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RAF B.E.2a
role : two-seat unarmed reconnaissance
first flight : operational : June 1913
country : United-Kingdom
design : Geoffrey de Havilland en F.M. Green
production : unknown
general information : The BE1 first flew on 01 jan 1912.
An improved version, the BE2 flew a month later. During the military trials held on Salisbury Plain in 1912 it proved to be the best all-round aircraft. Also it set a British record for height on 12 august 1912 when it reached 3219m altitude flown by Geoffrey de Havilland. The military ordered the type and first deliveries took place in Februar 1913. Most production aircraft at this time were delivered as B.E.2a with unequal span wings, additional decking round the front cockpit and a modified fuel system. At the start of WWI the B.E.2a was in service with 3 RFC squadrons.
A B.E.2a reg.347 of no 2 sq. Was the first British aircraft to land in France after the outbreak of WWI on 13 august 1914 flown by Lt. H.D. Harvey-Kelly.
The B.E.2a was used for reconnaissance but also as bomber and for this purpose it could it could carry 45 kgs of bombs.
The B.E.2 was one of the first aircraft with natural stability. So the pilot did not have to be constantly busy to fly the aircraft straight and could put his attention to other tasks. It was the first aircraft designed special for a military purpose (reconnaissance). The design was tested in windtunnels ! at Farnborough and refined with aerodynamic knowledge.
users : RFC, RNAS
crew : 2
armament : no fixed armament
engine : 1 Renault V8 air-cooled 8 -cylinder V-engine 70 [hp](51.5 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 11.77 [m], length : 9.08 [m], height : 3.1[m]
wing area : 32.7 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 726 [kg]
empty weight operational (estimation): 490.1 [kg] bombload : 45 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 112 [km/hr] at sea-level
climbing speed : 102 [m/min]
service ceiling : 3048 [m]
endurance : 3.0 [hours]
estimated action radius : 151 [km]
description :
2-bay biplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut
two spar upper and lower wing
airscrew :
fixed pitch 4 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.59 [ ]
diameter airscrew 2.69 [m]
angle of attack prop : 21.18 [ ]
reduction : 0.50 [ ]
airscrew revs : 760 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.46 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 111 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.39 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.53 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 8.47 []
gap : 1.83 [m]
gap/chord : 1.32 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 331 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 1.2 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 19.3 [kg/hr] (26.4 [litre/hr]) at 73 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 5.22 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 90 [litre] (66 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 180.0 [kg] = 3.50 [kg/KW]
weight reduction gear : 2.1 [kg]
weight 6 litre oil tank : 0.5 [kg]
oil tank filled with 0.4 litre oil : 0.3 [kg]
oil in engine 0 litre oil : 0.3 [kg]
fuel in engine 0 litre fuel : 0.3 [kg]
weight 11 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 1.7 [kg]
weight cowling 2.1 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 18.0 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 207 [kg](28.5 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 5.32 [cm]): 66 [kg]
bracing : 4.2 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 15.6 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 5.0 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 6.5 [kg]
weight seats : 6.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 3.2 [kg]
weight 79 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 6.3 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 3 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 105 [kg](14.4 [%])
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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 21 [kg]
total weight ribs (43 ribs) : 43 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 449.5 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 168.4 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 36 [kg]
weight wings : 100 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 3.05 [kg]
weight 8 interplane struts & cabane : 22.1 [kg]
weight cables (72 [m]) : 4.1 [kg] (= 56 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 3.0 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (1.6 [m2]) : 5.1 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (3.7 [m2]): 11.5 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 143 [kg] (19.6 [%])
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weight armament : 0 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 363.0 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (710 [mm] by 79 [mm]) : 16.9 [kg]
weight tailskid : 1.7 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 19.3 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 37.9 [kg] (5.2 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 492 [kg](67.7 [%])
weight oil for 3.6 hours flying : 4.3 [kg]
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calculated operational weight empty : 496 [kg] (68.3 [%])
estimated operational weight empty : 490 [kg] (67.5 [%])
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weight crew : 162 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 39 [kg]
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operational weight : 697 [kg](96.0 [%])
bombload could not be carried with fuel for 2 hours flying time
weight camera : 20 [kg]
operational weight photo mission : 717 [kg]
fuel reserve : 9 [kg] enough for 0.48 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 726 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 73 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 726 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 13.53 [kg/kW]
total power : 51.5 [kW] at 1520 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 1.8 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.75 [g] ultimate load : 5.6 [g] loadfactor : 2.0 [g]
design flight time : 2.40 [hours]
design cycles : 312 sorties, design hours : 750 [hours]
operational wing loading : 215 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 211 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.15 ["]
max.angle of attack (stalling angle) : 12.03 ["]
angle of attack at max.speed : 2.95 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.10 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.14 [ ]
lift coefficient at max.speed : 0.36 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0085 [ ]
drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0498 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0413 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 62 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 75 [km/hr]
min.drag speed (max endurance) : 81 [km/hr] at 1524 [m](power :57 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 90 [km/hr] at 1524 [m] (power:62 [%])
max.rate of climb speed : 72.9 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 101 [km/hr] op 1524 [m] (power:73 [%])
design speed prop : 106 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 112 [km/hr] op 100 [m] (power:99 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 111 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 189 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 9.52 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 3700 [m] with flying weight :587 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 2625 [m] with flying weight :697 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 2525 [m] with flying weight :707 [kg]
published ceiling (3048 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 16.06 [min]
max.dive speed : 269.5 [km/hr] at 1525 [m] height
load factor at max.angle turn 1.52 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 44 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 12.4 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 2.48 [hours] with 2 crew and 20 [kg] useful load and 72.9 [%] fuel
published endurance : 3.00 [hours] with 2 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 10 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 125 [km] with 2 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 203 [litre] fuel : 777 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 53 [kg]
production : 5.36 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 3.83 [kg]
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Literature : praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 1 page 168,169
Jane's Fighting aircraft WWI page 35,36
jagdflugzeuge WO I page 6,7
Historische vliegtuigen page 82
Warplanes page 12,38, 59
Bombers 1914-19 page 54
Royal Aircraft Factory P.Hare
www.flyingmachines.ru
flight 31 January 1914
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.
Calculations 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.
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(c) B van der Zalm 04 January 2019 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.2(32-bit)