Mount of Aces: The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a by Paul R. Hare

Author:Paul R. Hare [Hare, Paul R.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2013-12-09T05:00:00+00:00

Landing accidents were common, both in services and in training, with the typical result shown here. The damage, if not too serious, would be repaired at the base by replacing broken parts. Otherwise the machine would be sent to the depot to be either rebuilt or scrapped.

An unidentified helmeted pilot in his S.E.5a. (R. B. Pope)

40 Squadron, which after a period with Nieuports had been flying the pusher F.E.8, began converting to the S.E.5 in mid-October 1917; its first machines included A8913, which had previously served with 56 Squadron, and A8932, which had been with 60 Squadron. Other machines received included B13 and B22 form the batch built by Martinsyde, B598 built by Vickers, and B4879 and 4881, both form the Royal Aircraft Factory, all arriving on 11 October. B587 and B589 followed three days later, with B20 and B24 being received on 15 October.

The squadron completed the changeover in just two weeks, and began operations at the end of the month, their first victory coming almost immediately with Lt W. MacLanachan sending a two-seater out of control on 31 October. He would score again on 12 November, while Lt L. A. Herbert brought down another two-seater ten days later. MacLanachan, incidentally, was usually known as ‘McScotch’ to distinguish him from the squadron’s other ‘Mac’, Dublin-born George McElroy, or ‘McIrish’.

41 Squadron, based at Lealvilliers, to the north-west of Albert on the Somme, received its first S.E.5a, B581, on 18 October 1917, in exchange for a DH5 that had been returned to the depot for overhaul. This prompted some pilots to make deliberately bad landings in order to make their own DH5s eligible for a similar exchange. The squadron got B628 on 27 October, B632 the following day, and B624 the day after that. At least five S.E.5as arrived on 7 November when the changeover began in earnest, with more being received the following week. The squadron was fully equipped and operational before the end of the month.

After the squadron’s CO Major Frederick Powell was shot down and captured, Geoffrey Bowman transferred from 56 Squadron to take over command. He requested permission to take his current mount C9533 with him, and was allowed to do so provided that a 41 Squadron machine was sent back in exchange. B628 was selected. 41 Squadron also initiated a proposal that the Lewis gun should be removed and twin Vickers guns fitted instead. They carried out an experimental installation, but this was not approved, possibly because the fuselage was too narrow to accommodate the arrangement, or because, as with the converging of the muzzles, the RFC high command were satisfied with the armament as designed.

By the end of 1917, there were still only five RFC squadrons operating the S.E.5a in France. Although 32 Squadron began converting to the type before the end of the year, they would not be fully operational until well into the new year.

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