The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a biplane fighter used by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. The first prototype, A4561, made its maiden flight on November 22, 1916, entering service the following year, in May 1917. It was powered by a 150-HP, Hispano-Suiza V-4 engine. The first unit to be equipped with the SE5 was the newly formed 56 Squadron.
The S.E.5a variant would be developed from the third prototype, A4563. This biplane was powered by a 200-HP Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine and had a slightly shorter wingspan. It was armed with a belt-fed .303-cal Vickers machine gun, which was mounted in the forward fuselage decking as it was synchronized to fire through the propeller disk through the Constantinisco gear.
Technical Characteristics/Construction
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a single-seat, single-engine biplane. The upper plane was set slightly forwards in relation to the lower one, with a dihedral upward angle, and they were connected with one pair of solid struts on each side of aircraft. The wing ailerons were fitted to both upper and lower plane.
Both the S.E.5 and the S.E.5a version airframe was made of steel tubes and plywood, covered by hardened canvas. All in all, the aircraft were a success, very maneuverable, easy to fly, and with a performance equal to that of any enemy fighter.
Specifications
Type: WW1 biplane fighter
Length: 6.38 m (20 feet, 11 inches)
Wingspan: 8.10 m (26 feet, 7 inches)
Wing Area: 22.7 m2 (244 square feet)
Height: 2.90 m (9 feet, 6 inches)
Powerplant: one 200-HP, Hispano-Suiza, V-8 engine.
Maximum Speed: 227 km/h (141 mph)
Range: 480 km (300 miles)
Ceiling: 5,200 m (17,000 feet)
Armament: one 7.7-mm (.303-cal) Vickers machine gun. Four 11-kg bombs.
Below, the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 fighter parked at a British Army's Royal Flying Corps airbase.
Below, the S.E.5a variant flying over French territory on the Western Front.
Drawing of the SE5 version.
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