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RAF S.E.5a WWI fighter biplane with Wolseley Viper engine aircraft investigation weight and performance calculations, added with pictures and facts
RAF S.E.5a Viper engine
role : fighter
first flight : operational : Februar 1918
country : United-Kingdom
design :
production : SE-5a with Viper engine about 4300 aircraft, total SE5 production : 5205 aircraft
general information :
The geared Hispano Suiza gave much problems and was in short supply, Wolseley
developed a not-geared engine as replacement based on the Hispano Suiza 8A. With
this engine the SE5a finally gave the excellent performance needed. SE5a’s with Viper -
engines became operational in the spring of 1918
users : RAF
crew : 1
armament : 1 synchronized 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) Vickers machine-gun
and 1 fixed 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) Lewis machine-gun on top plane
engine : 1 Wolseley W.4a Viper liquid-cooled 8 -cylinder V-engine 203 [hp](149.3 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 8.11 [m], length : 6.38 [m], height : 2.89[m]
wing area : 22.84 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 895 [kg]
empty weight operational : 639 [kg] bombload : 40 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 203 [km/u] op 1000 [m]
service ceiling : 6600 [m]
endurance : 2.63 [hours]
estimated action radius : 240 [km]
description :
1-bay biplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut
two spar upper en lower wing
airscrew :
fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.67 [ ]
diameter airscrew 2.36 [m]
angle of attack prop : 16.88 [ ]
reduction : none
airscrew revs : 2005 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 1.69 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 254 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.41 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 5.76 []
gap : 1.38 [m]
gap/chord : 0.98 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 150 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 2.1 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 33.7 [kg/hr] (45.9 [litre/hr]) at 68 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 5.43 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 137 [litre] (101 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 227.0 [kg] = 1.52 [kg/KW]
weight 11 litre oil tank : 0.9 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.1 litre oil : 1.0 [kg]
oil in engine 8 litre oil : 7.5 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.7 [kg]
weight 20 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 2.9 [kg]
weight radiator : 23.9 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 17.3 [kg]
weight self-starter : 3.7 [kg]
weight cowling 6.0 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 22.4 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 312 [kg](34.9 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 5.94 [cm]): 58 [kg]
bracing : 2.6 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 7.7 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 2.5 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 5.3 [kg]
weight seats : 3.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 2.8 [kg]
weight 118 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 9.4 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 7 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 96 [kg](10.7 [%])
***************************************************************
weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 15 [kg]
total weight ribs (52 ribs) : 53 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 859.1 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 317.8 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 27 [kg]
weight wings : 95 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.17 [kg]
weight 4 interplane struts & cabane : 8.6 [kg]
weight cables (41 [m]) : 2.0 [kg] (= 50 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 2.8 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (0.8 [m2]) : 3.3 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (2.6 [m2]): 10.9 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 120 [kg] (13.4 [%])
*******************************************************************
weight machine-gun(s) : 28.6 [kg]
top plane quadrant mounting :2.0 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :1.8 [kg]
weight synchronizing system : 1.0 [kg]
weight Aldis gunsight : 0.8 [kg]
weight armament : 34 [kg]
********************************************************************
wheel pressure : 447.5 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (710 [mm] by 79 [mm]) : 22.0 [kg]
weight tailskid : 3.8 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 17.9 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 43.7 [kg] (4.9 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 606 [kg](67.7 [%])
weight oil for 3.2 hours flying : 6.6 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 32.3 [kg]
weight 4 drums empty : 1.7 [kg]
weight ammunition (788 rounds) : 28.5 [kg]
weight Very pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
*******************************************************************
calculated operational weight empty : 677 [kg] (75.0 [%])
published operational weight empty : 639 [kg] (71.4 [%])
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weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 51 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight : 808 [kg](89.7 [%])
bomb load : 40 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 843 [kg]
fuel reserve : 47 [kg] enough for 1.39 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 895 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 97 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 895 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 5.41 [kg/kW]
total power : 149.3 [kW] at 2005 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 3.6 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 4.5 [g]
design cycles : 238 sorties, design hours : 500 [hours]
operational wing loading : 347 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 250 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.54 ["]
max.angle of attack (stalling angle) : 12.87 ["]
angle of attack at max.speed : 0.98 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.12 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.12 [ ]
lift coefficient at max.speed : 0.20 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0038 [ ]
drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0440 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0402 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 81 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 97 [km/hr]
min.drag speed (max endurance) : 126 [km/hr] op 3300 [m](power :40 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 136 [km/hr] op 3300 [m] (power:42 [%])
max.rate of climb speed : 119.1 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 183 [km/hr] op 3300 [m] (power:65 [%])
design speed prop : 197 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 203 [km/hr] op 1000 [m] (power:100 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 385 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 134 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 7.95 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 7150 [m] with flying weight :742 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 6625 [m] with flying weight :808 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 6200 [m] with flying weight :861 [kg]
published ceiling (6600 [m])
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 3.87 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 8.50 [min]
max.dive speed : 449.2 [km/hr] at 5200 [m] height
load factor at max.angle turn 2.19 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 61 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 11.2 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 2.89 [hours] with 1 crew and 40 [kg] useful (bomb)load and
96.8 [%] fuel
endurance max fuel (137 litre) : 2.63 [hours] with 1 crew and possible useful (bomb)
load : 49 [kg]
action radius : 318 [km] with 1 crew and 20[kg] bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 231 [litre] fuel : 919 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 77 [kg]
production : 14.11 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 2.54 [kg]
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Literature : H.F.King Armament of British aircraft 1909-1939
K.Munson fighters 1914-19
DISCLAIMER above calculations are based on published data, they must be regarded
as indication not as facts
calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights and
performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken
cslculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data is
available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program
for copyright on drawings/photograps/content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 30 november 2018 contact : bvanderzalm@ziggo.nl python 3.4.1
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