Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Use British English|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox aircraft | name = Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5 | logo = | logo_size = | image = RAF R.E.5i.jpg | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Reconnaissance and artillery observation biplane | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = | manufacturer = Royal Aircraft Factory | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = Royal Flying Corps | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 24 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = 1914 | retired = | first_flight = 1914 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7 | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}

The '''Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5''' was a British two-seat reconnaissance and artillery observation biplane designed and built by the Royal Aircraft Factory for the Royal Flying Corps.

==Development== The R.E.5 was designed as a reconnaissance biplane using the experience of earlier R.E. series aircraft. It was a two-bay equal-span biplane with a fixed tailskid landing gear, with the wheels supported on skids and powered by a nose-mounted 120 hp (89 kW) Austro-Daimler engine driving a four-bladed propeller. The aircraft had two open cockpits with the observer/gunner in the forward cockpit under the upper wing and the pilot aft. The larger more capable Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7 was a further development of the design. Some modified single-seat high altitude aircraft were built with extended-span (57 ft 2⅓ in or 17.43 m) upper wings supported by a pair of outward-leaning struts.<ref name="Bruce RFC">Bruce 1992 pp.445-51.</ref> Other R.E.5s were used for experimentation with airbrakes and for test flying the Royal Aircraft Factory 4 engine.<ref name="Bruce British p418-421">Bruce 1957, pp.417-421.</ref>

Twenty four R.E.5s were built at the Royal Aircraft Factory for the RFC, paid for by money given to the British Army to compensate for the transfer of the army's airships to the Royal Navy.<ref name="Lewis p35">Lewis 1974, p.35.</ref>

==Operational history== Six R.E.5s deployed to France in September 1914, partly equipping No. 2 Squadron RFC, with further examples being by other squadrons, with no unit being completely equipped with the R.E.5. In total, eleven R.E.5s were sent to France, with a further nine being used by training units.

The R.E.5s were used for reconnaissance and bombing missions over France, although at first they were not fitted with bomb-sights or bomb racks, bombs being carried in the observer's cockpit and dropped by hand when the aircraft was over the target.<ref name="Lewis p35"/>

Captain John Aidan Liddell was awarded the Victoria Cross for an action on 31 July 1915, being badly wounded when flying an R.E.5 but successfully recovering the aircraft and saving his observer.<ref name="Bruce British p418-421"/> The R.E.5 was gradually phased out from front-line service during that year, only two remaining at the front on 25 September 1915.<ref name="Bruce British p418-421"/>

thumb|right|Preparations for the altitude record flight on 14 May 1914 One of the aircraft with extended upper wings set a new world altitude record of 18,900 ft (5,760 m) on 14 May 1914, piloted by Norman Spratt.<ref name="Bruce RFC"/>

==Operator== ;{{UK}} *Royal Flying Corps **No. 2 Squadron RFC **No. 6 Squadron RFC **No. 7 Squadron RFC **No. 12 Squadron RFC **No. 16 Squadron RFC **No. 19 Squadron RFC *Royal Naval Air Service

==Specifications== {{Aircraft specs |prime units? = imp |crew=2 (pilot, observer/gunner) |length m=7.98 |length note=<ref name="Lewis p402-3">Lewis 1974, pp.402-403.</ref>|length ft=26 |length in=2 |span m=13.57 |span note=<ref name="Lewis p402-3"/>|span ft=44 |span in=6 |height m=2.95 |height ft=9 |height in=8 |wing area sqft=498 |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Austro-Daimler piston engine |eng1 kw=89 |eng1 hp=120<ref name="Lewis p402-3"/> |max speed kmh=126 |max speed mph=78 |max speed note=<ref name="Lewis p402-3"/>|armament = *3 × 20 lb (9 kg) bombs }}

==See also== {{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists= *List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps }}

==References==

===Notes=== {{Reflist}}

===Bibliography=== *{{cite book|last=Bruce|first=J.M.|title=British Aeroplanes 1914-18| publisher=Putnam |location=London|year=1957}} *{{cite book|last=Bruce|first=J.M.|title=The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps| publisher=Putnam |location=London|year=1992|edition=Second |ISBN=0-85177-854-2}} *{{cite journal |last1=Klaauw|first1=Bart van der|title=Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War |journal=Air Enthusiast |date=March–April 1999 |issue=80 |pages=54–59 |issn=0143-5450}} *{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Peter|title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam|location=London|year=1974 |edition=Second |ISBN=0-370-10040-9}}

==Further reading== * {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London }} *{{cite book |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|publisher= Orbis Publishing|pages=2820}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5}}

Category:1910s British bomber aircraft RE05 Category:Aircraft first flown in 1914

Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5

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