Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Two-seat training biplane

Power Plant:

One 60 kw (80 hp) at 1,200 rpm Le Rhone seven-cylinder rotary piston engine

Specifications:

History:

In 1919 Sopwith Aviation and Engineering Co Ltd produced the Dove, this being a two/three-seat variant of the Sopwith Pup fighter of World War I converted for use as a private touring and training aircraft.  It was a two-bay biplane of wooden construction with fabric covering.  It made its debut at Hounslow in Greater London in May 1919.  A total of 12 was completed, most of which had the 82 kw (110 hp) Le Rhone nine-cylinder rotary piston engine.

In March 1919 the Australian Commonwealth Government announced an amount of £10,000 ($20,000) would be awarded to the first Australian airman who succeeded in flying from England to Australia in 720 consecutive hours. Australian aviator H J L “Bert” Hinkler entered a Sopwith Dove but the aircraft did not take part. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales flew on an aerobatic flight in a Dove (G-EACM) with Major Barker, VC at Hounslow on 10 May 1919, this aircraft later going to Canada as G-CAAY.

On 11 June 1919 the Larkin-Sopwith Aviation Co of Australasia was registered in London and imported to Australia four Sopwith Doves and two Sopwith Gnus.  The first aircraft (K-168) arrived on board SS Demosthenes on 13 October 1919, being erected shortly thereafter and making its first public appearance on 25 October 1919.  This Dove was later sold to Aerial Transport of South Australia, and later again to Mr D Angas of Hill River Station, Clare, S.A.  On 17 August 1920 Captain D O Y Loftes attempted to fly the Dove from Glenelg in Adelaide to Melbourne, VIC but, on landing at Keith, SA, it hit a tree and was badly damaged.  It was later rebuilt by Larkin but in the meantime the Company received another Dove.

Ten examples of the Dove were built and placed on the British Civil Aircraft Register before the Company went into liquidation in September 1920. All but one was sold overseas.  Examples shipped to Australia to the Larkin-Sopwith Aviation Company included: G-AUDN (c/n 3004/3 – ex G-EAJI), named Belle of the Blue first registered on 28 June 1921 to E O Cudmore of South Yarra. The following year its ownership was transferred to J Howarth of Narrandera, NSW.  The registration was cancelled in June 1923.  In January 1930 it was registered VH-UDN to T J E Stratton of Daceyville, NSW.  Subsequent owners included R G Ross of South Yarra, VIC in 1932, L Gornall of Sydney, NSW in 1933, and J W Howarth of Narrandera again.  It made a forced landing 6.4 km (4 miles) from Goulburn, NSW on 27 February 1934 and was struck off the register.

G-AUJJ (c/n 3004/4 – ex G-EAJJ) was registered to the Larkin Aircraft Supply Co of Melbourne on 28 June 1921 and was fitted with a 60 kw (80 hp) Le Rhone rotary engine.  It survived until 27 June 1925 when the registration lapsed and it was broken up in that year.

G-AUKH (c/n 3004/5 – ex G-EAKH) also had a 60 kw (80 hp) Le Rhone rotary engine and was registered to the Larkin Aircraft Supply Co Ltd on 28 June 1921.  It was placed on display in 1922 at the Melbourne Motor Exhibition.  Its last recorded flight was on 18 June 1925 and it was retired, being struck off the register on 19 June 1928 with a total of 25 flying hours.

G-AUDP [ntu] (c/n 3004/6 – ex G-EAKT) was imported for Mr A L Long of Hobart, Tasmania, who at one stage had a Boulton & Paul P.9, which is believed to have crashed prior to taking up its registration.

The machines registered to Larkin Aircraft were used for the carriage of passengers and operated on charter work, including the Adelaide to Sydney mail route for Larkin’s subsidiary, Australian Aerial Services Ltd, occasionally being used for barnstorming, and providing exhibitions, such as on 29 December 1919 when a Dove of the Aerial Transport Co “provided thrilling stunts over Glenelg”. On 12 July a Dove was flown over HMAS Australia and her accompanying destroyers as they approached Port Adelaide.

One Dove (G-EBKY – c/n 3004/14) was registered in 1925 in the United Kingdom but after the owner’s demise was placed in storage for many years until obtained by R O Shuttleworth in 1937 and rebuilt as a Pup by the Shuttleworth Trust for airshow work, flying as N5180. In recent years it has been flown as N6181 Happy of No 3 Naval Air Squadron.

A replica Dove (G-EAGA) has also been built in the United Kingdom and this, fitted with a 60 kw (80 hp) Le Rhone nine-cylinder rotary engine, is regularly flown at events at the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden in Bedfordshire.