Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a British day and night bomber and fighter used by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War.
Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 - British WW1 Aircraft and Warplanes

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 Aircraft Overview

The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a British two-seat biplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that saw service during World War I. It was designed to replace the earlier B.E.2 and B.E.12 aircraft and was notable for its unusual pusher configuration, where the engines were mounted behind the cockpit, and the propellers faced backward.

The F.E.2 entered service in 1915 and was used for a variety of missions, including bombing, reconnaissance, and ground attack. It was also used as a fighter in some instances, although its slow speed and large size made it vulnerable to attack.

The F.E.2 was produced in a number of variants, with improvements made to the engine, armament, and overall design over the course of the war. It was armed with a variety of weapons, including machine guns and bombs, and was flown by a crew of two, a pilot and an observer/gunner.

The F.E.2 was well-regarded for its stability and ease of handling, and it was particularly effective as a bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. However, it was also known for its relatively slow speed and vulnerability to attack, particularly as German fighter aircraft became more advanced later in the war.

Despite its limitations, the F.E.2 remained an important aircraft throughout World War I, and it played a key role in the development of aerial warfare and military aviation in general.

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 Specifications

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
  • Wingspan: 47 ft 9 in (14.55 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m)
  • Wing area: 494 sq ft (45.9 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,061 lb (935 kg)
  • Gross weight: 3,037 lb (1,378 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Beardmore 6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engine, 160 hp (120 kW)
  • Propellers: 4-bladed wooden fixed-pitch pusher propeller.

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 Performance

  • Maximum speed: 91.5 mph (147.3 km/h, 79.5 kn)
  • Endurance: 3 hours
  • Service ceiling: 11,000 ft (3,400 m)
  • Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,048 m) in 39 minutes 44 seconds
  • Wing loading: 6.15 lb/sq ft (30.0 kg/m2)
  • Power/mass: 0.053 hp/lb (0.087 kW/kg).

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 Armament

  • Guns: :* 1 or 2x .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun for the observer (one mounted in front and one firing back over the top wing)
  • 1 or 2x .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun sometimes mounted for the pilot’s use in the F.E.2d
  • Bombs:
  • Up to 517 lb (235 kg) of bombs.

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 Image Gallery

More Royal Aircraft Factory Aircraft

The Royal Aircraft Factory (RAF) was a British government-owned organization responsible for the design and production of aircraft, operating from 1911 to 1918. Originally established as the Army Balloon Factory in Farnborough, Hampshire, it was renamed the Royal Aircraft Factory in 1912. Here are more RAF aircraft:

More British Aircraft

British aircraft have a long and storied history, with many notable designs and innovations and a close link to the Royal Air Force or RAF. Today, British aircraft manufacturers such as BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce continue to produce cutting-edge aircraft and aviation technology. For instance:

Hawker Nimrod - British Interwar & WW2 Aircraft and Warplanes

Hawker Nimrod

The Hawker Nimrod is a British single-engined, single-seat biplane fighter aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft in the early 1930s.

Read More »
Bristol Scout - WW1 British Aircraft & Warplanes

Bristol Scout

The Bristol Scout was a single-seat biplane originally designed as a racing aircraft and later used as a fast reconnaissance plane.

Read More »
The Airco DH.1 WW1 Airplane

Airco DH.1

The Airco DH.1 is a single-seat biplane fighter aircraft and one of the most important aircraft designers of the 20th century.

Read More »