VERY INTERESTING: THE SOPWITH DRAGON

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

Sopwith Dragon

• Crew: 1
• Length: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
• Wingspan: 31 ft 1 in (9.47 m)
• Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
• Wing area: 271 sq ft (25.2 m2)
• Gross weight: 2,132 lb (967 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × ABC Dragonfly IA radial engine , 360 hp (268 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kn)
• Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)

Armament

• 2 × forward firing Vickers machine-guns

First flight 1918

Primary user Royal Air Force

Number built 200

Developed from Sopwith Snipe

The Sopwith Dragon was a British single-seat fighter biplane developed from the Sopwith Snipe.

In April 1918, the sixth Snipe prototype was fitted with a 320 hp (239 kW) ABC Dragonfly I radial engine. To compensate for the greater weight of the Dragonfly, the fuselage was lengthened by 22 in (56 cm).

The prototype suffered persistent ignition system defects, but performance was encouraging when the Dragonfly engine operated properly. In June 1918, the Royal Air Force issued a contract for 30 Dragonfly-engined Snipes, which were subsequently named Dragons. In late November 1918, the RAF cancelled a production order for 300 Snipes and reordered the aircraft as Dragons.

A second prototype was equipped with the larger 360 hp (268 kW) ABC Dragonfly IA engine. This aircraft did not begin official trials at Martlesham Heath until February 1919. It attained a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) at sea level and achieved a service ceiling of 25,000 ft.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking