Aircraft Profile

Sopwith Pup

Designed and built by Adrian Hellwig

Built from a Flair kit, modified to make it more scale like, Adrian’s pup is finished in the 1917/18 five-colour French camouflage scheme called “footprint” for the reasons pointed out. French scheme? But aren’t those Belgian markings? They are indeed. The reason for this being that the French supplied the aircraft to the Belgian Air Service. Aircraft is still a fraud however as the scheme rightly belongs to a Hanriot HD1 not a Sopwith Pup at all! Aircraft aside the scheme is accurate for the personal machine of Jan Olieslagers – one of Belgium’s aces. A brief history of the pilot is as follows:

With Germany's invasion of Belgium in August 1914 Olieslagers and his two brothers were prompt in offering not only their services as airmen, but also their three Bleriot XI aircraft. An overtly daring fighter pilot, Olieslagers tackled his early German opponents armed solely with a pistol. Although he flew some 500 sorties and involved himself in almost 100 dogfights, Olieslagers finished the war with a stunted tally of six confirmed victories (one each in 1915 and 1916, and two more in each of 1917 and 1918), flying Nieuport and Hanriot aircraft. In large part however this was because Olieslagers paid scant attention to formally claiming recognition for his 'kills'. In reality his score was far higher.

People often ask why the two streamers are attached to the rudder. These indicated the flight leader (his deputy only carried one). The Thistle on the side of the aircraft represents the motto of 1 emé of the Belgian Air Service - ‘Nemo me impune lacessit’ (No one touches me with impunity). The cowling, rudder and wheel markings, were those chosen by Olieslagers to adorn his personal mount and the number four was his flight aircraft number. All in all it’s a scheme that looks great in the air and an aircraft that is pleasant to fly.