The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 ("S.E." for "Scout Experimental") was designed from the outset as an aircraft with a "green" pilot in mind. Additionally, care in the design of the aircraft was taken to make sure it was a platform that was fast enough to produce in some number. Judging by the fact that this aircraft became the air mount of many-an-ace (Billy Bishop, Cecil Lewis and Edward Mannock to name a few) and was produced to the tune of some 5,200 examples, it is safe to say that the design succeeded in its basic goals. The S.E.5 would go on to become the Royal Aircraft Company's most successful offering of The Great War.
Design of the S.E.5 (credited to Henry P. Folland, J. Kenworthy and F.W. Goodden) featured equal-spanning upper and lower wings, though staggered with single bays and parallel strut support. The pilot was seated in an open-air cockpit in the relative center of the boxy fuselage, itself constructed of fabric over a wood structure. His position was directly behind and under the upper wing element which provided naturally unobstructed views to the sides, rear and down. The view was somewhat diminished looking forward as the long forward portion of the fuselage housing the engine took up critical space. The undercarriage was fixed with two main landing gear and a tail skid at the rear. Armament consisted of a 7.7mm fixed forward-firing Vickers-type machine gun firing through the two-blade propeller via a Constantinesco interrupter gear and a 7.7mm Lewis-type machine gun on a Foster mounting on the upper wing. The pilot would have to lower the Lewis machine gun by use of a rail to change the ammunition drum on this weapon. The S.E.5 was also capable of carrying four drop bombs externally.
The type achieved first flight on November 22, 1916 and entered service in March of 1917. The base S.E.5 featured the Hispano-Suiza 8 inline engine of 150 horsepower and 77 examples were produced. This model was followed up by the S.E.5a, a platform offering up more power from its Wolseley W.4A Viper V-8 water-cooled inline piston engine of 200 horsepower. These models were initially fielded side-by-side until the S.E.5a overtook the S.E.5 in numbers. An S.E.5b model series was entertained as a follow up design and featured a slightly redesigned nose section and a shorter lower wing span. This model was never produced.
Despite some teething problems with the engine early on and unreliable nature of the Constantinesco interrupter gear for the Vickers machine gun, the S.E.5 series evolved to become one of the best Allied aircraft of the war. The design proved a capable dogfighter (though not on par with the best, she could easily handle herself well enough, at least providing new pilots with a chance at success) but could also double in the light bomber role thanks to the inherent stability in the basic design approach. Handling was reportedly good, no doubt again related to the design approach that had the "green" pilot in mind.
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Specifications
Royal Aircraft Factory - UK / Eberhart Steel Products Company - USA Manufacturer(s)
Australia; Canada; Poland; South Africa; United Kingdom; United States Operators
AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
INTERCEPTION
Ability to intercept inbound aerial threats by way of high-performance, typically speed and rate-of-climb.
GROUND ATTACK
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
20.9 ft (6.38 meters) Length
26.6 ft (8.12 meters) Width/Span
9.5 ft (2.90 meters) Height
1,431 lb (649 kilograms) Empty Weight
1,940 lb (880 kilograms) Maximum Take-Off Weight
+509 lb (+231 kg) Weight Difference
1 x Wolseley W.4A Viper V-8 water-cooled inline piston engine developing 200 horsepower driving a two-bladed propeller unit at the nose. Propulsion
STANDARD:
1 x 7.7mm synchronized forward-firing Vickers machine gun
1 x 7.7mm Lewis machine gun (flexible Foster mount on upper wing).
OPTIONAL:
4 x 25lb bombs
4 Hardpoints
S.E.5 - Initial Production Version designation; fitted with Hispano-Suiza 150hp engine.
S.E.5a - "Improved" S.E.5 model; fitted with 200hp engine; shortened wings and integrated pilot head-rest.
S.E.5b - Redesigned wings (shorter lower wing) and nose sections; single production example.
S.E.5e - US Army Air Service Designaton for S.E.5a models produced in America and fitted with Wright-Hispano "E" series engines of 180 horsepower.
"Eberhart" S.E.5e - Eberhart Aeroplane modified S.E.5a models (50 total) with Wright-Hispano E engines of 180 horsepower.
Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.
Overall Rating
The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.
36
Rating is out of a possible 100 points.
Relative Maximum Speed
Hi: 150mph
Lo: 75mph
This entry's maximum listed speed (138mph).
Graph average of 113 miles-per-hour.
City-to-City Ranges
NYC
LON
LON
PAR
PAR
BER
BER
MOS
MOS
TOK
TOK
SYD
SYD
LAX
LAX
NYC
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).
Max Altitude Visualization
Design Balance
The three qualities reflected above are altitude, speed, and range.
Aviation Era Span
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
Unit Production (5,205)
5205
36183
44000
Compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian).
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High-angled front left side view of an American Eberhart S.E.5a fighter; color
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Low-angled front left side view of an American Eberhart S.E.5a fighter; color
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