Overview
*** Now comes with brushed motor, propeller and gearbox ***
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5.a
- Role: Single-seat fighter
- Designer: Henry Folland / John Kenworthy
- First flight: 22 November 1916
- Introduction: March 1917
- Primary users: Royal Flying Corps, United States Army Air Service, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force
- Number built: 5,205
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Major Frank Goodden. It was one of the fastest aircraft of the war, while being both stable and relatively manoeuvrable. According to aviation author Robert Jackson, the S.E.5 was: "the nimble fighter that has since been described as the 'Spitfire of World War One'".
In most respects the S.E.5 had superior performance to the rival Sopwith Camel, although it was less immediately responsive to the controls. Problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S 8B-powered early versions, meant that there was a chronic shortage of the type until well into 1918. Thus, while the first examples had reached the Western Front before the Camel, there were fewer squadrons equipped with the S.E.5 than with the Sopwith fighter.
Together with the Camel, the S.E.5 was instrumental in regaining allied air superiority in mid-1917 and maintaining it for the rest of the war, ensuring there was no repetition of "Bloody April" 1917 when losses in the Royal Flying Corps were much heavier than in the Luftstreitkräfte. The S.E.5s remained in RAF service for some time following the Armistice that ended the conflict; some were transferred to various overseas military operators, while a number were also adopted by civilian operators.
Tony Ray’s Aero Model SE5A
Tony Ray’s Laser Cut Balsa Scale SE5A model is such a lovely looking aircraft it can be built static or as a flying model. It has been designed to take Micro Radio Control and various types can be fitted or adapted.
Some might want to use donor RC gear from UMX aircraft that are passed their fly by date or you can go the recommended route of installing the RC or with very small modifications fit an RC board with servos and ESC installed (the type of board used in the E-Flite, ParkZone, FlyZone, Ares Models etc.).
The model, like the full size has a short nose and long rear fuselage section. This can lead to tail heavy C of G problems and care must be taken to keep the rear end as light as possible. It is quite likely that you will need nose weight to balance the model. This is normal for this type of aircraft.
To keep the weight down, covering the model in tissue is the obvious choice.
Our own Tony Ray Models have had tissue applied with Pritt stick and then shrunk with water. We have not bothered to dope our indoor models and they have proved to be robust enough for indoors without Dope. Of course, using convention Dope or Eze Dope will strengthen the model.
Other light coverings such as Lite Span,So Lite could also be used if you are able to source any since the demise of Solarfilm Ltd.
Tissue can be applied with tissue paste or with Pritt Stik. We are tending to favour the Pritt Stik method for adhering tissue and then just tightening with water. A light coat of thinned down dope or light coats of thinned down Eze dope do add strength to the model.
The laser cutting makes building a joy. If a part does not fit, you have it in the wrong place!
Printed Extra Information UK Specific instructions will be available in the future. Currently the only instructions we have now are the original photo instructions which show each part of instruction by photo sequence. We also have a suitable Motor/Gearbox/Prop set.
When you purchase the model, you will be sent the link to down load the photo instructions.
We also have a RC board that can be adapted to suit this model easily. The RXH62A board Is available HERE.
Let’s see your photographs! – If you send in photos of your model build, finished model or Flying Model & we use any photos we will award a small credit off your next Tony Ray Kit!
A PDF copy of instructions are available HERE.
A printed paper copy of the UK specific EXTRA INFO instructions are currently not available but when they become available the information how to obtain them will be here on site.