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RAF F.E.2b (120 hp)
role : fighter
first flight : 16 March 1915 (F.E.2a 120 hp Beardmore) operational : December 1915
country : United-Kingdom
design :
production : F.E.2b total : 1939 aircraft
general information :
The F.E.2 series started with the F. E. 2a equipped with a 100 hp 6-cil. Green engine, but that engine was unsatisfactory (too heavy). And in the first 12 F. E. 2a's built the engine was replaced by a 120 hp Beardmore. First flight was made on 16 March 1915 and it entered service in May. The 1st F.E.2a of 6th sq. was flown to France on 20 May 1915 by Captain L.A.Strange to Abeele afb. Delay in the production of the engine resulted that delivery of the F.E.2a was slow. The 12Th converted FE2a was only delivered in October 1915!
By September 25th the squadron had four F.E.2a's on its strength. Production of the F.E.2b was undertaken by a number of contractors, but it was some time before the machines were coming forward in worthwhile numbers: by the end of 1915 a total of thirty-two had been delivered. The first R.F.C. unit to go to France completely equipped with F.Es was No. 20, which arrived on January 23rd, 1916. No. 25 Squadron followed on February 20th, No. 23 on March 16th, and No. 22 on April
At the end of March 1916 a 160 hp version entered service. Recognizable by a 4-bladed prop, V-strut landing gear and additional Lewis gun on a pole to shoot backward over the wing.
The F.E.2b was used for reconnaissance and as a fighter and escort aircraft for a year and later as a night bomber.
Initially FE stood for Farman Experimental, later this was changed to Fighting Experimental.
Brst 249 litre olie : 27 litre
With the F.E.2b, together with the D.H.2 and the F.B.5 gun bus, the RFC won the air superiority back in the spring of 1916.
users : RFC
crew : 2
armament : 1 movable 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) Lewis machine-gun for the observer
engine : 1 Beardmore liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 120 [hp](88.3 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 14.56 [m], length : 9.83 [m], height : 3.85[m]
wing area : 45.89 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 1221 [kg]
empty weight operational (estimation): 855.0 [kg] bombload : 104 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 128 [km/hr] at sea-level
service ceiling : 2743 [m]
endurance : 6.56 [hours]
estimated action radius : 378 [km]
description :
3-bay biplane with fixed landing gear with nosewheel and tail strut
two spar upper and lower wing
tail supported by two open tail booms
engines, landing gear, fuel and bombs in or attached to the fuselage
airscrew :
fixed pitch 2 -bladed pusher airscrew with max. efficiency :0.66 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.73 [m]
angle of attack prop : 16.09 [ ]
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1150 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 1.86 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 168 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.58 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.72 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 9.24 []
estimated gap : 1.73 [m]
gap/chord : 1.10 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 551 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 2.2 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 24.5 [kg/hr] (33.5 [litre/hr]) at 74 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 4.70 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 249 [litre] (183 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 247.0 [kg] = 2.80 [kg/KW]
weight 22 litre oil tank : 1.8 [kg]
oil tank filled with 0.7 litre oil : 0.6 [kg]
oil in engine 5 litre oil : 4.4 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.4 [kg]
weight 14 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 2.1 [kg]
weight radiator : 12.6 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 11.5 [kg]
weight cowling 3.5 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 19.0 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 301 [kg](24.7 [%])
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weight tail boom : 41 [kg]
fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 7.01 [cm]): 124 [kg]
bracing : 9.0 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 11.9 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 3.8 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 7.0 [kg]
weight seats : 6.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 7.3 [kg]
weight 235 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 18.8 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 4 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 185 [kg](15.1 [%])
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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 29 [kg]
total weight ribs (63 ribs) : 73 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 718.0 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 228.3 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 82 [kg]
weight wings : 184 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.01 [kg]
weight 12 interplane struts & cabane : 31.0 [kg]
weight cables (97 [m]) : 12.5 [kg] (= 130 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 4.6 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (2.5 [m2]) : 10.2 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (4.4 [m2]): 18.0 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 256 [kg] (21.0 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 12.7 [kg]
weight pivot mounting mg :6.9 [kg]
weight armament : 20 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 537.2 [kg]
weight 3 wheels (790 [mm] by 99 [mm]) : 30.0 [kg]
weight tailskid : 3.0 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 36.8 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 69.9 [kg] (5.7 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 832 [kg](68.1 [%])
weight oil for 7.9 hours flying : 17.4 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 19.1 [kg]
weight 5 drums empty : 1.0 [kg]
weight ammunition (235 rounds) : 7.5 [kg]
weight automatic pistol with spare magazines : 1.2 [kg]
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calculated operational weight empty : 877 [kg] (71.8 [%])
estimated operational weight empty : 855 [kg] (70.0 [%])
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weight crew : 162 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 37 [kg]
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operational weight : 1076 [kg](88.1 [%])
bomb load : 104 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 1180 [kg]
fuel reserve : 41 [kg] enough for 1.69 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 1221 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 43 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 1221 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 12.19 [kg/kW]
total power : 88.3 [kW] at 1150 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 2.2 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 4.5 [g] ultimate load : 6.8 [g] load factor : 2.4 [g]
design flight time : 4.59 [hours]
design cycles : 218 sorties, design hours : 1000 [hours]
operational wing loading : 230 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 172 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.13 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 11.71 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 2.26 ["]
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 : 0.30 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0055 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0459 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0404 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 65 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 79 [km/hr]
min. drag speed (max endurance) : 83 [km/hr] at 1372 [m](power :47 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 93 [km/hr] at 1372 [m] (power:51 [%])
max. rate of climb speed : 80.1 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 115 [km/hr] op 1372 [m] (power:71 [%])
design speed prop : 124 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 128 [km/hr] op 100 [m] (power:99 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 157 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 193 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 10.06 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 4150 [m] with flying weight :961 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 3500 [m] with flying weight :1076 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 2850 [m] with flying weight :1196 [kg]
published ceiling (2743 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 11.05 [min]
max. dive speed : 324.1 [km/hr] at 1850 [m] height
load factor at max. angle turn 1.81 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 42 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 10.6 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 3.19 [hours] with 2 crew and 104 [kg] bombload and 42.9 [%] fuel
published endurance : 6.56 [hours] with 2 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 21 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 381 [km] with 2 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 371 [litre] fuel : 1277 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 166 [kg]
production : 19.07 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 1.40 [kg]
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Literature :
Jane’s fighting aircraft WOI page 35
Praktisch handbook vliegtuigen deel 1 blz. 174
Fighters 1914-19 page 20,100
Warplanes WOI page 37, 44,48, 49,55
Armament of British Aircraft 1909-1939 page 288
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 23 September 2019 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4