Editing Sopwith Camel (section)

===Overview===
[[File:Replica Sopwith Camel (G-BZSC) (12243203404).jpg|thumb|Replica Sopwith Camel showing internal structure]]
The Camel had a conventional design for its era, with a wire-braced wooden box-girder fuselage structure, an aluminium engine cowling, plywood panels around the cockpit, and a fabric-covered fuselage, wings and tail. While possessing some clear similarities with the Pup, it had a noticeably bulkier fuselage.<ref name = "bruce 3"/> For the first time on an operational British-designed fighter, two [[0.303 British|0.303 in]] (7.7&nbsp;mm) [[Vickers machine gun|Vickers]] [[machine gun]]s were mounted directly in front of the cockpit, [[Synchronization gear|synchronised]] to fire forwards through the propeller disc<ref name = "Jackson 2007 2"/><ref name="Bruce ptI p527"/> – initially this was the [[Synchronization gear#The Sopwith-Kauper gear|Sopwith firm's own synchronizer design]], but after the mechanical-linkage Sopwith-Kauper units began to wear out, the more accurate and easier-to-maintain [[Synchronization gear#The Constantinesco synchronization gear|hydraulic-link Constantinesco-Colley system]] replaced it from November 1917 onward. In addition to the machine guns, a total of four [[Cooper bombs]] could be carried for ground attack purposes.<ref name = "Jackson 2007 2"/>

The bottom wing was rigged with 5° [[dihedral (aircraft)|dihedral]] while the top wing lacked any dihedral; this meant that the gap between the wings was less at the tips than at the roots; this change had been made at the suggestion of [[Fred Sigrist]], the Sopwith works manager, as a measure to simplify the aircraft's construction.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sopwith Camel|last=Jon.|first=Guttman|date=2012|publisher=Osprey|isbn=9781780961767|location=Oxford|pages=9, 16, 30|oclc=775415602}}</ref> The upper wing had a central cutout section to improve upwards visibility for the pilot.<ref>Bruce 1965, pp. 3-5.</ref>

Production Camels were powered by various [[rotary engine]]s, most commonly either the [[Clerget 9B]] or the [[Bentley BR1]].<ref>Bruce 1968, pp. 148-149.</ref> In order to evade a potential manufacturing [[Bottleneck (production)|bottleneck]] being imposed upon the overall aircraft in the event of an engine shortage, several other engines were adopted to power the type as well.<ref>Bruce 1965, pp. 7-8.</ref>