Salute Pat

The 127 mph figure often quoted for the Snipe is not its maximum speed, only the speed for that listed altitude.

The Snipe topped out close to 140 mph.

Even Wolfgang in his FLANDERS IN FLAMES flight model for the Snipe had it topping out at 134 mph. (which was still low, but not the speed you mention)

As far as your claim about 'cherry picking', I'll be happy to submit my sources to the scrutiny of the FM designers. ;\)

In any case, unless there is a change, the Snipe is not slated for inclusion in this Sim.

As far as planes killing their own pilots, don't lets forget the Albatros series, with their folding wings, which killed more than a few. Von Richtofen was lucky to escape one incident. Or the Dr1, which initially had a number of crashes, as a result of poor manufacturing standards of the wing. Lt Gontermanns, one of the leading German Aces, was killed in a Dr1 crash.

Von Richtofen also had a crash in one of these early DR1's.

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The fact is, aircraft design in the Great War was in its infancy, and there were many things which engineers did not understand. Engine failure, structural failure and overall lack of reliability were factors which pilots had to deal with on a regular basis.