USS Texas Sopwith Camel Flown Linen Relic Display by Ron Cole

Own and display an authentic piece of the first aircraft ever to fly from a battleship: US Navy Sopwith Camel assigned to the USS Texas (BB-35) c. 1919. 

Although the English-built Sopwith Camel was best known for its role in the RFC/RAF in World War I, the type was flown after the Great War by the United States Navy. Setting a groundbreaking precedent that led to the vast Naval air armadas during the Pacific War, this aircraft was the first to fly from a US Naval warship - the battleship USS Texas - in 1919. 

The original linen from this aircraft was among many such early aviation artifacts collected by the legendary George Burling Jarrett, founder of the Jarrett Museum of World War History (1936-1946), and the Jarrett Library at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (2021-present). From this aircraft's upper flying surfaces, it displays the unique early US Navy aircraft medium sea gray over silver dope (likely original to the aircraft in RAF livery). This scheme was short-lived in the US Navy and samples of it are exceedingly rare. Each display includes a large piece of this material (6 x 2-inches).