Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4
Royal Aircraft Factory · United Kingdom · first flew 1914 · fighter
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4 was a single-engined, single-seat biplane designed and built at the Royal Aircraft Factory just before the start of the First World War.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat biplane
- Single tractor engine, a Gnome Double Lambda rotary
- Streamlined design intended to be as fast as possible
A small single-seat scout biplane, 6.5 metres long with a wingspan of 8.38 metres and an endurance of one hour.
Specifications
- The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4 has a length of 6.5 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.38 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 217 km/h (135 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Henry Folland and intended to be as fast as possible, it first flew in June 1914. It was powered by a 160 hp Gnome Double Lambda 14-cylinder rotary engine.
Variants
Only one S.E.4 was built, so there were no variants.
Where you'll see it
It recorded a speed of 135 mph (217 km/h), the fastest of any aircraft in the world in 1914, but no production followed and it was soon written off in a crash. It was retired in 1914.
Related aircraft
- Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5
- Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.9
- Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.3
- Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8
- Bristol S.S.A.
- Martinsyde S.1
- Morane-Saulnier N
- Pemberton-Billing P.B.9
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