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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1078.PDF
482 PLIGHT, 16 April 1954 THE B.E.2 SERIES . . . and Dover. Squadrons No. 33, 36, 39, 50, 51, 75, No. 5 Reserve Squadron. R.N.A.S., Great Yarmouth (and landing grounds at Bacton, Holt, Burgh Castle, Covehithe and Sedgeford), Redcar, Hornsea, Scar borough, Eastchurch. South West Africa—South African Aviation Corps Unit. East Africa—No. 26 Squadron, R.F.C. Egypt—Squadrons No. 14 and 17. Palestine—No. 67 (Australian) Squadron. Mesopotamia—No. 30 Squadron. Macedonia—No. 17 Squadron. India—Squadrons No. 31 and 114. Eastern Mediterranean—No. 2 Wing, R.N.A.S., Imbros and Mudros; No. 3 Wing, R.N.A.S., Tenedos and Imbros. Training—Used at various Training units, e.g. No. 26 Flying Train ing Squadron, Blandford; No. 44 at Waddington; No. 51 at Marham; No. 63 at Stirling; W/T. Telegraphists School, Chattis Hill; School of Photography, Map Reading and Reconnaissance, Farnborough; Air Observers' Schools at New Romney, Manston and Eastchurch; School of R.A.F. and Army Co-operation, Worthy Down; R.N.A.S., Cranwell; Belgian Flying School, Etampes; Australian Flying School, Point Cook. B.E.2D: Western Front.—R.F.C. Squadrons No. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 42, H.Q. Communication Squadron. Training—No. 63 Squadron, and mainly as for B.E.2C. B.E.2E: R.F.C. Squadrons No. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 21, 34, 42, 52, 53, 100, Special Duty Flight of Ninth (H.Q.) Wing, H.Q. Communication Squadron. Eastern Front—Used by Russian Flying Corps. Home Defence—Obviously distributed on a similar scale to the B.E.2C; Squadrons No. 51 and 78 known to have used the type. Palestine—Squadrons No. 14, 67 (Australian), 113, 142, "B" Flight formed from No. 23 Training Squadron, "X" Flight at 'Aqaba. Mesopotamia—No. 30 Squadron. Macedonia—No. 47 Squadron. India—Squadrons No. 31 and 114. Training—Training Squadrons No. 26 and 44; Chattis Hill, Farnborough, New Romney, Manston, Eastchurch and Worthy Down as detailed for B.E.2C; R.N.A.S., Cranwell 12 used by the Americans at Ford Junction; Australian Flying School, Point Cook. Armament.—B.E.2, 2A, 2B: One 100-lb bomb or approximately equivalent load of smaller bombs, hand grenades, rifles, pistols and carbines were carried for defence. B.E.2C: Bomb load varied considerably. Possible combinations were 3x25-lb French bombs (Renault-B.E.2C); 2 x 112-lb bombs (solo); one 112-lb and 4 x 20-lb bombs (solo); 10 x 20-lb bombs (solo). Bombs were carried in racks under the fuselage, under the inner bays of the lower wings, and, in the case of some R.N.A.S. B.E.s, in a special rack immediately under the engine. Defensive armament varied enormously, from nil to a total of four Lewis guns. Usual basic armament was one Lewis gun, for which brackets were provided in two, three or more positions between the cockpits: usually this gun, fired by the observer, could fire to the rear only. Alternatively or additionally, the pilot had a fixed Lewis gun on a Strange-type oblique mounting, firing forwards and outwards to clear the airscrew. A few machines had a Lewis gun on a mounting behind the pilot's cockpit: this gun was fired by the pilot. Single-seat bomber B.E. pilots usually carried a rifle. Home Defence B.E.s sometimes had a Lewis gun or pair of Lewis guns mounted between the cockpits and firing upwards over the trailing edge of the centre section: and some R.N.A.S. machines had a Lewis on a high bracket immediately in front of the cockpit and inclined slighdy upwards so as to fire under the centre section and yet clear the airscrew. Other war loads of Home Defence B.E.s were 24 Ranken Darts plus 2 x 20-lb H.E. bombs plus 2 x 16-lb incendiary bombs; or 10 Le Prieur rockets. B.E.2D and 2E.—Generally similar to the B.E.2C. Some 2Es had a horizontal rod between the rear centre section struts, and on it the observer's Lewis gun was mounted. B.E.1—201 B.E.2, 2A, 2B.