The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 was a British single-seat aeroplane of

The First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

designed at the

Royal Aircraft Factory Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, ...

. It was essentially a single-seat version of the B.E.2. Intended for use as a long-range reconnaissance and bombing aircraft, the B.E.12 was pressed into service as a fighter, in which role it proved disastrously inadequate, mainly due to its poor manoeuvrability.

Development

The B.E.12 was essentially a B.E.2c with the front (observer's) cockpit replaced by a large fuel tank, and the 90 hp

RAF 1 The RAF 1 is a British air-cooled, V-8 engine developed for aircraft use during World War I. Based on a French design, it was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory, and built by six different British companies including Daimler, Rolls-Royce ...

engine of the standard B.E.2c replaced by the new 150 hp

RAF 4 The RAF 4 is a British air-cooled, V12 engine developed for aircraft use during World War I. Based on the eight–cylinder RAF 1 it was designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory but produced by the two British companies of Daimler and Siddeley-D ...

. Aviation historians once considered the type a failed attempt to create a fighter aircraft based on the B.E.2 – that was improvised and rushed into service to meet the Fokker threat. Many writers perpetuate this or a similar view. J.M. Bruce, on the other hand, has pointed out that this is simplistic at best and doesn't fit historically. The prototype (a modified B.E.2c airframe fitted with the more powerful RAF 4a air-cooled

V12 engine A V12 engine is a twelve-Cylinder (engine), cylinder Internal combustion engine#Reciprocating engines, piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V engine, V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more c ...

) was already in the process of conversion in June 1915, while the "

Fokker scourge The Fokker Scourge (Fokker Scare) occurred during the First World War from Kurt Wintgens#First victory using a synchronized gun, July 1915 to early 1916.Franks 2001, p. 1. Imperial German Flying Corps () units, equipped with (Fokker monoplane) ...

" cannot be said to have started before the first victory by a

Fokker E.I The Fokker E.I was the first fighter aircraft to enter service with the Fliegertruppe of the Deutsches Heer in World War I. Its arrival at the front in mid-1915 marked the start of a period known as the "Fokker Scourge" during which the E.I an ...

on 1 August, when

Max Immelmann Max Immelmann (21 September 1890 – 18 June 1916) ''Pour le Mérite, PLM'' was the first German Lists of World War I flying aces, World War I flying ace.Shores, 1983, p. 10. He was a pioneer in fighter aviation and is often mistakenly credi ...

shot down a British aircraft that was bombing Douai aerodrome. At the time the B.E.12 was conceived the necessity for an aeroplane to defend itself was by no means as clear as it became later. The idea of dispensing with defensive armament altogether and replacing the observer's seat with extra fuel capacity and/or bombload was typified by several contemporary designs, such as the bomber versions of the

Avro 504 The Avro 504 is a single-engine biplane bomber made by the Avro, Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during World War I totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind ...

, and

Sopwith 1½ Strutter The Sopwith Strutter is a British single- or two-seat Multirole combat aircraft, multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War.Lake 2002, p. 40. It was the first British two-seat tractor configuration, tractor fighter and the first Briti ...

. In any case the B.E.12 cannot have been produced specifically as an "answer" to the Fokker. In mid-1915 there was no way for a British single-seat tractor aircraft to carry a forward-firing armament as the Vickers-Challenger "interrupter" gear did not exist until December and was not available in numbers until the following March. The latest Royal Aircraft Factory single-seat fighter of the time, the F.E.8, was a nimble little pusher – proving if nothing else that its designers were very well aware of the basic requirements of a successful fighter. Nor was the B.E.12 "rushed" into service as would have been relatively easy as it was a straightforward conversion of a type in production. Trials with the prototype continued through late 1915 and seem to have been mainly concerned with the development of the new RAF 4 engine, especially the design of a satisfactory air scoop. Cooling of the rear cylinders of the RAF 4, an air-cooled V12 and later the engine of the R.E.8, was always rather dubious. The type was also tested as a bomber. By the time a synchronised Vickers gun was fitted to the type in May 1916, armament trials had already been undertaken with upward-firing Lewis guns, similar to those used by the night fighter version of the B.E.2c. The B.E.12a variant flew for the first time in February 1916 and had the modified wings of the B.E.2e. It was rather more manoeuvrable than the B.E.12 but was otherwise little improved. The B.E.12a saw service with home defence units, training establishments and

