Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9

F.E.9

First prototype F.E.9
Role	Two-seat fighter aircraft
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Royal Aircraft Factory
Number built	3

The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9 was a prototype British two-seat fighter-reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. A single-engined pusher biplane of 1917, the F.E.9 had poor performance and handling, and only three were built.

Development and design

In summer 1916, the Royal Aircraft Factory set out to design a replacement for its F.E.2 two-seat pusher fighter. Although effective gun synchronising gear was now available, which would allow a tractor design with superior performance to be designed, the factory chose to continue the pusher layout of the F.E.2 in its new two-seat fighter, the F.E.9. Its nacelle extended well forward of the wings and was located high up in the wing gap to give a good field of fire for the observer, who was seated in the nose, ahead of the pilot, with dual controls fitted. It had unequal span, single-bay wings, with ailerons on the upper wing only with large horn balances (the amount of control surface forward of the hinge).^[1] It was powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8 V8 engine, with the Royal Aircraft Factory having priority for this important and widely used engine.^[2]

Three prototypes and 24 production aircraft were ordered, with the first of three prototypes flying in April 1917.^[3] It was found to have a poor climb performance and handling, with the ailerons being overbalanced, which tended to force the aircraft onto its back in steep turns. To try to solve its handling problems it was fitted with various designs of aileron and rudders.^[4]

After service trials of the first prototype in France, Major General Hugh Trenchard recommended that development be stopped, despite this the second prototype flew in October 1917, with two-bay wings, which was passed to No. 78 Squadron based at Biggin Hill in the Home Defence role. The third prototype appeared in November 1917, and was used for trials at Farnborough until early 1918.^[5]

Although the 24 production aircraft were not completed, the F.E.9 did form the basis for the later N.E.1 night fighter and A.E.3 Ram ground attack aircraft.^[6]

Operators

United Kingdom

Royal Flying Corps
- No. 78 Squadron RFC

Specifications (final layout)

Data from British Aeroplanes 1914-18 ^[7]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 9½ in (11.52 m)
Height: 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Wing area: 365 sq ft (33.9 m²)
Loaded weight: 2,480 lb (1,127 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 8 water-cooled V8 engine, 200 hp (149 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 105 mph (91 knots, 169 km/h) at sea level^[6]
Service ceiling: 15,500 ft (7,730 m)
Climb to 5,000 ft (1,520 m): 8 min 25 sec
Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 19 min 50 sec

Armament

Guns:
- 1× .303 in Lewis gun on Scarff ring in observer's cockpit
- 1× Lewis gun on pillar mounting between cockpits

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9.

Notes

↑ Bruce 1968, pp. 59-60.
↑ Mason 1992, p.89.
↑ Bruce 1968, p.60.
↑ Bruce 1968, p.61.
↑ Bruce 1968, pp. 61-62.
1 2 Bruce 1968, p.62.
↑ Bruce 1957, p.410.

Bibliography

Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.
Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Volume Two Fighters. London:Macdonald, 1968. ISBN 0-356-01473-8.
Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.

Royal Aircraft Factory designed aircraft

Armoured Experimental	A.E.1 A.E.2 A.E.3

Blériot Experimental	B.E.1 B.E.2 B.E.3 B.E.4 B.E.5 B.E.6 B.E.7 B.E.8 B.E.9 B.E.10 B.E.11 B.E.12

Blériot Scout	B.S.1 B.S.2

Coastal Experimental	C.E.1

Farman Experimental Fighting Experimental	F.E.1 F.E.2 F.E.3 F.E.4 F.E.6 F.E.7 F.E.8 F.E.9 F.E.10 F.E.11 F.E.12

Night Experimental	N.E.1

Reconnaissance Experimental	R.E.1 R.E.2 R.E.3 R.E.5 R.E.7 R.E.8 R.E.9

Santos Experimental Scout Experimental	S.E.1 S.E.2 S.E.3 S.E.4 S.E.4a S.E.5 S.E.6 S.E.7

Tatin Experimental	T.E.1

Airships	Nulli Secundis Baby/Beta Gamma Delta Eta

Aviation in World War I

People and aircraft	Commanders Aces Aircraft of the Entente Powers Aircraft of the Central Powers Zeppelins

Campaigns and battles	Strategic bombing German Cuxhaven Bombing of cities Aerial reconnaissance Fokker Scourge Flight over Vienna Bloody April Battles

Entente Powers air services	British air services Royal Flying Corps Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force Australian Flying Corps Canadian Air Force (1918–20) French Air Service Imperial Russian Air Service Royal Italian Air Corps United States Army Air Service Greek air services Army Air Service Naval Air Service

Central Powers air services	Imperial German Air Service Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops Ottoman Aviation Squadrons Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 6/23/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.