Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a - WWI Fighter

The British RAF SE.5 (Scout Experimental 5) was developed in 1916 by Henry Folland and J. Kenworthy of the Royal Aircraft Factory in Farnborough, who designed the aircraft around the new 150-hp Hispano-Suiza 8a V8 engine. The first three prototypes flew in November that year, with the first two being lost in crashes due to a weak wing. The third aircraft underwent significant modification, and the type ultimately became known as a very strong machine that could be dived at high speed.

The first examples of the aircraft were delivered to the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel. However, despite the fact that it had a better overall performance (than the Camel), problems with the Hispano-Suiza engine meant that there were relatively few SE5s were delivered until well into 1918.

This new SE.5A-1 has been built by "The Vintage Aviator Limited" in Wellington, New Zealand, under the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority Part 148 Manufacturing Certificate.

The aircraft is the first of type SE5A-1, with the serial number WA19, and registration ZK-SEV.

This full scale aircraft has been built from original Royal Aircraft Factory drawings, and is powered by a Hispano Suiza 180 hp direct drive engine built under licence by Wright Martin USA.

See us at: http://www.aviationfilm.com

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• se5a
• fighter
• bomber
• ww1
• first world war
• raf
• biplane
• royal flying corps

[lenfield]

GREAT PLANE

GRATING MUSIC

[HAFUVideo]

Sure, we ALL want to hear the sound of the engine, but what many of you don't seem to realise is that when shooting footage of aircraft air-to-air, particularly old aircraft like this, it is VERY difficult to get the sound of the aircraft flying. Inevitably all you get is the sound of the wind rushing past the camera which is sitting in the slipstream of another aircraft....!!! :-)

Thus it's often necessary to replace horrible whistling noise with something at least a little easier on the ear.

[tigertonten]

Great video, absolutely horrible "music". I'd rather it was silent. I turned the sound off.

[NocturalRyte]

My favorite fighter aircraft of the Great War. Bad choice of music I'm afraid.

[gmxip]

Please let me hear the engine. It is beautiful enough there is no need for any music. Please!

[weirdguy564]

@HAFUVideo Engine noise isn't the issue. This music isn't popular.

[tertommy]

@tigertonten agreed. BTW have OMD The Beginning and the End playing in another tab. Compliments this vid.

[mikefly562]

The SE5a is such a beautiful aircraft, one of my favorite WWI biplanes. I go often to Seattle's Museum of Flight just to see their (replica) SE5a. I think this music fits nicely with this video as well.

[lspons]

Incredible video but, change the music please ;)

[7527crater]

@LarS1963 The Vickers is there. Don't forget that on the SE, unlike many other WW1 types, the gun was partially faired in. Only the cooling jacket shows and, in this case, you can see it between the interplane struts. TheSV3 is also right, there ought to be an Aldis telescopic sight.  I could see a ring sight on the Vickers but the pictures weren't close enough to see an Aldis. Nice flying and photography - I've done air-to-air and it's harder than it looks!

[44492611]

The wind roars to much. You may as well have music. Besides, I like it.

[xvoy2002]

Beautifful. I was watchign two of these at an airport near me on the weekend. One is a full size,, not sure if original or not. The others is slightly smaller at around 2/3 scale. They fly them at the airport and also to fairs , exhibitions ect.

[TheSV3]

@LarS1963 I didn't either, unless it was obscured by the chase plane's camera angle. It should be mounted on the pilot's left front; most pictures I've seen of the SE-5 showed a telescopic (i think) sight, or a bare cowling in front of the pilot.