AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ERA

Royal Aircraft Factory BE2e/f


In an attempt to improve the performance of the BE2c, the BE2e was developed. The main change was a new set of unequal span wings with just one bay instead of the two bay equal span wings of the BE2c/d. Other changes were dual control as well as revised horizontal tail surfaces and fuel system. The type did have slightly better performance than the BE2c/d and as of October 1916 only the BE2e was to be sent to France. Therefore many of the BE2c/ds were given BE2e wings and tailplanes . the resulting aircraft were then given new designations to tell them apart from the true BE2e. The BE2c with BE2e wings became a BE2f, while the BE2d with new wings was the BE2g.
Sadly the armament problem was not addressed and the BE series continued to have one or two Lewis guns awkwardly mounted for the observor in the front cockpit to use. Some aircraft had the Strange mount to allow for upward firing by the pilot, but proper, forward firing guns were still in the future.
It would seem that the majority of BE2es were finished with PC10 uppersurfaces, CDL lower surfaces and battleship grey or PC10 cowls



RAF BE2e 7195
Lt GE Hicks
No.9 Sqn RFC
April 1917
Source: BE2e Datafile
updated 2013

RAF BE2e A2830
-
No.10 Sqn RFC
-
Source: Farquhar Album
updated 2013


RAF BE2f 2567
2/Lt CW Holmes
No.10 Sqn RFC
April 1917
Source: via LA Rogers
updated 2013

 


RAF BE2e A2815
Lt K MacKenzie / Lt G Everingham
No.16 Sqn RFC
April 1917
Source: BE2e Datafile (No.14)


RAF BE2e 5836
Lt DS Cairns / Lt KE Tulloch
No.34 Sqn RFC
August 1916
Source: BE2e Datafile
updated 2013

 


RAF BE2e 7086

No.34 Sqn RFC

Source: Harleyford
updated 2013


RAF BE2e

No.50(HD)Sqn RFC
1917
Source: Datafile No.14 (BE2e)


RAF BE2e 2556

No.52 Sqn RFC

Source: LA Rogers

 


RAF BE2e 7240

No.53 Sqn RFC
Early 1917
Source: via LA Rogers
updated 2013

RAF BE2e 5844

No.100 Sqn RFC
June 1917
Source: Datafile No.14 (BE2e)

Belgian BE2