—46 and 47 built at R.A.F. to Admiralty order; 49 and 50 built by Hewlett and Blondeau for Admiralty (No. 50 flown by Cdr. C. R. Samson); 202; 205-B.E.2 rebuilt from Howard Wright biplane, had a 60 h.p. E.N.V. engine at one time, but reverted to 70 h.p. Renault, crashed 27.5.13: 206-B.E.2 used at R.A.F. for fabric tests; 217-B.E.2A; 218-B.E.2A of No. 2 Sqn., flown by Capt. Longcroft, Montrose-Portsmouth-Farnborough, 22.11.13; 220-No. 3 Sqn.; 222- No. 2 Sqn., crashed 15.5.14; 225; 241-B.E.2As (226 was Bnstol-built and completed at R.A.F. 13.8.13; after exposure tests was tested to destruction on 23.4.14; used by No. 3 Sqn.); 228, 229, 232-Bristol- built; 233 and 235 were used by No. 2 Sqn.; 234 and 239 were used by No. 6 Sqn.; 240 had a wireless installation; 267-No. 2 Sqn.; 272, 273; 299-No. 4 Sqn.; 317, 318, 327, 328-No. 2 Sqn.; 329-No. 6 Sqn.; 330-336 were B.E.2As; 331-No. 2 Sqn., crashed at Nothallerton 15.5.14; 332-No. 2 Sqn.; 340 and 347-B.E.2As; 348 B.E.2A (experi ments with R.A.F. recording tautness meter: this machine was looped); 349, 368 and 372 were B.E.2As; 441, 442, 447, 449-B.E.2As of C.F.S.; 452-454 were Vickers-built; 453 crashed 10.3.14; 457 and 465-B.E.2As of C.F.S.; 466-B.E.2A; 468-487, B.E.2As/Bs; 475-B.E.2A of "C" Flight, C.F.S.; 487-B.E.2B captured by Germans; 601-B.E.2A with fins on upper wing and modified tail unit; 2884-B.E.2B. B.E.2C, 2D, 2E. Admiralty orders for B.E.2Cs (70 h.p. Renault) to end of 1914: 952-963, built by Vickers, transferred to R.F.C.; 964-975, built by Blackburn; 968 and 969 transferred to South African Aviation Corps, left U.K. 3.4.15, both damaged in trial flights after arrival in S.W. Africa; 976-987, built by Hewlett and Blondeau; 977 used by R.N.A.S., Great Yarmouth; 988-999, built by Martinsyde; 1075-1098, built by Vickers; 1099-1122, built by Beardmore; 1123-1126, built by Blackburn; 1128-1146, built by Blackburn; 1147-1170, built by Grahame White; 1183-1188, built by Eastbourne Aviation Co.; 1189-1194, built by Hewlett and Blondeau. War Office Orders.—1652-1697 were B.E.2Cs (mosdy 70 h.p. Renault), built by British and Colonial Aeroplane Co.; 1698-1747- B.E.2Cs (90 h.p. R.A.F.la), built by British and Colonial; 1675 made forced landing on Dutch coast and was interned 1915; 1688 used for tests of R.A.F. low-altitude bomb sight 2.12.15; 1697 became prototype B.E.12; 1700 became B.E.9; 1730-B.E.2C "Manipur"; 1738 B.E.2C, 90 h.p. Curtiss OX-5; 1749 and 1783, B.E.2Cs; 1793-B.E.2C, R.AF.lb engine, used for performance tests at R.A.F., summer 1916; 1799- B.E.2C; 2015-B.E.2C, R.A.F.lb engine, had pitot tubes suspended on a cross-bar mounted on a post immediately in front of fin. B.E.2Cs-2017 (No. 13 Sqn.); 2026; 2034; 2037 (No. 16 Sqn.); 2043 (No. 13 Sqn.); 2045 (No. 13 Sqn.); 2049: 2092. Nos. 2470-2569 were B.E.2Cs and 2Es built by Wolseley; 2570-2669 were B.E.2Cs; 2599 had 150 h.p. Hispano-Suiza; 2670-2769 were B.E.2Cs built by Ruston, Proctor and Co.; 2737 used by "D" Flight, R.N.A.S., Cranwell; 3999- B.E.2C (70 h.p. Renault), built by Blackburn for Admiralty; 4070-4219 were B.E.2Cs built by British and Colonial; 4079-No. 13 Sqn.; 4084- No. 13 Sqn.; 4112-No. 39 Sqn., flown by Lt. F. Sowrey, shot down L.32; 4116-Immelmann's 13th victory; 4120, R.A.F.ld engine, tested with wings of R.A.F.19 section, June 1916; 4122, R.A.F.la engine, used in experiments with v.p. airscrews, 1919: 4205, armoured: 4300- 4599 were B.E.2Cs and Es built by Weir; 4312-B.E.2E, No. 67 Sqn.; 4362-B.E.2C, No. 3 Sqn.; 4426-B.E.2C, "D" Flight, R.N.A.S., Cranwell; 4700-4709-single-seat B.E.2Cs, built by British and Colonial; 5384-B.E.2C, built by Vickers; 5430 and 5431, B.E.2Cs; 5730-5879 were B.E.2Ds built by British and Co'onial; 5841-No. 13 Sqn., Richthofen's 32nd victory, 2.4.17; 6228-6327 were B.E.2Ds and 2Es built by Ruston, Proctor; 6232-No. 2 Sqn., Richthofen's 26th victory, 11.3.17: 6246-No. 63 Sqn.; 6304-B.E.2E: 6325 and 6326-B.E.2Es of "D" Flight, R.N.A.S., Cranwell; 6728-6827 were B.E.2Ds and 2Es built by Vulcan Motor Co.; 6808 was shot down on Russian front; 6742-No. 16 Sqn., Richthofen's 19th victory, 1.2.17; 7058-7257 were B.E.2Ds and 2Es built by British and Colonial. Admiraltv Orders, 1915-16 (all B.E.2Cs).