Sopwith Snipe (oz3730)

  1. Home
  2. Sopwith Snipe
 

Sopwith Snipe (oz3730) by Joseph Wherry 1945 - plan thumbnail

About this Plan

Sopwith Snipe. Rubber scale model biplane fighter.

Quote: "YOU fellows who still enjoy building scale models of World War I aircraft will now be able to build a flying model of the ship acclaimed by many as the finest of all fighters of that time. As far as the author knows, this is the first time flying scale plans for the Snipe have been made available in this country.

Here are a few reasons why the Snipe was such a fine fighting mechanism. It was developed after the successes of its forbears, the Pup, Tripe, Camel, etc, and was originally equipped with a 230 hp Bentley rotary; later with an ABC radial engine. The Snipe could do at least 135 mph, climbing better than 1000 ft per minute. The ship was very maneuverable and possessed fine visibility because of its open center-section in the upper wing.

Just one instance of the Snipe's excellence is the occasion in which Col Billy Barker once found himself when on a lone patrol. The Canadian Ace ran into one of Jerry's flying circus outfits numbering 60 fighters, and not to be outdone he fought an outstanding battle shooting down 7 before serious wounds forced him to withdraw. Yes, the Snipe was a mighty fine fighter and when it appeared at the front in the spring of 1918, the Huns, were just as unhappy about it as they recently were about the new P-47, P-51 and Typhoon.

Now let's get down to facts and turn out some models of this fine British fighter. If the following instructions are implicitly followed there is no reason why you can't have a beautiful, fine flying model of which you can be justly proud. First of all you will be well repaid if you study the plans before starting construction. Take your time and be accurate from start to finish. Construction is all balsa except where noted in the text, and all dimensions can be determined by placing a ruler on the part in question..."

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction

Sopwith Snipe (oz3730) by Joseph Wherry 1945 - model pic

Datafile:

ScaleType:
  • Sopwith_Snipe | help
    see Wikipedia | search Outerzone
    ------------
    Test link:
    search RCLibrary 3views (opens in new window)

    ScaleType: This (oz3730) is a scale plan. Where possible we link scale plans to Wikipedia, using a text string called ScaleType.

    If we got this right, you now have a couple of direct links (above) to 1. see the Wikipedia page, and 2. search Oz for more plans of this type. If we didn't, then see below.

    Notes:
    ScaleType is formed from the last part of the Wikipedia page address, which here is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Snipe
    Wikipedia page addresses may well change over time.
    For more obscure types, there currently will be no Wiki page found. We tag these cases as ScaleType = NotFound. These will change over time.
    Corrections? Use the correction form to tell us the new/better ScaleType link we should be using. Thanks.

Sopwith Snipe (oz3730) by Joseph Wherry 1945 - pic 003.jpg
003.jpg

Do you have a photo you'd like to submit for this page? Then email admin@outerzone.co.uk

User comments

Hi Steve, This plan also appeared in the April 1996 Airflow newsletter, from the Glastonbury* Aeromodellers. Judging by the writing style, it was edited at the time by the inimitable Vance Gilbert. Who else would write "...models were to be powered by pickled earthworm entrails." Here's what Vance had to say about the Snipe plan: "Here's a WWI ready ship, the Sopwith Snipe, that would be a good planform to test your biplane buildin (sic) skills!! Make your motor peg around the center of the roundelle (sic) and you may not need more than 15% motor (auuuuuuuugh)** to get this thing what wit (sic) its oh so short nose to balance where it oughta. Would shrink nicely to peanut too. What a great change of pace from the Fokker DVII's and the SE 5a's that usually litter the front line of a mass launch!" Lincoln. *that's Glastonbury, Connecticut, USA. **Elsewhere in the newsletter is discussion of controversy regarding the 15 percent rule.
lincoln - 17/01/2013
Add a comment

 

 
 

Download File(s):
 

Notes

* Credit field

The Credit field in the Outerzone database is designed to recognise and credit the hard work done in scanning and digitally cleaning these vintage and old timer model aircraft plans to get them into a usable format. Currently, it is also used to credit people simply for uploading the plan to a forum on the internet. Which is not quite the same thing. This will change soon. Probably.

Scaling

This model plan (like all plans on Outerzone) is supposedly scaled correctly and supposedly will print out nicely at the right size. But that doesn't always happen. If you are about to start building a model plane using this free plan, you are strongly advised to check the scaling very, very carefully before cutting any balsa wood.

 

Terms of Use

© Outerzone, 2011-2025.

All content is free to download for personal use.

For non-personal use and/or publication: plans, photos, excerpts, links etc may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Outerzone with appropriate and specific direction to the original content i.e. a direct hyperlink back to the Outerzone source page.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site's owner is strictly prohibited. If we discover that content is being stolen, we will consider filing a formal DMCA notice.