Editing Sopwith Camel (section)

==Development==
[[File:AC0158CobbyCamel1918-19.jpg|thumb|[[Harry Cobby]] sitting in the cockpit of a Sopwith Camel]]
When it became clear the [[Sopwith Pup]] was no match for the newer German fighters such as the [[Albatros D.III]], the Camel was developed to replace it,<ref name="Bruce ptI p527">Bruce ''Flight'' 22 April 1955, p. 527.</ref> as well as the [[Nieuport 17]]s that had been purchased from the French as an interim measure. It was recognised that the new fighter needed to be faster and have a heavier armament. The design effort to produce this successor, initially designated as the ''Sopwith F.1'', was headed by Sopwith's chief designer, [[Herbert Smith (aircraft designer)|Herbert Smith]].<ref name = "bruce 3">Bruce 1965, p. 3.</ref><ref name = "Jackson 2007 2"/>

Early in its development, the Camel was simply referred to as the "Big Pup". A metal [[Aircraft fairing|fairing]] over the gun breeches, intended to protect the guns from freezing at altitude, created a "hump" that led pilots to call the aircraft "Camel", although this name was never used officially.<ref name="Bruce ptI p527"/><ref>Bruce 1965, pp. 4-5.</ref> On 22 December 1916, the prototype Camel was first flown by [[Harry Hawker]] at [[Brooklands]], [[Weybridge]], [[Surrey]]; it was powered by a {{convert|110|hp|adj=on}} Clerget 9Z.<ref name = "Jackson 2007 2">Jackson 2007, p. 2.</ref>

In May 1917, the first production contract for an initial batch of 250 Camels was issued by the British [[War Office]].<ref name = "bruce 5">Bruce 1965, p. 5.</ref> Throughout 1917, a total of 1,325 Camels were produced, almost entirely the initial F.1 variant. By the time that production of the type came to an end, approximately 5,490 Camels of all types had been built.<ref name="Bruce ptII p 563">Bruce ''Flight'' 29 April 1955, p. 563.</ref> In early 1918, production of the naval variant of the Sopwith Camel, the "Ship's" Camel 2F.1 began.<ref name = "bruce 6">Bruce 1965, p. 6.</ref>