—8293-8304 were built by Grahame White; 8326-8337 were built bv Beardmore; 8404-8433 were built by Eastbourne Aviation Co.; 8423-"D" Flight, R.N.A.S., Cranwell; 8424-taken over by No. 26 Sqn., R.F.C., East Africa: 8488-8500 were built by Beardmo'e; 8606-8629 were built by Beardmore: 8623- "D" Flight, R.N.AS., Cranwell; 8624, used as single-seater; 9456-9458 were B.E.2Cs fitted with Cuniss OX-5 engines: 9459-9461 were B.E.2Cs with R.A.F. engines; 9462-9469 were B.E.2Cs with Curtiss OX-5; 9470-R.A.F.la engine; 9471-9475 were B.E.2Cs with Curtiss OX-5; 9951-10000 wee built by Blackburn. War Office Orders.—A.1261-A.1310 were B.E.2Cs, changed to 2Es, built by Barclay, Curie: A.1311-1360 were B.E.2Cs, changed to 2Es, built by Napier and Miller; A.1361-A.1410 were B.E.2Cs, changed to 2Es, built by Denny Bros.; A.1792-A.1891 were B.E.2Cs built by Vulcan; A.2733-A.2982 wee B.E.2Es built by British and Colonial: A2815-No. 16 Sqn., Richthofen's 39th victo-y, 8.4.17; A.3049-A.3148 were B.E.2Es built by Wolseley; A.3149-A.3168 were B.E.2Es; B.719 and B.728 were B.E.2Es; B.3651-B.3750 were B.E.2Es built by Vulcan Motor Co.; B.4401-B.4600 were B.E.2Es built by British and Colonial; B.6151-B.6200 were B.E.2Cs built by British Caudron; C.1701-C 1750 were B.E.2Es ordered from British and Colonial, but cancelled; C.6901- C.7000 were B.E.2ES built by Denny Bros.; C.6965, own»d by Perdrian Rubber Co. in Australia in 1920: C.6986, used by OANTAS Co., Ltd., in 1921; C.7001-C.7100 were B.E.2Es built by Barclay, Curie; C.7086- No. 2 Sqn.; C.7095, used by Americans at Ford Junction: C.7101- C.7200 were B.E.2Es built by Napier and Miller; F.4096 and F.4160- B.E.2ES. N.B. Wherever possible, the type designation quoted is that under which the contract was originally placed. It must be borne in mind that much modification and rebuilding went on with the early B.E.s, and that machines ordered as B.E.2Cs or 2Ds were often delivered as, or modified to be, B.E.2Es. Where a type of engine is quoted against a machine or batch of machines, it is the type originally fitted to or ordered for the aircraft in question. April April April April April April April May May 22 22 24 24 27 2B. 29. )-14. 4. May FORTHCOMI Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators: A. G. M. R.Ae.S. Main Lecture: "Diesel Compound Engines," by E. E. Chatterton, B.Sc, A.M.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S. British Interplanetary Society (North-west branch): Film show. British Interplanetary Society (Provisional Western branch): Exhibition and film show. R.Ae.S. Section Lecture: "Aerodynamic and Aeroelastic Characteristics of the Crescent Wing," by G. H. Lee, B.Sc. D.I.C., A.R.C.S.. F.R.Ae.S. Aero-Club d'ltalia: International helicopter meeting. R.Ae.S. Graduates' and Students' Section: "Fuselage Structural Design Methods," by R. J. Jupe, A.F.R.Ae.S., G.I.Mech.E. British Industries Fair, London and Birmingham. R.Ae.S. Section Lecture: "Propellers for High-Speed Aircraft," by G. C. I. Gardiner. A.F.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.C.: Annual general meeting. NG EVENTS May 9-16. Saar Aero Club: International gliding contest and rally. May15-17. Channel Islands Aero Club: International rally, St. Peter's Airport, Jersey. May 20. R.Ae.S.: 42nd Wilbur Wright Memorial Lecture: "The Choice of Power Plants for Civil Aeroplanes," by Dr. A. E. Russell, B.Sc., F.I.A.S., F.R.Ae.S. May 22. Leicestershire Aero Club: Air display. June 9-19. Mechanical Handling Exhibition and Convention, Olympia. June 13. R.Ae.S. Garden Party, London Airport. June21-24. Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences: Annual summer meeting, Los Angeles. June26-27. Aero-Club de Flers de I'Orne: Normandie Rally. R.Ae.S. Branch Fixtures (to April 30).—April 23, Hatfield, annual dinner. April 28, Coventry, annual general meeting and films; Southampton, "Recent Developments in Civil Engineering," by Dr. A. G. Pugsley. April 30, Birmingham, "Aircraft Electrics," by R. H. Woodall and J. H. Rea.
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