Furball is a portrait of Sopwith Triplane N5377. This machijne first served with 9S Sq RNAS before being transferred to 1 Sq RNAS. N5377 carried a red fin and wheel covers. It was lost in combat on October 5 1917. The pilot, MJ Watson, was taken prisoner and the victory was credited to Ltn Wilde of Jasta 4. Although Sopwith Triplanes are often depicted in PC10 camoflage, which is a greenish brown, they were often finished instead in PC12, a more reddish brown. No one can really say for sure which finish N5377 carried, and the decision to depict it here in PC12 was purely an artistic decision.
Although only about 150 Sopwith Triplanes were built, it was considered a successful design, and is acknowledged to be the inspiration for Anthony Fokker’s more famous Dr.1 triplane.
The title,
Furball, is term often used by pilots to describe an intense, swirling dogfight.
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