Sopwith Camel - oil on canvas - 30in x 24in - Private collection

In this painting, the Camel does not look like the sort of aeroplane to frighten its own pilots.

However, as well as gaining the utmost respect of its opponents as a fearsome fighting machine, it terrified some of its less experienced pilots.

It was an extremely responsive aircraft and reacted quickly to the lightest touch of the controls, unlike the comparatively forgiving training aircraft they learned to fly on.

Flying accidents killed many a novice pilot who found himself unable to control the aircraft's fast reactions and the engine's ferocious torque during take-off or landing.

In the air however, this same attribute enabled a skilled pilot to obtain astonishing manoeuvreability from the fighter's basically unstable design. In experienced hands this aircraft was a born killer.

Captain William Barker, whose Sopwith F1 'Camel' is depicted here was just such a pilot.