pjwmacro Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 Could somebody confirm the type of aircraft for me please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 It is a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E 2. I don't know which variant. I note the Indian soldier to the left (India or North west Frontier?) Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 (edited) It is a BE.2c. I looked at serial number records, and there is no information regarding this aircraft, other than that it is a BE.2c. Have you any other photos of the same place, that may have another BE.2c in the photo? Cheers, Caleb Edited 6 September , 2018 by Biggles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete-c Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 3 hours ago, pjwmacro said: Could somebody confirm the type of aircraft for me please? '4584' a 30 Squadron aircraft in Mesopotamia. 30 Sqn was ordered to proceed to Basra on December 9th 1915. By May 1st 1916 30 Sqn could muster six B.E.2.cs and by May 6th these were resident at Sheikh Saad Aerodrome - possibly the location of the above image. By the end of June the Squadron had 17 B.E.2cs, split amongst three flights. The above details taken from Wings over Mesopotamia-Air War in Iraq 1914-1918 Cross & Cockade International. Apart from knowing that '4584' was a 30 Squadron aircraft I have no more information about this particular machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 Well done Pete! I'm glad you could find out what squadron this aircraft belonged to. Hope this helps you, pjwmacro. Cheers, Caleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjwmacro Posted 6 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2018 Thank you all for the helpful responses -and confirming my thought that it was a BE2c. I did wonder if it might be a 20 Sqn Bristol Fighter The photo is in the National Army Museum collection: https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?q=searchType%3Dadvanced%26advancedText%3D%26associatedName%3D%26unit%3D%26event%3D%26campaign%3D3rd%20Afghan%20War%26fromDate%3D%26toDate%3D%26productionNotes%3D%26keywordNotes%3D%26placeNotes%3D%26ot[]%3D12%26otArc%3D1%26resultsDisplay%3Dlist%26page%3D5&pos=9&total=147&page=5&acc=1990-07-201-92 It's supposed to be a British airfield, North West Frontier, 1919 - which would fit with it being a 31 Squadron a/c (not 30 Squadron) . 31 Sqn formed in Farnborough in Oct 1915 - and deployed straight to India. The noted source of the photographs would also suggest India / NWF. I suppose the aircraft could have been transferred from 30 Sqn to 31 Sqn - but that doesn't seem very likely. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete-c Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 (edited) 49 minutes ago, pjwmacro said: Thank you all for the helpful responses -and confirming my thought that it was a BE2c. I did wonder if it might be a 20 Sqn Bristol Fighter The photo is in the National Army Museum collection: https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?q=searchType%3Dadvanced%26advancedText%3D%26associatedName%3D%26unit%3D%26event%3D%26campaign%3D3rd%20Afghan%20War%26fromDate%3D%26toDate%3D%26productionNotes%3D%26keywordNotes%3D%26placeNotes%3D%26ot[]%3D12%26otArc%3D1%26resultsDisplay%3Dlist%26page%3D5&pos=9&total=147&page=5&acc=1990-07-201-92 It's supposed to be a British airfield, North West Frontier, 1919 - which would fit with it being a 31 Squadron a/c (not 30 Squadron) . 31 Sqn formed in Farnborough in Oct 1915 - and deployed straight to India. The noted source of the photographs would also suggest India / NWF. I suppose the aircraft could have been transferred from 30 Sqn to 31 Sqn - but that doesn't seem very likely. Regards, Paul Paul, Mea Culpa! Sorry for the duff gen. I've just checked my source again and found that I was looking at '4585' NOT '4584'. On my serial list B.E.2c '4584' has no details as to which Squadron or where it may have been deployed. I really should have taken more notice of Waddell's comment! Regards, Peter. Edited 6 September , 2018 by pete-c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjwmacro Posted 6 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2018 1 hour ago, pete-c said: Paul, Mea Culpa! Sorry for the duff gen. I've just checked my source again and found that I was looking at '4585' NOT '4584'. On my serial list B.E.2c '4584' has no details as to which Squadron or where it may have been deployed. I really should have taken more notice of Waddell's comment! Regards, Peter. No drama Peter - that's the joy of research! Thank you for clearing up the confusion. I have asked the question on another post, but while I`m here and surrounded by experts: Is the serial number unique to each individual a/c - or is it possible that there is BE2c 4584 and another 4584 of a different a/c type? I use this number as an example. The a/c I am actually interested in is a 20 Squadron Bristol Fighter F4626, brought down to the East of Badama Post on 30th Jul 1919 during the 3rd Afghan War. Anyone know of any records or photos of this a/c? Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 Serial numbers 4300 to 4599 were allotted to a batch of 300 B.E.2c aircraft manufactured by G & J Weir in Glasgow. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjwmacro Posted 6 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2018 34 minutes ago, topgun1918 said: Serial numbers 4300 to 4599 were allotted to a batch of 300 B.E.2c aircraft manufactured by G & J Weir in Glasgow. Graeme Thanks Graeme - so I assume the serial number is unique to the a/c - no matter what type? ie - there cannot be a Bristol Fighter F4626, ans a BE2c F4626. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 6 September , 2018 Share Posted 6 September , 2018 Hi Paul Correct; the specific prefix/serial number combination identified a specific aeroplane. Occasionally, an aeroplane would be sufficiently damaged that it was Struck Off Charge of the RFC/RNAS/RAF but subsequently rebuilt, usually using parts from other machines of the same type that had also been Struck Off Charge; in such instances, a new serial number would be allotted to the rebuilt machine ('blocks' of serial numbers were set aside for this purpose). Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjwmacro Posted 6 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2018 @topgun1918 Graeme - many thanks for that. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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