The inaugural British two-seat fighter of World War I, the Sopwith Land Clerget Tractor (Sopwith LCT), took to the skies for the first time in December 1915, entering active service in February 1916. Bearing the Sopwith company designation "Type 9400," it earned the Admiralty designation for two-seaters, with the assigned number derived from the serial of the last aircraft in the initial batch ordered.
Further adaptations followed suit, including the Sopwith Type 9700, designated by the Admiralty for a single-seater bomber, with a similar numbering convention. The Sopwith Two-seater earned its designation from the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). At the same time, the moniker "1 1⁄2 Strutter" became unofficial due to the distinctive configuration of its struts—an appellation also embraced by the US Navy.
The Sopwith Comic, a single-seat home defense fighter, joined the lineup, along with the Ship(s) Strutter, tailored for shipboard deployment. The SOP.1 represented the French-built version, and SOP.1A.2 emerged as a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft. The SOP.1B.1 and SOP.1B.2 took on roles as single-seat and two-seat bombers, respectively, while the SOP.1E.2 served as a two-seat trainer.
Beyond the British context, the LeO 1 marked Lioré et Olivier's licensed rendition, while the So-Shiki Model 1 denoted the Japanese license-built bomber version. Additionally, the So-Shiki Model 2 represented the Japanese license-built LeO 1 reconnaissance variant, showcasing the widespread influence and adaptations of the original Sopwith design on a global scale.