Dunsfold, UK. 23rd Aug, 2014. Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey holds an annual motor and airshow over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Here replica Great War SE5A fighter takes part in a "dogfight" with other members of the Great War Display Team Credit: Niall Ferguson/Alamy Live News
The Royal Aircraft Factory was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. The first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel. Although it had a much better overall performance than the Camel, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S 8B-powered early versions (mostly using four-blade propellers), meant that there was a chronic shortage of until well into 1918 and fewer squadrons were equipped with the than with the Sopwith fighter. Together with the Camel, the was instrumental in regaining allied air superiority in mid-1917 and maintaining it for the rest of the war. Like the other significant Royal Aircraft Factory aircraft of the war, the was inherently stable, making it an excellent gunnery platform, but it was also quite manoeverable. It was one of the fastest aircraft of the war at 138 mph, equal at least in speed to the SPAD and faster than any standard German type of the period. While the was not as agile and effective in a tight dog fight as the Camel it was much easier and safer to fly, particularly for novice pilots. The had one synchronised .303-in Vickers machine gun to the Camel's two, but it also had a wing-mounted Lewis gun on a Foster mounting, which enabled the pilot to fire at an enemy aircraft from below as well as providing two guns firing forward.
Size: 4500px × 4501px
Location: Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey UK
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1914-18, aerodrome, aircraft, airshow, british, centenary, display, dunsfold, fighter, fighteraircraft, flying, great, raf, replica, rfc, se5a, team, war, wheels, wings
