Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8

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Royal Aircraft Factory BE.8
Type	Two-seat scout biplane
Manufacturer
Maiden flight	1913
Primary user	Royal Flying Corps
Number built	approx 70

The Royal Aircraft Factory BE.8 was a British two-seat scout biplane designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory.

[edit] Development

The BE.8 was the last of the Bleriot Experimental types to be designed with a rotary engine. A conventional 1910s biplane with a fixed tailskid landing gear. It also had a pair of skids mounted forward to prevent the aircraft nosing over on rough ground. Three prototypes were built at Farnborough with a single long cockpit for both crew members. The production aircraft had two separate cockpits and where built by sub-contractors. An improved BE.8a in 1915 had new wings the wing warping replaced by ailerons and a revised tail unit.

[edit] Operational history

The aircraft entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and a small number served in France between 1914 and 1915 but most were used by training units.

[edit] Variants

BE.8

Production aircraft with wing warping.

BE.8a

Production aircraft with ailerons.

[edit] Operators

 United Kingdom

• Royal Flying Corps
  • No. 1 Squadron RFC
  • No. 2 Squadron RFC
  • No. 3 Squadron RFC
  • No. 5 Squadron RFC
  • No. 6 Squadron RFC
  • No. 9 Squadron RFC

[edit] Specifications (BE.8a)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot, observer)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 8½ in (11.49 m)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome rotary engine, 80 hp (60 kW)

Performance

Related lists

• List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps
  

[edit] References

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2819

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