Commodore Murray Sueter, superintendent of the Admiralty Air Department, took the requirement to Sopwith in October 1916. The payload and endurance demanded a large three-bay biplane, with three sets of interplane struts supporting its wings. Despite that demanding specification, the aircraft made its first flight in June 1917 and entered production the following year. The short interval from requirement to flying prototype demonstrates both the urgency and the speed possible in wartime aircraft procurement.
Chapter · 18:07-19:44
Murray Sueter's demanding 1916 torpedo-aircraft requirement
The Cuckoo began with an October 1916 request for a single-seat aircraft able to carry a 1,000-pound torpedo for four hours.