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role : fighter
first flight : : 22 november 1916 operational : June 1917
country : United-Kingdom
design : H.P. Folland, J. Kenworthy, F.W. Godden
production : S.E.5a Hispano Suiza engine : 800 aircraft, S.E.5 total 5205 aircraft
general information :
Together with the Sopwith Camel the RAF S.E.5a formed the best British fighter planes of WWI. The S.E.5a was designed with a different outset then the Camel. The Camel was designed for maximum manoeuvrability while the S.E.5a combined speed, strength and stability for both machine guns. The S.E.5 had a 150 hp Hispano Suiza engine. 77 aircraft were built and the first entered service in March 1917 with 56e squadron. The first operational flights over the front in France was made on 22 april 1917. According Cecil Lewis the performance at high altitude (5000m) was inferiour to it’s German counterparts. In June 1917 arrived the more powerfull S.E.5a at the front. It used a geared 200 hp Hispano Suiza engine. In practise the reduction gear gave a lot of problems and also there were problems with the fuel supply for the engine.
Wolseley developped a 200 hp engine out of the Hispano Suiza 8a with no reduction gear, named Viper. This gave finally the S.E.5a it’s needed superior performance, entering service start 1918.
span tail : 3.35m stagger : 0.46m
wheel track : 1.55m gap : 1.38m
wing incidence : 5°
area upper wing : 11.8 m^2
lower wing : 11.0 m^2
ailerons : 4 x 0.7 = 2.8 m^2
stabilo : 2 x 0.7 = 1.4 m^2
rudder : 0.5 m^2
main petrol tank : 120 liter gravity tank : 17 liter
oiltank : 14 liter cooling fluids : 31 liter
airscrew : diam. 2.36m
McCudden fitted a spinner from a LVG he had shot down to the propeller hub to improve performance.(www062)
users : RFC(GB), Australia(50), Canada, South-Africa,
Poland, USA.
crew : 1
armament : 1 synchronized Vickers 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) machine-gun and one Lewis
7.7mm machine gun on the top plane. The Vickers MG was synchronized by a CC gear. This gear was developed by George Constantinesco, a Rumanian mining engineer and Major C.Collet, Royal Artillery. It was a simple gear that easily could be fitted to any kind of engine. It used hydraulics to operate the trigger actuated by an engine cam.
The Lewis gun could be pulled down the quadrant, the pilot could then fire vertically upward to surprise an unwary enemy.
motor : 1 Hispano Suiza liquid-cooled 8 -cylinder V-engine 200.0 [hp](147.1 KW)
S.E.5a with 200 hp Hispano Suiza engine
dimensions :
wingspan : 8.11 [m], length : 6.38 [m], height : 2.89[m]
wing area : 22.67 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 902 [kg]
empty weight operational : 639 [kg] bombload : 44 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 193 [km/u] op 4572 [m]
service ceiling : 5944 [m]
endurance : 3.14 [hours]
estimated action radius : 273 [km]
description :
1-bay biplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut
two spar upper and lower wing
engines, landing gear, fuel and bombs in or attached to the fuselage
airscrew :
fixed pitch 4 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.60 [ ]
diameter airscrew 2.36 [m]
angle of attack prop : 20.17 [ ]
reduction : 0.75 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1575 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.04 [m]
Various instruments were typically provided, including a compass, altimeter, tachometer, oil pressure indicator, airspeed gauge, radiator temperature dial, fuel air pressure indicator, fuel selector, and air exchange;
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 202 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.40 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.60 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 5.80 []
gap : 1.38 [m]
gap/chord : 0.99 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 150 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 2.1 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 28.1 [kg/hr] (38.4 [litre/hr]) at 53 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 6.18 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 137 [litre] (100 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 225.0 [kg] = 1.53 [kg/KW]
weight reduction gear : 10.9 [kg]
weight 12 litre oil tank : 1.0 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.1 litre oil : 1.0 [kg]
oil in engine 8 litre oil : 7.4 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.7 [kg]
weight 16 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 2.4 [kg]
weight radiator : 23.5 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 17.1 [kg]
weight self-starter : 3.6 [kg]
weight cowling 5.9 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 27.9 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 337 [kg](37.3 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 5.83 [cm]): 56 [kg]
bracing : 2.5 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 7.7 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 2.5 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 5.3 [kg]
weight seats : 3.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 3.1 [kg]
weight 120 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 9.6 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 7 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 94 [kg](10.4 [%])
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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 15 [kg]
