S.E.5a
Royal Aircraft Factory · United Kingdom · first flew 1916 · fighter
The S.E.5a was the RAF's other great fighter of 1917-18: faster and steadier than the Camel, it was the preferred mount of aces like Mannock, McCudden and Ball.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Long, boxy fuselage looks more angular than the rounded Camel |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane with a square, flat-fronted radiator nose around an inline engine
- Lewis gun mounted on a rail above the upper wing centre section
- Long, boxy fuselage looks more angular than the rounded Camel
Identify the flat, square radiator front and long inline-engined nose, quite different from the round rotary cowlings of the Camel or Dr.I. The Lewis gun perched on the upper wing is a giveaway in period photographs and on preserved aircraft. The fuselage is slab-sided and noticeably longer-looking than the Camel's.
Specifications
- The S.E.5a has a length of 6.38 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.11 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 222 km/h (138 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The S.E.5 first flew at Farnborough in November 1916, and the definitive S.E.5a with the 200 hp Hispano-Suiza or Wolseley Viper followed in 1917. Where the Camel won fights by agility, the S.E.5a won them with speed, strength and a stable gun platform. Over 5,200 were built.
Variants
The initial S.E.5 with the 150 hp Hispano-Suiza gave way to the S.E.5a with 200 hp engines, the Wolseley Viper version proving the most reliable. Armament combined a synchronised Vickers gun in the fuselage with a Lewis gun on a Foster mounting above the wing.
Where you'll see it
Britain is the best place in the world to see an S.E.5a: the Shuttleworth Collection flies an original, F904, in regular displays at Old Warden. Further genuine examples are preserved at the RAF Museum and the Science Museum. Its association with the great British aces keeps it central to RAF heritage.
Related aircraft
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