Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b - RAF Museum, Hendon, London, UK
N 51° 35.791 W 000° 14.312
30U E 691258 N 5719776
This Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b is located in the "Battle of Britain Hall" at the Grahame-White Factory at the RAF Museum in Hendon, London. The aircraft were built from 1915 with this one dating from 1917-8.
Waymark Code: WMNKP1
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/30/2015
Views: 3
The RAF Museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm with admission being free. Car parking is available but there is a charge. The nearest underground station is Colindale about a 10-15 minute walk away or a number 303 bus passes both the tube station and museum. The co-ordinates posted are for the entrance to the Grahame-White Factory "First World War in the Air" exhibition entrance.
The RAF Museum's website tells us about the Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b:
First introduced as a two-seat fighter on the Western Front in late 1915, the Beardmore-engined Royal Aircraft Factory F.E. 2b and its successor the similar Rolls-Royce engined F.E. 2d were later used extensively in the night bomber role in Europe, which is the variant represented by the RAF Museum's aircraft at Hendon.
When the RAF was formed on 1 April 1918, there were seven squadrons of F.E.2s serving as night bombers and a further four squadrons of the type used for night flying training. The last of the type in front-line service served with occupation forces in Germany until March 1919. The pilot occupied the rear cockpit and the gunner the front, giving his one or two Lewis machine guns an unobstructed field of fire of over 180 degrees. Used in offensive patrols over enemy lines to escort unarmed reconnaissance aircraft, with a 160hp Beardmore engine giving a maximum speed at sea level of 147km/h/91.5 mph the F.E.2s were generally outperformed by German fighter aircraft by late 1916 which led to their night-time rather than daytime use. The F.E.2b was specifically designed for large-scale wartime production by companies inexperienced in aircraft production.
A history of this aircraft can be seen here.