The SE5 fighter was designed by H P Folland at the Royal Aircraft Factory and became the most celebrated aeroplane to emerge from those workshops. A total of 5,205 was built including a number of two seat trainers. Unlike many contemporary rotary engined Sopwith and Nieuport fighters which were sensitive and tricky to handle, the SE5 was designed around a Hispano-Suiza V-8 and intended to be relatively stable and easy to fly for the sketchily trained pilots of the period.
A further advantage of this engine was that it had a reduction gear drive allowing the use of a hollow propeller shaft. Through this a fixed gun could fire without the need for synchronisation gear which the Allies had not yet perfected, though by the time the second prototype was ready in November 1916 reliable synchronisation was available so improved armament was fitted. Despite criticism of the high seating position and extra large glasshouse windscreen (both fitted with the intention of improving the pilots lot), weakness of the original steel tube undercarriage legs and certain aspects of the handling, the basic design was very promising in service. Accordingly after about the 50th machine these criticisms were addressed and a more powerful version of the engine was fitted, resulting in re-designation as the SE5a. Unfortunately expected supplies of the French engine were seriously delayed and then initially proved unreliable. A replacement direct drive version built under licence by Wolseley was plagued with teething problems, causing a serious delay in getting SEs to the RFC, but gradually the problems were resolved and the aeroplane became one of the most successful and popular fighters of the war. SERVICE HISTORY The SE5a entered service with the Royal Flying Corps in June 1917 with squadrons based at the front line in France and in England for home defence. Other squadrons served in Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia. By the close of WWI the newly formed Royal Air Force had 16 operational squadrons of SE5as at its disposal but within a year all the aircraft had been withdrawn from service use.
THIS EXHIBIT : F904 / G-EBIA This aeroplane never saw service use and was purchased new after the war by Major J C Savage for his skywriting business and registered G-EBIA. It was rediscovered suspended from the roof of the Armstrong Whitworth flight shed at Whitley in 1955, was restored for the Collection by staff and apprentices at RAE Farnborough and flew again in August 1959. After mechanical problems with the original geared Hispano-Suiza it was re-engined with a 200 hp Wolseley Viper engine in 1975. In 1987 this replacement unit had to be extensively rebuilt and the aircraft flew again in 1991.
Specification:
Span 26ft 6 ins
Empty weight 1530 lbs
Power 200hp Wolseley Viper V-8