Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 48 : Dolphin and Snipe Aces of World War I

The last of the famous Sopwith fighters to enter service during World War 1, the Dolphin and the Snipe built on the strong scouting heritage of the Pup and Camel. The Dolphin featured the unique negative-staggered biplane wing arrangement, which provided the pilot with the best possible tactical view forward for seeking out his enemy. Entering service in February 1918, some 1532 fighters were completed by the end of 1918. Used extensively on the Western Front, the Dolphin proved very effective in combat, with a substantial number of British aces scoring kills with the fighter. The Snipe was built as the successor of the highly successful Camel, and entered service with the fledgling Royal Air Force in the summer of 1918. Although seeing just a few months of action before the Armistice, the Snipe nevertheless proved its superiority over virtually all other fighters. It remained in frontline service with the RAF until 1926. Text by Norman Franks with illustrations by Harry Dempsey.