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SE5A fighter, 1917 by Ant1

SE5A fighter, 1917

Ant1

The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War.

The first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel. Although it had a much better overall performance than the Camel, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S 8B-powered early versions (mostly using four-blade propellers), meant that there was a chronic shortage of S.E.5s until well into 1918 and fewer squadrons were 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.

Role Single-seat fighter
Manufacturer various (see text)
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

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