Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8 Explained
The
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8 was a British two-seat single-engined general purpose
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 B.E.8 was the definitive development of the earlier B.E 3 type, and the last of the B.E. series to be designed with a rotary engine. The main changes were that the lower wings were now attached to the fuselage near the lower longerons, rather than running under it, and that the tail unit was changed to the B.E.2 pattern. 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. The improved B.E.8a of 1915 had new B.E.2c type wings, featuring ailerons instead of wing warping and a revised tail unit.
Operational history
Both models of the aircraft entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and a small number served in France in 1914 and early 1915 but most were used by training units.[2]
Variants
- BE.8
Production aircraft with wing warping.
- BE.8a
Production aircraft with ailerons.Operators
References
Bibliography
- Angelucci, Enzo. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. San Diego, California: The Military Press, 1983. .
- 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. .
- Hare, Paul R. The Royal Aircraft Factory. London:Putnam, 1990. .
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985, p. 2819.
Notes and References
- Hare 1990, p. 171.
- Hare, 1990 p. 174
