-Under
Dual mainplane configuration seating the members in an over-under fashion and poisitoned at different points along the fuselage.
Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the Alcock A.1 production variant)
Installed:
1 x Clerget 9Z 9-cylinder rotary engine developing 110 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller at the nose.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Alcock A.1 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
PROPOSED:
1 x 7.7mm Vickers Machine Gun.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
A.1 - Base Series Designation.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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United Kingdom (cancelled)
