Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.8 |
Role |
Two-seat scout biplane |
First flight |
1913 |
Primary user |
Royal Flying Corps |
Number built |
approx 70 |
The Royal Aircraft Factory BE.8 was a British two-seat single-engined scout biplane of the First World War, designed by John Kenworthy at the Royal Aircraft Factory in 1913.[1] Small numbers were used by the Royal Flying Corps over the Western Front in the first year of the war, with the type being used as a trainer until 1916.
Development and design
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 were built by sub-contractors. An improved BE.8a in 1915 had new wings the wing warping replaced by ailerons and a revised tail unit.
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.
Variants
- BE.8
- Production aircraft with wing warping.
- BE.8a
- Production aircraft with ailerons.
Operators
- United Kingdom
Specifications (BE.8)
Data from British Aeroplanes 1914-18[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 (pilot, observer)
- Length: 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
- Wingspan: 39 ft 6[3] in (12.04 m)
- Powerplant: 1 × Gnome rotary engine, 80 hp (60 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 70 mph (113 km/h)
- Endurance: 1½[4] hours
- Rate of climb: 285[5] ft/min (1.4 m/s)
Armament
- Small arms operated by crew
- 1× 100 lb (45 kg) bomb
See also
- Related lists
References
- ^ Hare 1990, p. 171.
- ^ Bruce 1957, p.376.
- ^ BE.8a span 37 ft 8½ in (11.49 m)
- ^ Hare 1990, p. 175.
- ^ Climb to 3,000 ft (910 m) in 10 min 30 s
- Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.
- Bruce, J.M. The Aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) . London:Putnam, 1982. ISBN 0 370 30084 x.
- Hare, Paul R. The Royal Aircraft Factory. London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-843-7.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2819
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