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ADF-SERIALS
Australian, New Zealand & Papua New Guinea
Military Aircraft Serials & History
This site is devoted to providing as complete a record as possible of aircraft operated by the ADF, NZDF & PNGDF.
Included where known are brief summaries of the history and current status of aircraft employed in Australian New Zealand & PNG Military Service.

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AFC Sopwith 3F.2 Buffalo
4 Sqn, AFC

 

Sopwith Buffalo Image Galley

 
Aircraft Serial Type Aircraft History
H5892 3F.2 A single Sopwith Buffalo served with 4 Sqn AFC when H5892 was briefly taken on charge by 4 Sqn (via 43 Sqaudron, RAF) for trials during October 1918..

This was an Experimental aircraft classed as an armoured Fighter/Reconnaisance aircraft.

The serials H5891 to H 5893 had originally been allotted to a cancelled batch of Airco DH11 Oxfords, but the Serials H5892 & H5893 were re-allotted to the only two Sopwith Buffalos produced which were ordered for the RAF in July 1918.

The first aircraft (H5892) was rapidly prepared for night-trials at Brooklands, where it arrived on 18 September, 1918, and was photographed there on the following day.

Very soon thereafter, on 20 October 1918, H5892 was flown to No.1 Aeroplane Supply Depot at Marquise and passed to 43 Sqn, RAF and then to 4 Sqn, AFC.

Experience in France brought recommendations for changes to the design of the aircraft.

It is unclear to what degree these recommendations were incorporated in H5893 when it was delivered to Martlesham Heath on 18 November which was only one week exactly after the signing of the Armistice.

 
 

The Author of this page is Brendan Cowan.

Source: National Archives, Australian Military Aircraft 1909-1918, Keith Isaacs, AWM, Men & Machines of the Australian Flying Corps 1914-1919, Charles Schaedel, High Adventure, A.H.Cobby, British Military Aircraft Serials 1911-1979, Bruce Robertson

Updated 27 August 2014