Sopwith Snail

{{short description|British WW1 biplane fighter aircraft}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}}  {{Infobox aircraft | name = Snail | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = [[Fighter plane|Fighter]] | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[United Kingdom]] | manufacturer = [[Sopwith Aviation Company|Sopwith]] | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = Prototype | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 2 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = April 1918 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }} The '''Sopwith 8F.1 Snail''' was a prototype [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Fighter aircraft]] of the [[World War I|First World War]]. It was unsuccessful, being abandoned due to an unreliable engine.

==Development and design== The '''Sopwith 8F.1 Snail''' was designed by [[Herbert Smith (engineer)|Herbert Smith]] of [[Sopwith Aviation Company]] to meet the [[Air Ministry|Air Board]] Specification A.1A for a light fighter with superior performance to the [[Sopwith Camel]]. Herbert Smith designed a small single-bay [[biplane]], powered by the 170 hp (127 kW) [[ABC Wasp]] [[radial engine]]. An initial order was placed on 31 October 1917 for six prototypes with a conventional wood and fabric framework structure, but this was revised in November to fit two aircraft with a [[plywood]] [[monocoque]] fuselage.<ref name="Mason fighter p136-7">Mason 1992, pp.136–137.</ref>

The first prototype, serial number ''C4284'', with the conventional fuselage (which resulted in the designation '''Snail Mk.II''') flew in April 1918.<ref name="Mason fighter p136-7"/> Its wings had slight (5 inches (127 mm)) [[Stagger (aviation)|back-stagger]], with the pilot sitting under a large cut-out on the upper wing, so that his head would protrude through the cut-out. Armament was two [[synchronization gear|synchronised]] [[Vickers machine gun]]s mounted within the fuselage, and a [[Lewis gun]] mounted above the upper wing.<ref name="Bruce V3 p36-7">Bruce 1969, pp.36–37.</ref> A second prototype (serial number ''C4288''), with the monocoque fuselage (and thus designated '''Snail Mk. I''') followed in May. As well as the fuselage, the Snail Mk.I differed as the wings, although using identical surfaces were rigged with 22 inches of conventional stagger, with the pilot's cockpit being behind the upper wings trailing edge.<ref name="Bruce V3 p38-9">Bruce 1969, pp.38–39.</ref>

Both prototypes were sent to [[RAF Martlesham Heath|Martlesham Heath]] for official testing in May. Although performance was reasonable, being slightly faster than the Camel and climbing faster,<ref name="Bruce V3 p39">Bruce 1969, p.39.</ref> handling was poor, particularly at low speed, and as with the other Wasp engined fighters built to meet Specification A.1A, the Wasp engine proved unreliable,<ref name="Mason fighter p136-7"/> with the competition being abandoned in October 1918.<ref name="Bruce V3 p39"/> The two complete prototypes were broken up for firewood in November 1919.<ref name="Bruce V3 p39-40">Bruce 1969, pp.39–40.</ref>

==Specifications (Second prototype)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=<ref name="Bruce V3 p40">Bruce 1969, p.40.</ref> |prime units?=imp  |genhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=124.5 |max speed kts= |max speed note=at {{convert|10000|ft|m|abbr=on}} |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |time to altitude=<br/> ** 9 min 55 sec to {{convert|10000|ft|m|abbr=on}} ** 19 min 55 sec to {{convert|15000|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|guns= 2 × forward firing, synchronised [[.303 British|.303 in]] [[Vickers machine gun]]s and one [[Lewis gun]] above upper wing |bombs= |rockets=

|avionics= }}

==See also== {{aircontent

|related=

|similar aircraft=*[[BAT Bantam]] *[[Westland Wagtail]]

|lists=

|see also=

}}

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==References== {{refbegin}} *Bruce, J.M. ''British Aeroplanes 1914-18''. London:Putnam, 1957. *Bruce, J.M. ''War Planes of the First World War: Fighters Volume Three''. London:Macdonald, 1969. {{ISBN|0-356-01490-8}}. *Mason, Francis K. ''The British Fighter since 1912''. Annapolis, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. {{ISBN|1-55750-082-7}}. {{refend}}

==External links==

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111001065049/http://www.historicaircraft.org/WW1-Gallery/pages/Sopwith-Snail-3.html Snail Mk II photo]

[[Category:Sopwith aircraft|Snail]] [[Category:1910s British fighter aircraft]] [[Category:Biplanes with negative stagger]] [[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]] [[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1918]]