# Sopwith Dragon > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Dragon > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Dragon.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Dragon > Source revision: 1338836190 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British WW1 biplane fighter aircraft Sopwith Dragon Prototype E7990 at Brooklands Airfield General information Type Fighter Manufacturer Sopwith Aviation Company Primary user Royal Air Force Number built 200 History First flight 1918 Developed from Sopwith Snipe The **Sopwith Dragon** was a British single-seat fighter biplane developed from the [Sopwith Snipe](/source/Sopwith_Snipe). ## Design and development In April 1918, the sixth [Snipe](/source/Sopwith_Snipe) prototype was fitted with a 320 hp (239 kW) [ABC Dragonfly I](/source/ABC_Dragonfly) radial engine.[1][2] To compensate for the greater weight of the Dragonfly, the fuselage was lengthened by 22 in (56 cm).[3] The prototype suffered persistent ignition system defects, but performance was encouraging when the Dragonfly engine operated properly.[3][4] In June 1918, the Royal Air Force issued a contract for 30 Dragonfly-engined Snipes, which were subsequently named Dragons.[3][4] In late November 1918, the RAF cancelled a production order for 300 Snipes and reordered the aircraft as Dragons.[1] Sopwith Dragon undergoing testing at [McCook Field](/source/McCook_Field) A second prototype was equipped with the larger 360 hp (268 kW) [ABC Dragonfly IA](/source/ABC_Dragonfly) engine.[1] This aircraft did not begin official trials at Martlesham Heath until February 1919.[4] It attained a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) at sea level and achieved a service ceiling of 25,000 ft.[1] Sopwith built approximately 200 Dragon airframes, which were placed in storage pending delivery of their engines.[1] Difficulties with the Dragonfly ultimately proved impossible to resolve. Only a few aircraft were completed with Dragonfly engines, and none were issued to squadrons.[1] The Dragon was finally declared obsolete in April 1923.[5] ## Operators **[United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom)** - [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) ## Specifications *Data from* War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three Fighters[6] **General characteristics** - **Crew:** 1 - **Length:** 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m) - **Wingspan:** 31 ft 1 in (9.47 m) - **Height:** 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m) - **Wing area:** 271 sq ft (25.2 m2) - **Gross weight:** 2,132 lb (967 kg) - **Powerplant:** 1 × [ABC Dragonfly IA](/source/ABC_Dragonfly) [radial engine](/source/Radial_engine) , 360 hp (268 kW) **Performance** - **Maximum speed:** 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kn) - **Service ceiling:** 25,000 ft (7,600 m) **Armament** - 2 × forward firing [Vickers machine-guns](/source/Vickers_machine-gun) ## See also **Related development** - [Sopwith Snipe](/source/Sopwith_Snipe) - [Sopwith Salamander](/source/Sopwith_Salamander) **Related lists** - [List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force](/source/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Royal_Air_Force) ## Notes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mason_p144_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mason_p144_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Mason_p144_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Mason_p144_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Mason_p144_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Mason_p144_1-5) Mason 1992, p. 144. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Davis_p139_2-0)** Davis 1999, p. 139. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Davis_p140_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Davis_p140_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Davis_p140_3-2) Davis 1999, p. 140. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Robertson_p226_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Robertson_p226_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Robertson_p226_4-2) Robertson 1970, p. 226. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Robertson_p227_5-0)** Robertson 1970, p. 227. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-brucev3_p45_6-0)** Bruce 1969, p. 45. ## References Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Sopwith Dragon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sopwith_Dragon). - Bruce, J. M. *War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three, Fighters*. London: Macdonald, 1969. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-356-01490-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-356-01490-8). - Davis, Mick. *Sopwith Aircraft*. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press, 1999. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-86126-217-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-86126-217-5). - Mason, Francis K. *The British Fighter Since 1912.* Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-55750-082-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55750-082-7). - Robertson, Bruce. *Sopwith – The Man and His Aircraft*. London: Harleyford, 1970. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-900435-15-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-900435-15-1). v t e Sopwith aircraft By role Fighters Buffalo Bulldog Camel Dolphin Dragon Gunbus Hippo Hispano-Suiza Triplane L.R.T.Tr. Pup Snail Snapper Snark Snipe Swallow Triplane Bombers B.1 Cobham Rhino Torpedo bomber Cuckoo Scouts/bombers Baby Sparrow 1½ Strutter Tabloid Two-Seat Scout Seaplanes Bat-Boat Circuit of Britain floatplane Sopwith Pusher Seaplane/S PG N Admiralty Type 137 Admiralty Type 138 Admiralty Type C Special torpedo seaplane Type C Type 807 Type 860 Schneider (1914) Baby Schneider (1919) Ground attack Salamander Sports tourer Gnu By designation B.1 B.2 2B.2 F.1 2F.1 4F.1 5F.1 7F.1 8F.1 3F.2 (I) 3F.2 (II) FR.2 2FR.2 FS.1 T.1 TF.1 TF.2 By name Antelope Atlantic Baby Bat-Boat Bee Buffalo Bulldog Circuit of Britain floatplane Camel Cobham Cuckoo Dolphin Dove Dragon Gnu Grasshopper Gunbus Hippo Hispano-Suiza Triplane L.R.T.Tr. Pup Rainbow Rhino Salamander Scooter Snail Snapper Snark Snipe Sparrow Sociable Swallow 1½ Strutter Tabloid Tadpole Three-seater Triplane Special torpedo seaplane Type C Wallaby Designers Herbert Smith Thomas Sopwith --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sopwith Dragon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Dragon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Dragon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.