Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.9
Royal Aircraft Factory · United Kingdom · first flew 1915 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.9 was a British experimental reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.84 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Small wooden gunner nacelle, the "pulpit", mounted in front of the propeller
- Engine moved rearwards behind the gunner
- Larger fin and increased wingspan compared with the B.E.2c
A B.E.2-type biplane with a gunner's box ahead of the propeller.
Specifications
- The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.9 has a length of 8.84 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.45 m (41 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 132 km/h (82 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was a modified B.E.2c intended to combine tractor-aircraft performance with the observer's good field of fire of a pusher. The single prototype first flew at Farnborough on 14 August 1915.
Variants
A B.E.9a with a 140 hp RAF 4a V12 engine was designed but never built.
Where you'll see it
It was tested by Nos 6, 8 and 16 Squadrons in France in 1915 and judged dangerous for the gunner. It was sent back to Britain early in 1916.
Related aircraft
- Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e
- Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5
- S.E.5a
- Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.2
- AEG C.I
- AEG C.II
- AEG C.III
- AGO C.I
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