The museum’s Sopwith Camel is a reproduction aircraft which was started in the 1970s and completed in 1992. The fuselage was built by Nat deFlavia and the wings were built by Cole Palen. The machine is powered with a 160 hp Gnome rotary engine.
The Sopwith Camel was considered the leading British fighter type of World War I. It was designed to replace the successful, and well liked Sopwith Pup. The Camel had been described at one time as the most maneuverable aircraft ever built. Its agility in the air was due largely to the torque effect of its rotary engine. The nose would tend to rise in left hand turns, and drop in right hand turns. Experienced pilots used this to their advantage. Unfortunately, the Camel claimed the lives of many inexperienced pilots who were not ready to handle its peculiar characteristics.