Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a
Serial Number: 5
Registration:
Markings: Royal Air Force, World War I
Museum Condition: Static Display Only (3/4 Scale Replica)
3/4 Scale Replica of WWI Fighter Bi-plane
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel, and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine meant that there was a chronic shortage of S.E.5s until well into 1918 and fewer squadrons were equipped with the type than with the Sopwith fighter. Together with the Camel, the S.E.5 was instrumental in regaining allied air superiority in the summer of 1917 - and maintaining this for the rest of the war - ensuring there was no repetition of "Bloody April" 1917, when losses in the R.F.C. were much heavier than in the German Air Service.
On 24 April, 2005, the museum at the Arizona Wing of the Commemorate Air Force received their latest acquisition; a 3/4 scale replica of the WWI fighter, the Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a.
This replica aircraft, once flown to airshows and events all over the west and midwest by Forest "Doggie" Kline, was donated in ceremony by Doggie's family and friends. The aircraft made its last flight from the aircraft's current location. Special guest speakers, antiques aircraft, and a special flying escort for the new aircraft were part of the ceremony.
| Type |
Fighter |
| Manufacturer |
Various:
Austin Motors
Air Navigation and Engineering Company
Curtiss
Martinsyde
Royal Aircraft Company
Vickers
Wolseley Motor Company |
| Maiden Flight |
22 November 1916 |
| Introduced |
March 1917 |
| Theatre of War |
World War I |
| Number Produced |
5265 (between all manufactuerers) |
| Status |
Retired in 1972 |
| Crew |
1 |
| Wingspan |
26 ft 7 in |
| Length |
20 ft 11 in |
| Height |
9 ft 6 in |
| Empty Weight |
1,430 lbs |
| Max Takeoff Weight |
1,940 lbs |
| Power Plant |
(1) Wolseley Viper V-8 water-cooled |
| Horsepower |
200 hp |
| Maximum Speed |
120 knots (138 mph) |
| Service Ceiling |
17,000 ft |
| Rate of Climb |
754 ft/min |
| Range |
261 nm (300 mi) |
| Guns |
(1) 0.303 in (7.7 mm) forward-firing Vickers w/ Constantinesco interrupter gear, mounted off-center
(1) 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on Foster mounting on upper wing |
| Payload |
(4) 11.3 kg (25 lbs) Cooper bombs; two under each lower wing to be dropped in 2, 3, 4, 1 order |
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