RAF R.E.8 Aircraft

R.E.8, Estonian Air Force. Copyright: Arvo Vercamer

Production Details

Design Company:

Royal Aircraft Factory

First Flight:

17 June 1916

R.E.8:

52 - Royal Aircraft Factory 300 - Austin Motors 450 - Coventry Ordnance Works 1450 - Daimler 400 - Napier 1024 - Siddeley-Deasy 600 - Standard Motors

Type Specification

Applies to:

RAF R.E.8

Type:

General purpose replacement for B.E.2c

Wing:

Single bay biplane of wooden and fabric construction. Wings built with stagger and unswept with upper wing extensions braced from overwing posts. Ailerons on all four wings

Fuselage:

Fuselage mounted on lower wing of wood and fabric construction

Tail Unit:

Tailplane at top of fuselage with unbalanced split elevator with single fin and unbalanced rudder

Landing Gear:

Cross axle type with two main wheels. Undercarrage supports attached to fuselage lower longeron. Tail skid

Power Plant:

One 140 hp RAF 4a V-12 engine mounted on nose driving a four bladed propeller

Accommodation:

Tandem open cockpits with pilot in forward cockpit aft of the wing with gunner behind

Armament:

One forward firing Vickers machine gun with a Lewis gun for gunner. Up to 224 lb of bombs

Span:

42 ft 7 in

Length:

27 ft 10.5 in

Height:

11 ft 4.5 in

Wing Area:

377.5 sq ft

Empty:

1,803 lb

Loaded:

2,869 lb

Max Speed:

98 mph at 6,500 ft

Climb:

21 min to 6,500 ft

Service Ceiling:

11,000 ft

Preserved in British Museums

R.E.8:

F3556 - Imperial War Museum, Duxford Aerodrome - Restoration

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