No. 19 Chanel No. 19 perfume was first marketed in 1971. The number 19 was chosen to commemorate Coco Chanel's birthday, 19 August. The perfume was launched a year before she died. The scent was created by Henri Robert. No. 19 is a balsamic-green scen ...

squadron in the Middle East. The B.E.12b used the B.E.2c airframe but had the 200 hp Hispano-Suiza engine. It was intended as a night fighter and carried wing mounted Lewis guns in place of the synchronised Vickers. Apparently it had a good performance but the engine was more urgently needed for the

S.E.5a The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is 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 ...

and very few B.E.12b fighters went into service with home defence squadrons. Some of those built may never have received engines.

Operational Service

The first B.E.12 squadron,

did not reach France until 1 August 1916. It was followed by the only other squadron to fly the type in France, No. 21, on the 25th. As might have been expected, the new type had all the inherent stability of the B.E.2c and when pressed into service as a fighter proved quite useless, especially in the face of the new German

Halberstadt Halberstadt (; Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany, the capital of Harz (district), Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town ...

and

Albatros An albatross is one of a family of large winged seabirds. Albatross or Albatros may also refer to: Animals * Albatross (butterfly) or ''Appias'', a genus of butterfly * Albatross (horse) (1968–1998), a Standardbred horse Literature * Albat ...

fighters coming into service. It continued to be employed as a bomber but since an effective defensive gun could not be mounted it was too vulnerable and was finally withdrawn from all front line duties in France in March 1917. By the time the B.E.12a became available in numbers the original model had already proved to be unsatisfactory and this variant was never used operationally in France. Several Home defence squadrons flew B.E.12s, along with examples of the B.E.12a and B.E.12b variants. Its stability and range were advantageous for night missions but its rate of climb was inadequate for intercepting the improved German airships of 1916/17, let alone the aeroplane raiders that replaced them. The

Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155� ...

L.48 was shot down by a Home Defence B.E.12 on 17 June 1917 but otherwise, there are few recorded successes in this role.Bruce 1982, p. 395. In the Middle Eastern theatre and in Macedonia, the B.E.12 and B.E.12a proved more useful, typically as long range reconnaissance aircraft rather than as fighters, although Captain Gilbert Ware Murlis Green of No. 17 Squadron, used his to shoot down several German aircraft and become the only B.E.12 ace. The B.E.12b served only with Home Defence squadrons; deliveries began in late 1917, but due to the more urgent need of the

squadrons for their Hispano-Suiza engines many were either never fitted with engines, or completed as B.E.12s.

Reproductions

No original BE12s are known to exist but The Vintage Aviator Ltd in New Zealand has built an airworthy reproduction which is flown from the firm's

Hood Aerodrome Hood Aerodrome is an aerodrome, located in Masterton, New Zealand, it is located 1 NM South West of the town centre in the suburb of Solway. The aerodrome was named after George Hood, a pioneer Masterton aviator who died trying to make the fi ...

, Masterton base.

Variants

* B.E.12 – Initial production version powered by a RAF 4a engine – basically a B.E.2c conversion (250 built by

Daimler Daimler is a German surname. It may refer to: People * Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900), German inventor, industrialist and namesake of a series of automobile companies * Adolf Daimler (1871–1913), engineer and son of Gottlieb Daimler * Paul Da ...

, 50 built by Standard Motors) * B.E.12a – With the wings and tail unit of the B.E.2e (50 built by

, 50 built by Coventry Ordnance Works) * B.E.12b – Re-engined version powered by a Hispano-Suiza engine (200 built by

)

Operators

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

Australian Flying Corps The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was the branch of the Australian Army responsible for operating aircraft during World War I, and the forerunner of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The AFC was established in 1912, though it was not until ...

** No. 1 Squadron AFC in

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

Specifications (B.E.12)

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

RAF B.E.12
– British Aircraft Directory {{Royal Aircraft Factory aircraft 1910s British fighter aircraft BE12 Aircraft first flown in 1915 ru:Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2