total weight ribs (53 ribs) : 54 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 830.1 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 321.0 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 31 [kg]
weight wings : 99 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.38 [kg]
weight 4 interplane struts & cabane : 8.4 [kg]
weight cables (41 [m]) : 2.0 [kg] (= 49 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 2.8 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (0.8 [m2]) : 3.5 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (2.6 [m2]): 11.4 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 125 [kg] (13.8 [%])
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Main fuel tank located in front of the pilot
weight machine-gun(s) : 28.6 [kg]
Foster quadrant mounting and Bowden cable : 1.5 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :1.8 [kg]
weight synchronizing system : 1.0 [kg]
weight Aldis gunsight : 0.8 [kg]
weight armament : 34 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 451.0 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (710 [mm] by 79 [mm]) : 22.2 [kg]
weight tailskid : 3.7 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 16.2 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 42.1 [kg] (4.7 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 631 [kg](69.9 [%])
weight oil for 3.8 hours flying : 7.8 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 31.8 [kg]
weight 5 drums empty : 1.0 [kg]
weight ammunition (635 rounds) : 22.6 [kg]
weight Very pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
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calculated operational weight empty : 697 [kg] (77.2 [%])
published operational weight empty : 639 [kg] (70.8 [%])
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weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 42 [kg]
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operational weight : 820 [kg](90.9 [%])
bomb load : 44 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 864 [kg]
fuel reserve : 38 [kg] enough for 1.36 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 902 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 80 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 902 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 5.57 [kg/kW]
total power : 147.1 [kW] at 2100 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 3.2 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 4.5 [g] ultimate load : 6.8 [g] loadfactor : 1.9 [g]
design flight time : 2.51 [hours]
design cycles : 199 sorties, design hours : 500 [hours]
operational wing loading : 355 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 243 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.53 ["]
max.angle of attack (stalling angle) : 12.85 ["]
angle of attack at max.speed : 2.56 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.12 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.13 [ ]
lift coefficient at max.speed : 0.32 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0100 [ ]
drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0388 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0288 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 82 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 98 [km/hr]
min.drag speed (max endurance) : 148 [km/hr] at 4572 [m](power :42 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 154 [km/hr] at 4572 [m] (power:43 [%])
max.rate of climb speed : 126.2 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 174 [km/hr] op 4572 [m] (power:49 [%])
design speed prop : 187 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 193 [km/hr] op 4572 [m] (power:59 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 364 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 147 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 9.43 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 6350 [m] with flying weight :766 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 5975 [m] with flying weight :820 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 5600 [m] with flying weight :874 [kg]
published ceiling (5944 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 4.10 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 9.27 [min]
max.dive speed : 427.7 [km/hr] at 4600 [m] height
load factor at max.angle turn 2.12 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 62 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 11.6 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 2.86 [hours] with 1 crew and 44 [kg] useful (bomb)load and 80.2 [%] fuel
published endurance : 3.14 [hours] with 1 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 36 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 322 [km] with 1 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 205 [litre] fuel : 930 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 70 [kg]
production : 12.09 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 2.50 [kg]
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Literature :
Jane’s Fighting Aircraft WWI page18,38,39
praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel I page 192,193
warplanes WOI page 54,56,62,82,90,96,113f
fighters 1914-19 page 41,119
last check python :
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program.
For copyright on drawings/photographs/content please mail to below mail
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(c) B van der Zalm 04 January 2019 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.2(32-bit)