Sopwith Snipe
| Sopwith Snipe | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Fighter plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
October 1917 |
| Commissioning: |
August 1918 |
| Production time: |
1917-1919 |
| Number of pieces: |
2122 |
The Sopwith Snipe was a single-seat British biplane - fighter in the First World War . She was considered one of the best hunters of the Allies in the last year of the war, 1918.
development
The Snipe was designed in 1917 by Herbert Smith, the chief designer of the Sopwith company . It was supposed to replace the successful Sopwith Camel . Production of the Snipe began in 1918. 4,500 machines were ordered. The No. 43 Squadron of the Royal Air Force received the first machines. The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) received their snipes before the end of the First World War. After the war, the Canadian Air Force (CAF) also received this type of aircraft; these machines flew in the CAF until 1923, a year before it was regrouped into the Royal Canadian Air Force .
Around 500 machines were probably built by the end of 1918. Production of the Snipe ended in 1919, and a total of 2122 machines were built. The last snipes of the RAF were decommissioned in 1926.
construction
The structure of the Snipe gave the pilot a much better field of vision compared to the Camel. The Snipe was not the fastest machine at the end of the war, but it was very maneuverable. It had a tremendous rate of climb and performed very well at high altitudes compared to its predecessors. So she could compete with the best German hunters. The Snipe was built around a Bentley BR.2 rotary engine and reached a top speed of 195 km / h. The maximum flight time was three hours. She was armed with two rigid forward-firing 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns and a max. four 11 kg bombs.
commitment
The Snipe was involved in many successful dogfights at the end of the war. The most famous mission was by the Canadian Major William George Barker in the service of No. 201 Squadron on October 27, 1918. Barker shot down a two-seat German aircraft and was then attacked by a Fokker D.VII , which he also shot down after a fight. Then another six Fokker D.VII Barker attacked. Finally he collided with a D.VII and suffered serious injuries. Even so, he was still able to land his damaged Snipe behind the British lines. Barker was then awarded the Victoria Cross .
Performance comparison
Performance comparison of single-seaters in the front line at the end of the First World War :
| Surname | Country | First flight | Commissioning | Engine power | Max. speed | Takeoff mass | Armament ( MG ) | Summit height | number of pieces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albatros D.III |
.svg){kind=small} German Empire
|
1916-08-01 | 1917-01-15 | 170 hp | 165 km / h | 886 kg | 2 | 5,500 m | 1352 |
| SE5a |
 United Kingdom
|
1916-11-22 | 1917-03-15 | 200 hp | 222 km / h | 880 kg | 2 | 5,185 m | 5205 |
| Sopwith Camel |
United Kingdom
|
1916-12-31 | 1917-06-15 | 130 hp | 185 km / h | 659 kg | 2 | 5,791 m | 5490 |
| Sopwith Dolphin |
United Kingdom
|
1917-03-23 | 1918-02-15 | 200 hp | 211 km / h | 890 kg | 2 | 6,100 m | 2072 |
| Albatros D.Va |
German Empire
|
1917-04-15 | 1917-07-15 | 185 hp | 187 km / h | 937 kg | 2 | 6,250 m | 2562 |
| Palatinate D.IIIa |
German Empire
|
1917-04-15 | 1917-08-15 | 180 hp | 181 km / h | 834 kg | 2 | 6,000 m | 750 |
| SPAD S.XIII |
 France
|
1917-04-30 | 1917-05-31 | 220 hp | 222 km / h | 820 kg | 2 | 6,650 m | 8472 |
| Nieuport 28 |
France
|
1917-06-14 | 1918-03-15 | 160 hp | 195 km / h | 740 kg | 2 | 5,200 m | 300 |
| Fokker Dr.I |
German Empire
|
1917-07-05 | 1917-09-01 | 130 hp | 160 km / h | 585 kg | 2 | 6,500 m | 420 |
| Sopwith Snipe |
United Kingdom
|
1917-10-31 | 1918-08-30 | 230 hp | 195 km / h | 955 kg | 2 | 6,100 m | 497 |
| LFG Roland D.VIa |
German Empire
|
1917-11-30 | 1918-05-15 | 160 hp | 190 km / h | 820 kg | 2 | 5,500 m | 353 |
| Siemens-Schuckert D.IV |
German Empire
|
1917-12-31 | 1918-08-15 | 160 hp | 190 km / h | 735 kg | 2 | 8,000 m | 123 |
| Fokker D.VII |
German Empire
|
1918-01-24 | 1918-04-15 | 180 hp | 189 km / h | 910 kg | 2 | 6,000 m | 800 |
| Fokker D.VIIF |
German Empire
|
1918-01-24 | 1918-04-15 | 226 hp | 205 km / h | 910 kg | 2 | 7,000 m | 200 |
| Palatinate D.VIII |
German Empire
|
1918-01-24 | 1918-09-15 | 160 hp | 190 km / h | 740 kg | 2 | 7,500 m | 120 |
| Palatinate D.XII |
German Empire
|
1918-03-31 | 1918-07-15 | 160 hp | 180 km / h | 902 kg | 2 | 5,640 m | 750 |
| Fokker D.VIII |
German Empire
|
1918-05-31 | 1918-07-31 | 110 hp | 204 km / h | 605 kg | 2 | 6,300 m | 289 |
Post-war deployment
After the war, the Snipe was used in the Russian Civil War in 1919 against the Bolsheviks . Some snipes were captured by these and also used.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | a pilot |
| length | 5.84 m |
| span | 9.47 m |
| Wing area | 25.46 m² |
| height | 2.90 m |
| Empty mass | 590 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 955 kg |
| drive | a Bentley -BR.2 rotary engine with 230 HP (approx. 170 kW) |
| Top speed | 195 km / h at an altitude of 3050 m |
| Flight duration | 3 h |
| Service ceiling | 6100 m |
| Armament | two 7.7 mm Vickers MG, max. four 11 kg bombs |
See also: List of aircraft types