Time Period: World War I
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Biplane, Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Various, Royal Aircraft Factory
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a Aircraft Overview
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a was a British biplane fighter aircraft designed and developed during World War I. It was an improved version of the earlier S.E.5 fighter, with modifications made to the wings and the addition of an improved engine.
The S.E.5a was powered by a 200 horsepower Hispano-Suiza engine, which gave it a top speed of around 138 miles per hour. It was armed with two synchronized Vickers machine guns and could carry up to four 25-pound bombs for ground attack missions.
The S.E.5a was widely regarded as one of the best British fighter aircraft of World War I, and it played a key role in the air war over the Western Front. Its speed, firepower, and maneuverability made it an effective weapon against German aircraft, and it was flown by many of the top British aces of the war, including Eddie Rickenbacker and Albert Ball.
After the war, the S.E.5a remained in service with the Royal Air Force and was used for a variety of roles, including reconnaissance, training, and even air racing. It was eventually phased out of service in the mid-1920s.
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a Specifications
- Crew: One
- Length: 20 ft 11 in (6.38 m)
- Upper wingspan: 26 ft 7 in (8.10 m)
- Upper chord: 60 in (1.52 m)
- Lower wingspan: 26 ft 7 in (8.10 m)
- Lower chord: 60 in (1.52 m)
- Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
- Wing area: 244 sq ft (22.7 m2)
- Airfoil: RAF15
- Empty weight: 1,410 lb (640 kg)
- Gross weight: 1,935 lb (878 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,988 lb (902 kg)
- Undercarriage track: 60 in (1.5 m)
- Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 8 or Wolseley Viper water cooled V8 engine, 150 hp (110 kW)
- Propellers: 2 or 4-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propeller, 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) diameter.
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a Performance
- Maximum speed: 138 mph (222 km/h, 120 kn)
- Range: 300 mi (480 km, 260 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 17,000 ft (5,200 m)
- Wing loading: 7.93 lb/sq ft (38.7 kg/m2)
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a Armament
- Guns:
- 1 x .303 in (7.7 mm) forward-firing Vickers machine gun with Constantinesco interrupter gear
- 1 x .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on Foster mounting on the upper wing.
- Bombs:
- 4x 25 lb (11 kg) Cooper bombs, two under each lower wing, to be dropped in 2, 3, 4, 1 order.
