| 词条 | Sopwith Snail | |||||||||||||||||||
| 释义 |
The Sopwith 8F.1 Snail was a prototype British Fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was unsuccessful, being abandoned due to an unreliable engine. Development and designThe Sopwith 8F.1 Snail was designed by Herbert Smith of Sopwith Aviation Company to meet the 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.[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 (12.7 mm) 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 synchronised Vickers machine guns mounted within the fuselage, and a 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 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){{aircraft specifications|plane or copter?=plane |jet or prop?=prop |ref=War Planes of the First World War [6] |crew=One |capacity= |length main=19 ft 0 in |length alt=5.79 m |span main= 25 ft 4 in |span alt=7.72 m |height main=7 ft 10 in |height alt=2.39 m |area main=250 ft²[7] |area alt=17.7 m² |airfoil= |empty weight main=1,390 lb |empty weight alt= 632 kg |loaded weight main= 1,920 lb |loaded weight alt= 873 kg |useful load main= |useful load alt= |max takeoff weight main= |max takeoff weight alt= |more general= |engine (prop)=ABC Wasp |type of prop=7-cylinder radial engine |number of props=1 |power main=170 hp |power alt=127 kW |power original= |max speed main=124.5 mph |max speed alt=108 knots, 200 km/h |max speed more= at 10,000 ft (3,050 m) |cruise speed main= |cruise speed alt= |never exceed speed main= |never exceed speed alt= |stall speed main= |stall speed alt= |range main= |range alt= |ceiling main= |ceiling alt= |climb rate main= |climb rate alt= |loading main=7.68 lb/ft² |loading alt=49.3 kg/m² |thrust/weight= |power/mass main=0.089 hp/lb |power/mass alt=0.15 kW/kg |more performance=
|guns=2x forward firing, synchronised .303 in Vickers machine guns and one Lewis gun above upper wing |avionics= }} See also{{aircontent|related= |similar aircraft=*BAT Bantam
|lists= |see also= }} Notes1. ^1 2 Mason 1992, pp.136—137. 2. ^Bruce 1969, pp.36—37. 3. ^Bruce 1969, pp.38—39. 4. ^1 Bruce 1969, p.39. 5. ^Bruce 1969, pp.39—40. 6. ^Bruce 1969, p.40. 7. ^Bruce 1957, pp.624-625. References{{refbegin}}
External links{{commons category|Sopwith Aviation Company}}
4 : Sopwith aircraft|British fighter aircraft 1910–1919|Biplanes with negative stagger|Single-engined tractor aircraft |
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