Sopwith Snipe E8138

This profile above is taken from a series of photographs from the Australian War Memorial Collection and from the Cross and Cockade Vol.27 No.1 1996 article on Lieutenant Jack Henry Weingarth. The photo's show detail of the Sopwith Snipe of 5 Sqn AFC at Minchinhampton, England. Weingarth after frontline service with 4 Sqn AFC, was posted to Home Establishment as an Instructor. Many photo's were taken of the Sopwith Snipe E8138, and several of them with Jack Weingarth at the controls. Weingarth flew the Sopwith Snipe E8138 on the 30th of November for a 15 minute test flight. This was Weingarth's first flight in a Sopwith Snipe.

After the Armistice Weingarth ceased to instruct as a fighting instructor on Camels and became an instructor on the Avro 504K's the training squadron possessed. On the 4th of February, Weingarth flew with a cadet while looking for a plane which had forced landed due to lack of fuel. Weingarth on his return to Yate aerodrome ran out of fuel while in a turn to land. His aircraft stalled at low altitude and low speed, spinning into the ground. Weingarth was killed instantly with a broken neck, the cadet survived but with several fractures.