Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8

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the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.8 was a british two-seat single-engined biplane reconnaissance aircraft, from the period before and from the beginning of 1. world war ii, designed in 1913 by John Kenworthym in the Royal Aircraft Factory. Smaller numbers were used in the Royal Flying Corps on the western front in the first year of the war, and as a training aircraft were used until 1916.

BE.8 was the last of the aircraft type Bleriot Experimental, designed with a rotary engine. A conventional biplane with a fixed spur and the chassis. Just followed the previous design B.E.3 a and B.E.4, but its lower wing was attached directly to the fuselage, without the spaces, known from the earlier constructions, and the tail surfaces were shaped by the original B.E.2. In accordance with the majority of its contemporaries had B.E.8 křivení wings for directional control and the undercarriage complete with skis, in order to avoid damage to the aircraft when you switch on the nose and on the protection of the ends of the blades during landing on uneven surface.
The prototype made its first flight on 20. August 1913. (on www.wolframalpha.com/ it's different information - 1. 1. 1913. There is also contained a rather vague indication about 70 of pieces produced. Apparently it is about infidelity - the total number of machines version B.E.8 and 8a.) Followed by a second specimen, which was built probably in parallel, as taken off less than three weeks later, 8. September.In Farnborough were built a total of three prototypes with an engine Gnôme on performance 70hp and a simple long pilot cockpit for both crew members. The serial of the aircraft then had two separate pilot cabin and was built by other manufacturers. in 1915 the improved BE.8a had a new wing, for which křivení wings were replaced with wings and were given a triangular vertical tail area, identical with the later adopted for B.E.2.
The type was apparently intended as an alternative to the model B.E.2, and was adopted for limited production at the Vickers, which built the eleven pieces, at the Coventry Ordnance Works (built seven machines) and Bristol (then still British & Colonial Aeroplane Company) they built a total of six. The first was placed at the latter company only a few days before the first flight of the prototype. Serial specimens differ from the prototypes, such as having the platform between the pilot cabins and a triangular vertical tail area identical to the later adopted for the B.E.2c. Both prototypes were later converted to production standard and passed on to the RFC, in whose service they received the serials 423 and 424.
The first serial machine, 365, was delivered for inspection 10. in march 1914 and was left in the Royal Aircraft Factory. Records show that the machine was then used for destructive tests.

The machine got the nickname Bloater (Eggplant), and as B.E.8 served in small numbers with the 1., 3., 5., 6. and 7. squadron RFC and the u Central Flying School, and two specimens were given to India. Several B.E.8 was incorporated into the mixed air group, already RFC took to France at the beginning of the first world war, but in a fight with the B.E.8 proved to be podmotorovaný. Unfortunately, it has also shown to be too willing to go into a tailspin, and at this time this manoeuvre and the alignment of it belonged to the not very probádaným mysteries of aviation. As a result of the crash so was lost a few machines. 18. August 1914 is the machine serial number 391 shattered in Peronne, his observer was killed and the pilot, lt R Smith-Barry seriously injured. This is from the crash, although for the rest of his life he had to walk with a cane, and in 1917 laid the foundation and became the first commander of the School of Special Flying in Gosport, Hampshire.

A source of difficulty and the target of criticism was the fuel system B.E.8, because it was found that requires manually natlakovávat tank, with manual pump was in the pozorovatelově the cabin and the gauge was in the cockpit. Poor audibility in communication could result in an overflow of fuel to the obvious fire risk. Although there is no evidence that would ever fire occurred from this cause, this issue clearly diminished the confidence of the crew in their aircraft.

In January, 1915, he was taken an attempt to improve the performance of the B.E.8 replacement of the original propulsion unit engine Monosoupape about the performance of the 100hp. The conversion was entrusted to the machine serial number 658. An attempt to improve the performance of the aircraft was technically successful, but, even if it achieved the desired effect, engines Monosoupape became at this time quite rare, as they were needed for more powerful combat aircraft, so no serial B.E.8 thus driven by the never. All remaining B.E.8 were in the middle of the r 1915 downloaded from the first sequence, without the possibility to correct the reputation,and ended his career in training units, where they served along with the B.E.8a.

B.E.8a
beginning in 1915, appeared to B.E.8a, using the wings and horizontal tail surfaces from the B.E.2c, and thus having wings instead of twisting, used in the early models.
This time has not produced any prototype. Instead, as soon as they were finished drawings, orders have been placed production after 21 machines, both for the firm Vickers, and both the Coventry Ordnance Works. 80hp engine Gnôme, used in B.E.8, remained the standard engine, although a few machines were equipped with the engine Clerget 7Z same performance.

One specimen was used for testing experimental radial engine R.And.F.2 on the performance of 120hp, and the next he had his landing gear modified integrated skis, mounted between the wheels of the chassis on their axis, but even this setup was not for serial machines taken.
RFC never felt the B.E.8a as the operating machine, and most had served on the reserve squads for follow-on training. It seems that the RAF shared the reputation of the earlier versions by their ability to easily go into a tailspin and the difficulty she's escorted out, and as is apparent from the number of machines, equipped with maintenance and repair of larger vertical tail surfaces, with their significantly curved front edge, which was standard equipment for the B.E.2e, didn't get no chance of this rumor to get rid of.
Machines, in accordance with the classification into the category of the Scout (reconnaissance), were not carrying any weapons. The crew should, of course, their personal weapons, an observer could use bombs of small caliber, mounted in his cab.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org
http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/raf_be-8.php
www.historyofwar.org
flyingmachines.ru.