AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ERA

Royal Aircraft Factory BE12b


Although the BE12/12a had been criticised by the Home Defence Squadrons and was out of production by the end of 1916, in June 1917 the type was ordered back into production to provide more aircraft for the very Home Defence squadrons that bemoaned its use. However there was one major change, the new BE12b would use the 200hp Hispano-Suiza for better performance. Sadly this was a false hope and the engine would have been better used in the far superior SE5a which in January 1918 saw 400 SE5a airframes in storage for lack of engines, 150 of which engines were earmarked for the BE12b. Eventually 200 of the BE12b were ordered, but as the engine was in short supply it was decided to complete the first 100 with the Hispano-Suiza, the next 50 with the RAF 4a as BE12s and then the final 50 with the Hisso. All of these aircraft were completed by the first week of February 1918, but it is unknown if all 150 of the Hisso aircraft were actually delivered as BE12bs.

On October 31 1918, the RAF had 64 BE12/12a and 115 BE12bs on charge - of these 67 of the BE12bs were in storage, 17 with HD squadrons, and 31 in transit to or from depot.







RAF BE12b A562

Early 1918
Source: BE2e Datafile