A573 tail number

[Andy Wade]

Hello Everyone,

I have been scanning a large WW1 period archive box in Keighley Library recently and am going through the vast amount of images that I have transferred to my computer.

I have just come across this picture of a biplane numbered A573 and wondered if anyone could tell me anything about the aircraft?

edit: Could it be a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E. 12?

It is pictured in Keighley Town Hall Square (where the war memorial is today) and was there for Submarine Week (War Loan Appeal) in March 1918 organised by Keighley War Savings Committee and this is during the 'Business Mens Week' which was from 4th March to 9th March 1918.

The assembled dignitaries in the picture include His Worship the Mayor, F.W.L. Butterfield Esq J.P. (in the centre - you can just make out his chains of office) and to the extreme right are presumably the two aircrew. I am fairly sure I can date the picture to March 5th 1918 as I also have an invitation card and notification of the mayor opening the aeroplane exhibit on that date at a scheduled time of 1.15 pm.

The buildings in the background are the Keighley Library which of course is still there today, and the Mechanics institute building which was demolished some years after a catastrophic fire in (I think) 1962.

If anyone can think of anything to add to this, I would be most grateful for the information. One of the 'conditions' (for want of a better word) of scanning the archive was that I agreed to furnish supplementary information to enhance the meaning of the archive itself, so this is what I am doing with this picture and set of accompanying documents.

I'll post images of the other bits and pieces in this thread as well.

Cheers,

Andy.

[Andy Wade]

What I found interesting was that a submarine cost £100,000 and they were hoping to raise at least £80,000 in that week in Keighley, and this would be quite a feat. In one document they state that £10,000 for each letter in the word KEIGHLEY was the target.

Here are a couple of the other documents:

[topgun1918]

Andy

I've got A573 listed as a BE12a - supposedly an improved version of the original BE12.

Graeme

[Andy Wade]

Cheers Graeme, that's great.

I think the fin shape gives the best identification for the manufacturing company, and the four bladed prop and angled fairing over the engine for the type. Good to have it confirmed. If there's any history of what happened to the aeroplane such as where it may have served that would be great.

Incidentally, if anyone wants a larger version of the scanned picture just private message me with their email address.

[Andy Wade]

Here's a picture off the web of the BE12a:

[mickdavis]

I have a note that 5 of the A562-A611 batch were produced as BE12s, while the rest were BE12as. All that I could find on BE12 A573 is:

A573 18 RS Montrose dd ex Killingholme 27.12.1916, via Scarborough (24.12.1916) and Cramlington (26.12.1916).

[centurion]

Andy

I've got A573 listed as a BE12a - supposedly an improved version of the original BE12.

Graeme

Not really improved,it was effectively the BE12 version of the BE2e and not a success which is why some were completed with BE2c type wings

[topgun1918]

That's why I said "supposedly".

Graeme

[94avenge]

This does not appear to be the same machine - no exhaust stacks, but looks like a BE.

Does anyone know what occasion this was ?

Thanks in advance,

Ian