The Sopwith Snipe
The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of the conflict, in late 1918.
The Snipe was not a fast aircraft by the standards of its time, but its excellent climb and manoeuvrability made it a good match for contemporary German fighters.
It was selected as the standard postwar single-seat RAF fighter and the last examples were not retired until 1926.
In April 1917, Herbert Smith, the chief designer of the Sopwith Company, began to design a fighter intended to be the replacement for Sopwith’s most famous aeroplane, the successful Sopwith Camel.
The resultant design, called Snipe by Sopwith, was in its initial form a single-bay biplane, slightly smaller than the Camel, and intended to be powered by similar engines.
The pilot sat higher than in the Camel while the centre-section of the upper wing was uncovered, giving a better view from the cockpit.
Armament was to be two Vickers machine guns.
In the absence of an official order, Sopwith began construction of two prototypes as a private venture in September 1917.
This took advantage of a licence that had been granted to allow construction of four Sopwith Rhino bomber prototypes, only two of which were built.
The first prototype Snipe, powered by a Bentley AR.1 rotary engine was completed in October 1917.
The second prototype was completed with the new, more powerful Bentley BR.2, engine, which gave 230 horsepower (170 kW) in November 1917. This promised better performance, and prompted an official contract for six prototypes to be placed, including the two aircraft built as private ventures
