Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.2
Royal Aircraft Factory · United Kingdom · first flew 1913 · fighter
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.2 was an early British single-seat scout aircraft that flew in 1913, making it one of the RFC's first purpose-designed fighting scouts. The Wikidata entry names Nieuport as manufacturer, but the S.E.2 was the product of the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Open-framed fuselage structure |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Pre-World War I RFC scout prototype
- Tractor biplane with wire bracing
- Open-framed fuselage structure
A small, compact tractor biplane with equal-span wings and conventional wire bracing. As a 1913 design it lacks the refinements of later WWI scouts; its simple open-framed fuselage and small dimensions are characteristic.
Specifications
- The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.2 has a length of 6.35 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.38 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 146 km/h (91 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The S.E.2 was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory and first flew in June 1913. It was used for early combat trials and evaluation, informing subsequent designs in the S.E. series leading to the famous S.E.5.
Variants
The S.E.2 was essentially a prototype; subsequent S.E. series development led through the S.E.4 to the definitive S.E.5 of World War I fame.
Where you'll see it
The S.E.2 served only in a trials and evaluation capacity with the RFC and did not enter operational squadron service, but it contributed significantly to British fighter development philosophy.
Related aircraft
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