APSS SCIO Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter Project in East Lothian

03/08/2026

APSS Members attended the LAA fly in over the weekend. The East of Scotland Strut were celebrating the 80th anniversary of the LAA. Well done to our friend Keith Griggs and his team who put on a great event.

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28/07/2026

https://youtu.be/_FsaPZDZ2Qk?is=kSAwEvMXvoWhPJ0p

The Summer Airshow at the Suttleworth Collection 25.7.26

11/07/2026

We don’t just build World War I aircraft. We also have an excellent Radio and Radar section with some very interesting heritage Ferranti equipment, like this

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09/06/2026

This just over a year ago now. 
Then as sometimes can happen when installing a modern engine into an airframe designed in 1915 we ran into some cooling issues and had to do some fairly complicated engineering installing baffles to the radial engine. It took the rest of the flying season and into this year to design and install them. But thanks to the hard work of Tim and the engineering team she is now ready to take to the skies again. onwards and upwards!

30/05/2026

One of our members James Arnott displayed his US Navy N3N for the first time at Shuttleworth today. Well done James and thanks for promoting the APSS there too!
😎👏

06/05/2026

A successful engine run completed today ahead of the resumption of flight testing. Alastair and I had a look at conditions on the grass airfield at KN and can confirm that at the moment they are perfect! After the setback last year when baffles had to be fitted to aid CHT cooling, we are now ready. Well done team for some excellent engineering and completion of the annual inspection which included some turnbuckle replacements.
Tim now needs to complete the paperwork and forward to the LAA for confirmation then we are good to go.
Today was the culmination of the rectification process that set us back last year and we now look forward to seeing Sophie back in the skies to complete the flight testing program.
Well done everyone involved in this process especially Tim, Donald, Allan, Brian and Colin.

03/05/2026

An absolutely superb 10 page article about our Strutter project appears in the latest edition of the LAA magazine this month. Written by our Test Pilot and LAA Inspector Tim Rayner, it documents the 26 year build from day one. This is by far the best and most detailed story of our journey to date. Tim’s knowledge and first hand experience gives the best insight into the achievements of this group of “old guys” and their work so far. We are really proud of this story given the highs and lows over the years and Tim has expertly documented it.
It’s a belter and we are sure every member of the Light Aviation Association will agree.
And this isn’t the end of the story because Tim and the team are now progressing our next project. Now that we have completed the first aircraft to land on the world’s first aircraft carrier, HMS Argus flown by Commander Richard Bell Davies VC, MC. The next one will be a replica of the first Sopwith Pup to land on a moving ship, HMS Furious piloted by Squadron Commander Edwin Dunning
Thank you Tim!
We very much appreciate everything you have done. These achievements could not have been done without you.

08/04/2026

Dr Scott Arthur’s post

08/04/2026

Delighted to welcome a visit from Sophie’s local MP today Dr Scott Arthur. A self confessed aviation enthusiast he enjoyed learning all about her build history and the fact that she’s a replica of the world’s first carrier aircraft.