4(21)/2005

Sopwith Snipe
E8012
Major W.G. Barker
Attached to No.201 Sqn RAF
October 1918

Country: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Great Britain
Manufacturer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sopwith Aviation Company
Type: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fighter First Introduced: 1918
Number Built: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
Engine(s): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bentley B.R.2, 230 hp
Wing Span: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.14 m/31 ft 1 in
Length: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.80 m/19 ft 10 in
Height: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.90 m/ 9 ft 6 in
Empty Weight: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592 kg/1312 lb
Gross Weight: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914 kg/ 2020 lb
Max Speed: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 km/h/121 mph
Service Ceiling: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,940 m/19,500 ft
Range: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584 km/ 363 mi
Endurance: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 hrs
Crew: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The Sopwith Snipe was the last British fighter to

enter full-scale squadron service in the First World War.
Originally intended as a replacement for the Sopwith
Camel, both aircraft types never the less saw the
Armistice and only three squadrons were fully equipped
with the Snipe.

In Canadian history, the Snipe is firmly associated

with one Canada's greatest aces Major William Barker.
While flying the Snipe, Major Barker was awarded the
Victoria Cross after a deliberate single-handed encounter
with large numbers of enemy aircraft. Desperately
outnumbered, he shot down several aircraft and although
wounded and having crashed, he survived to become one
of the post-war leaders of the RCAF.

The Snipe aircraft soldiered on well into the 1920's

in both the RAF and RCAF. The RCAF acquired a handful
of the type as part a Commonwealth gift of aircraft to
Canada. These aircraft saw service in Camp Borden,
primarily for fighter pilot proficiency training, before
being finally retired in 1923.

Sopwith 7F1 „Snipe”

15A

D

D

B

1

C

C

2,53mm

B

A

1

2

3

4

6

7

8

9

10

1a

11

11A

12

13

14

a

b

15

15b

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12a

24

a

a

b

b

c

d

d

e

e

f

f

25

26

27

FILM

28

a

b

b

a

28

R

L

29

WIRE 0,5 mm

30

31

a

b

32

32

32

R

R

R

R

R

L

L

L

L

L

33

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34

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37

a

b

b

32a

IR

,5

2

W

E 0 mm x

IR

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2

W

E 0 mm x

0, m

x2

WIRE 5

m

34a

36c

38

a

a

a

b

b

b

38

39

WIRE 0,5 mm

x2

40

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44

a

a

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b

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46