R.A.F. B.E.2c

Adding stagger to the wings to improve the downward vision for the front-seated observer, double-ailerons to the wings, a fin in front of the rudder improved the B.E. type in the R.A.F. B.E.2c. That it was a stable, easy-to-fly machine made it an excellent choice for 1914 reconnaissance, though that same stability would become a detriment in 1915. Though the first machines reached squadrons in late 1914, the ramp up was slow and in March there were only thirteen in the field. While early machines used the same 70hp Renault as its predecessors, the BE.2c soon converted to a new custom engine, the R.A.F. 1a, and the skid undercarriage gave way to a simple Vee.

By mid-1915, Fokker monoplanes were starting to take a toll on the stable BE's. Aircrew devised way to give the plane some armament for defense, but the lack of a synchronizer and the front-seated observer (in a forest of struts) made such efforts provide very limited success. In addition to reconnaissance, the BE.2c sometimes carried a small bomb load, but the observer had to be left behind because the plane could not lift both.

BE.2c's were used by both the RFC and RNAS in almost all theatres as well as Home Defense, where it managed to take down five German airships.

A small number of BE2c's were supplied to Belgium in 1916, where they sensibly swapped the observer to the rear and supplied him a Lewis gun on an Etévé mount, added a forward-firing Vickers, and used the 150hp Hispano-Suiza engine.

Card Links

 * AFC 1 Sqdn, unarmed

Aircraft Chart

1:144 Scale

 * Shapeways:
 * Early fin: Arctic Skunk, Reduced Aircraft Factory, wow
 * Late fin: Decapod, Reduced Aircraft Factory
 * Metal kit:

1:200 Scale

 * Shapeways: wow

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

 * Shapeways: Decapod, Reduced Aircraft Factory
 * Metal Cast:

1:300 Scale

 * Metal: Heroics & Ros GWA126

1:350 Scale

 * Shapeways: Decapod