In April 1918, the sixth Snipe prototype was fitted with a 320 hp (239 kW) ABC Dragonfly I radial engine.

[3] The prototype suffered persistent ignition system defects, but performance was encouraging when the Dragonfly engine operated properly.

[3][4] In June 1918, the Royal Air Force issued a contract for 30 Dragonfly-engined Snipes, which were subsequently named Dragons.

[3][4] In late November 1918, the RAF cancelled a production order for 300 Snipes and reordered the aircraft as Dragons.

[4] It attained a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) at sea level and achieved a service ceiling of 25,000 ft.[1] Sopwith built approximately 200 Dragon airframes, which were placed in storage pending delivery of their engines.