AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST
WORLD WAR ERA
Royal Aircraft Factory BE9
The BE.9 was an attempt to provide a forward firing gun to a tractor
aircraft in the same manner as the SPAD A2/4 series. BE2c 1700 was modified
by repositioning the engine further aft and then adding a gunner's nacelle
mounted ahead of the propellor. 1700 was initially tested at Farnborough
in August 1915. One month later it was in France for trials with Nos.6,
16 and 8 Sqns. While at No.8 Sqn it had an inconclusive fight with an
Eindecker and after a handful of further frontline flights it was withdrawn
by 11 December and returned to England in January.

RAF BE9 1700
Farnborough
August 1915
Source: CCI 42/3
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RAF BE9 1700
Nos. 6, 16 & 8 Sqns RFC
October 1915
Source: CCI 42/3
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