Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Lee Spring Helps Restore World War One Aircraft

By Editor | January 11, 2013

The Sopwith Dolphin, a restored First World War aircraft on display at the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum in Hendon, England features a new set of extension springs manufactured by Lee Spring for use on the replica Lewis guns. The assistance and support for this restoration was facilitated by Lee Spring, Europe, headquartered in Wokingham, Berkshire, United Kingdom.

The single seat fighting aircraft served operationally from January 1918 to July 1919. At its peak, the Sopwith Dolphin equipped five RAF Squadrons during World War One, primarily in France along with a handful on home defense duties in the UK. A total of 1,778 Sopwith Dolphins were built in Britain but the model was declared obsolete in 1921.

“We believe that our Dolphin is now the only one in existence,” says John Stoyles, part of a team who restored the Dolphin now on display in the Claude Graham-White building at the RAF Museum Hendon.

Restoration started in 1968 and was completed in early 2012 after 11 years at the RAF Museum in Cosford, England. The restoration includes some original parts from different Dolphin aircraft but any unavailable parts were primarily manufactured using original Sopwith Aviation (the manufacturer) drawings.

SOPWITH-DOLPHIN

“The Sopwith Dolphin was the first four gun fighter, having two Vickers machine guns (pointing forwards) and two Lewis guns inclined on the top of the aircraft,” says John, revealing that Lee Spring provided two new music wire extension springs for use in the Lewis gun mechanism. “The original specified spring was 5/16 o/d, 2 1/4″ long 20g steel wire, but the Lee Spring replacements were very similar and did the job admirably.”

Helical extension springs are loaded in tension and feature hooks or loops to allow a pull force to be applied. Usually, extension springs are attached at both ends to other components which, when they move apart, the spring tries to bring them together again.

“This is a truly unique application” says Chris Petts, Managing Director at Lee Spring, Europe.  It is another example of how varied the applications of Lee Spring are, and we are delighted to be part of such an historic restoration project.”

Founded in 1918, Lee Springs shares a similar heritage, opening in Brooklyn, New York the same year that the Sopwith Dolphin first went into operation. Today, Lee Spring still maintains their global headquarters in Brooklyn, NY along with their multiple facilities in Europe, Mexico, India and China. Lee Spring offers a catalog with over 21,000 inventoried Stock spring designs as well as comprehensive Custom manufacturing capabilities that include Springs, Wire Forms, Fourslide Parts and Stampings.

Learn more about the Sopwith Dolphin.

Lee Spring
leespring.com

You Might Also Like


Filed Under: Aerospace + defense, Springs • wave springs • retaining rings • spring clips
Tagged With: leespring
 

LEARNING CENTER

Design World Learning Center
“dw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Design Engineering Professionals.
Motor University

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Widening the scope for machine tool designers with FORTiS™ enclosed encoder
  • Sustainability, Innovation and Safety, Central to Our Approach
  • Why off-highway is the sweet spot for AC electrification technology
  • Looking to 2025: Past Success Guides Future Achievements
  • North American Companies Seek Stronger Ties with Italian OEMs
  • Adapt and Evolve
View More >>
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Control Engineering
  • Consulting-Specifying Engineer
  • Plant Engineering
  • Engineering White Papers
  • Leap Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. We share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.