AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ERA

Royal Aircraft Factory SE5


The first three prototype SE5s were ordered on 28 September 1916, with the first, A4561, being flown on 22 November 1916 by Frank Gooden, and the next day by Captain Albert Ball. The third prototype, A4563, was essentially the first SE5a as it was fitted with a 200hp Hispano-Suiza and the short span wings that later became the hallmark of an SE5a. It is commonly thought that the change of the engine to the 200hp Hispano-Suiza was the sign of the SE5a, however the Royal Aircraft Factory always considered that an SE5 had the original 27'11" wings, while the SE5a had 26'7" wings. In fact, of the 74 aircraft ordered as SE5s, only the initial order for 24 (A4845-A4868) were completed with both the 150hp engine and longspan wings. The first batch also featured a unique 'greenhouse' windscreen that was quickly removed upon arrival in France. Of the second batch of 50 (A8898-A8947), at least 14 had the 200hp engine, while all of them had the shortspan wings. The SE5 first went to France with No.56 Sqn in April 1917. Many of these aircraft were converted to true SE5a standard and served into 1918.



RAF SE5 A4855
Lt Cecil A Lewis
No.56 Sqn RFC
April 1917
Source: SE5a In Action
updated 2013

 


RAF SE5
B Flight
No.56 Sqn RFC
April 1917
Source: Datafile No.30 (SE5)


RAF SE5
C Flight
No.56 Sqn RFC
April 1917
Source: Datafile No.30 (SE5)

 


RAF SE5 A4850
Capt Albert Ball
No.56 Sqn RFC
May 1917
Source: FMP VC Research


RAF SE5 A8913
Lt KK Muspratt
No.56 Sqn RFC
June 1917
Source: The SE5 File

 


RAF SE5 A8920
Lt Dickson
No.56 Sqn RFC
June 1917
Source: via L A Rogers
updated 2013

 


RAF SE5 A4563
Lt APF Rhys-Davids
No.56 Sqn RFC
June-July 1917
Source: Revell - HITEB

 


RAF SE5 A8918
Capt Edric Broadberry
No.56 Sqn RFC
July 1917
Source: Revell - HITEB

RAF SE5 A4563
Lt APF Rhys-Davids
No.56 Sqn RFC
July 1917
Source: Revell - HITEB
updated 2013

RAF SE5 A8898
Captain Keith Caldwell
No.60 Sqn RFC
August 1917
Source:


RAF SE5
A Flight
No.60 Sqn RFC
August 1917
Source:
updated 2013

 


RAF SE5
B Flight
No.60 Sqn RFC
August 1917
Source:

RAF SE5 A4856
Lt Young
No.60 Sqn RFC
August 1917
Source:

RAF SE5 A8936
Capt W A Bishop
No.60 Sqn RFC
August 1917
Source: Rogers - SE5/SE5a Sqns