The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4a was a reconnaissance aircraft which was developed and built for experiments and research purposes at the beginning of the First World War.
Development and design:
In 1915, Henry Folland, a developer at Royal Aircraft Factory, began developing a single-engine reconnaissance aircraft, which was mainly intended to demonstrate the connection between stability and maneuverability for research purposes. Although there was an aircraft called S.E.4 already in 1914, the S.E.4a was a completely new developed aircraft.
In the first prototype the front section of the aircraft was made of steel tubes and the rear section of a wooden construction.
For the engine a Gnome rotary engine with 80 HP was chosen, which was mounted under a smooth bonnet. For the other prototypes, the designers used other engines such as those from Clerget or Le Rhône for comparison purposes. Also the construction of the other three aircrafts was not as stable as that of the first airplane.
The first flight of the first prototype was carried out on 25 June 1915. The other three aircraft followed until August 1915. These proved to be easy to fly and had excellent aerobatic capabilities. Due to the weak engines, however, the development was not continued afterwards or a larger number was ordered.
Use in the First World War:
At the end of 1915 the Home Defense Squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps received two of the four aircraft built. These were equipped with a Lewis machine gun, which was mounted on the upper wing.
Already on September 24, 1915, one of the aircraft was completely destroyed in an accident. The fourth aircraft remained in the Royal Flying Corps until September 1917 and was used for experimental purposes.
Technical data:
Designation: | Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4a |
Country: | Great Britain |
Type: | Reconnaissance plane |
Length: | 6,35 meters |
Span: | 8,36 meters |
Height: | 2,87 meters |
Weight: | unknown |
Crew: | Max. 1 |
Engine: | A Gnôme rotation motor with 80 HP |
Maximum speed: | 145 km/h |
Range: | unknown |
Arming: | 1 x .303 Lewis machine gun |
You can find the right literature here:
The First Air War, 1914-1918
In this concise study, Kennett tells the complete story of World War I's air battles, from Eastern to Western front, from the skies of Europe and its seas to those of the Middle East and Africa.
Aircraft of World War I 1914-1918 (Essential Identification Guide)
Illustrated with detailed artworks of combat aircraft and their markings, Aircraft of World War I: The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide is a comprehensive study of the aircraft that fought in the Great War of 1914–18. Arranged chronologically by theatre of war and campaign, this book offers a complete organizational breakdown of the units on all the fronts, including the Eastern and Italian Fronts. Each campaign includes a compact history of the role and impact of aircraft on the course of the conflict, as well as orders of battle, lists of commanders and campaign aces such as Manfred von Richtofen, Eddie Rickenbacker, Albert Ball and many more. Every type of aircraft is featured, including the numerous variations and types of well- known models, such as the Fokker Dr.I, the Sopwith Camel and the SPAD SVII, through to lesser-known aircraft, such as the Rumpler C.1, and the Amstrong Whitworth FK8. Each aircraft profile is accompanied by exhaustive specifications, as well as details of individual and unit markings. Packed with more than 200 color profiles of every major type of combat aircraft from the era, Aircraft of World War I 1914–1918 is an essential reference guide for modellers, military historians and aircraft enthusiasts.
World War One Aircraft Carrier Pioneer: The Story and Diaries of Captain JM McCleery RNAS/RAF
Jack McCleery was born in Belfast in 1898, the son of a mill owning family. He joined the RNAS in 1916 as a Probationary Flight Officer. During the next ten months he completed his training at Crystal Palace, Eastchurch, Cranwell, Frieston, Calshot and Isle of Grain, flying more than a dozen landplanes, seaplanes and flying boats, gaining his wings as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant. In July 1917 he was posted to the newly commissioning aircraft carrier HMS Furious, which would be based at Scapa Flow and Rosyth. He served in this ship until February 1919, flying Short 184 seaplanes and then Sopwith 1½ Strutters off the deck. He also flew a large number of other types during this time from shore stations at Turnhouse, East Fortune and Donibristle.
He served with important and well-known naval airmen including Dunning, Rutland (of Jutland) and Bell Davies VC. He witnessed Dunning’s first successful landing on a carrier flying a Sopwith Pup in 1917 and his tragic death a few days later. He also witnessed the Tondern raid in 1918, the world’s first carrier strike mission. He took part in more than a dozen sweeps into the North Sea by elements of the Grand Fleet and Battle Cruiser Fleet. He carried out reconnaissance missions off the coast of Denmark, landing in the sea to be picked up by waiting destroyers. He witnessed the surrender of the High Seas Fleet. Promoted to Captain, he acted as temporary CO of F Squadron for a time postwar.
A World War 1 Adventure: The Life and Times of RNAS Bomber Pilot Donald E. Harkness
A deeply personal and revealing eyewitness narrative of one airman's life as a bomber pilot in England 's RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service) in WWI. It is a true story, an adventure, and a war memoir carefully constructed from Captain Donald E. Harkness's unpublished diaries, letters, sketches and photographs - only recently uncovered nearly a century later - that documented his remarkable experiences and military adventures over England, France and Belgium. The first book written by a highly decorated WWI flyer from New Zealand that captures the "behind the scenes" life of RNAS pilots, as well as the surprises, terrors, traumas, humor, and sheer excitement of an aerial form of combat never before experienced by anyone, anywhere - and only eleven short years after the Wright Brothers historic flight at Kitty Hawk. With a talent for writing, Don begins an epic journey at a major turning point in history when the world is poised at the dawn of flight, and bracing itself for unknown dangers of unprecedented sophistication and savagery. Don's journal reveals unique insights and vivid imagery of another time and experience, to wit: - the terror and devastation of a Zeppelin bombing raid in London - the training regimen of early flying schools, and their serious & comic episodes - the wonder, awe, and poetry of flying aloft in the majestic heavens - vivid bombing raids, plus the raid that earned him the DSC - his crash-landing and capture - working with the underground to help downed pilots evade capture - London's unrestrained exuberance on Armistice Day; . . . and much, much more.
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