# Sopwith Snail > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Snail > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sopwith_Snail.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Snail > Source revision: 1321134134 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British WW1 biplane fighter aircraft Snail General information Type Fighter National origin United Kingdom Manufacturer Sopwith Status Prototype Number built 2 History First flight April 1918 The **Sopwith 8F.1 Snail** was a prototype [British](/source/United_Kingdom) [Fighter aircraft](/source/Fighter_aircraft) of the [First World War](/source/World_War_I). It was unsuccessful, being abandoned due to an unreliable engine. ## Development and design The **Sopwith 8F.1 Snail** was designed by [Herbert Smith](/source/Herbert_Smith_(engineer)) of [Sopwith Aviation Company](/source/Sopwith_Aviation_Company) to meet the [Air Board](/source/Air_Ministry) Specification A.1A for a light fighter with superior performance to the [Sopwith Camel](/source/Sopwith_Camel). Herbert Smith designed a small single-bay [biplane](/source/Biplane), powered by the 170 hp (127 kW) [ABC Wasp](/source/ABC_Wasp) [radial engine](/source/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](/source/Plywood) [monocoque](/source/Monocoque) fuselage.[1] The first prototype, serial number *C4284*, with the conventional fuselage (which resulted in the designation **Snail Mk.II**) flew in April 1918.[1] Its wings had slight (5 inches (127 mm)) [back-stagger](/source/Stagger_(aviation)), 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 [synchronised](/source/Synchronization_gear) [Vickers machine guns](/source/Vickers_machine_gun) mounted within the fuselage, and a [Lewis gun](/source/Lewis_gun) mounted above the upper wing.[2] 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.[3] Both prototypes were sent to [Martlesham Heath](/source/RAF_Martlesham_Heath) for official testing in May. Although performance was reasonable, being slightly faster than the Camel and climbing faster,[4] 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,[1] with the competition being abandoned in October 1918.[4] The two complete prototypes were broken up for firewood in November 1919.[5] ## Specifications (Second prototype) *Data from* [6] **General characteristics** - **Crew:** 1 - **Length:** 19 ft 0 in (5.79 m) - **Wingspan:** 25 ft 4 in (7.72 m) - **Height:** 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) - **Wing area:** 250 sq ft (23 m2) [7] - **Empty weight:** 1,390 lb (630 kg) - **Gross weight:** 1,920 lb (871 kg) - **Powerplant:** 1 × [ABC Wasp](/source/ABC_Wasp) seven-cylinder air-cooled [radial engine](/source/Radial_engine), 170 hp (130 kW) **Performance** - **Maximum speed:** 124.5 mph (200.4 km/h, 108.2 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) - **Time to altitude:** - 9 min 55 sec to 10,000 ft (3,000 m) - 19 min 55 sec to 15,000 ft (4,600 m) **Armament** - **Guns:** 2 × forward firing, synchronised [.303 in](/source/.303_British) [Vickers machine guns](/source/Vickers_machine_gun) and one [Lewis gun](/source/Lewis_gun) above upper wing ## See also **Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era** - [BAT Bantam](/source/BAT_Bantam) - [Westland Wagtail](/source/Westland_Wagtail) ## Notes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mason_fighter_p136-7_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mason_fighter_p136-7_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Mason_fighter_p136-7_1-2) Mason 1992, pp.136–137. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_V3_p36-7_2-0)** Bruce 1969, pp.36–37. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_V3_p38-9_3-0)** Bruce 1969, pp.38–39. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bruce_V3_p39_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bruce_V3_p39_4-1) Bruce 1969, p.39. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_V3_p39-40_5-0)** Bruce 1969, pp.39–40. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_V3_p40_6-0)** Bruce 1969, p.40. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bruce_British_p624-5_7-0)** Bruce 1957, pp. 624–625. ## References - 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](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-356-01490-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-356-01490-8). - Mason, Francis K. *The British Fighter since 1912*. Annapolis, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-55750-082-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55750-082-7). ## External links - [Snail Mk II photo](https://web.archive.org/web/20111001065049/http://www.historicaircraft.org/WW1-Gallery/pages/Sopwith-Snail-3.html) 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 Snail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Snail) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Snail?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.