A descendant of the Sopwith Camel, the Sopwith Snipe was equipped with a more powerful engine and provided better visibility from the cockpit. Though not much faster than the Camel, the Snipe had a better rate of climb and pilots found it much easier to fly. On 27 October 1918, Canadian ace William Barker made the Sopwith Snipe famous in a single-handed battle with more than 60 enemy aircraft that earned him the Victoria Cross. With 7 confirmed victories, Australian Elwyn King scored more victories with the Snipe than any other ace. Squadrons Australian Flying Corps: 4, 8 Royal Air Force: 201, 208 Royal Flying Corps: 43, 87 Specifications 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: 31 ft 1 in Length: 19 ft 10 in Height: 9 ft 6 in Empty Weight: 1312 lb Gross Weight: 2020 lb Max Speed: 121 mph Ceiling: 19,500 ft Endurance: 3 hrs Crew: 1 Armament: 2 machine guns Aircraft Guests Search Copyright ? 1997-2002 Page revised on 09 January 2005