Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 - Operational History

Operational History

The F.E.2a entered service in May 1915 with No. 6 Squadron RFC, which used the F.E.2 in conjunction with B.E.2s and a single Bristol Scout, with the first squadron completely equipped with the F.E.2 being 20 Squadron, deploying to France on 23 January 1916. At this stage it served as a fighter/reconnaissance aircraft - eventually about two/thirds of the F.E.2s were built as fighters (816) and one third as bombers (395). The F.E.2b and F.E.2d variants remained in day operations well into 1917 while the "b" continued as a standard night bomber until August 1918. At its peak, the F.E.2b equipped 16 RFC squadrons in France and six Home Defence squadrons in England.

On 18 June 1916, German ace Max Immelmann was killed in combat with F.E.2bs of No. 25 Squadron RFC. The squadron claimed the kill, but the German version of the encounter is either that Immelmann's Fokker Eindecker broke up after his synchronizer gear failed and he shot off his own propeller, or that he was hit by friendly fire from German anti-aircraft guns.

In combat with single-seater fighters, the pilots of F.E.2b and F.E.2d fighters would form what is probably the first use of what later became known as a Lufbery circle (defensive circle). In the case of the F.E.2 - the intention was that the gunner of each aircraft could cover the blind spot under the tail of his neighbour, and several gunners could fire on any enemy attacking the group. On occasion formations of F.E.2s fought their way back from far over the lines, while under heavy attack from German fighters, using this tactic.

The undercarriage of the F.E.2b/d was particularly well designed - a small nosewheel prevented nose-overs when landing on soft ground, and the effective oleo type shock absorbers were also appreciated by crews landing in rough, makeshift fields. In order to gain a few extra miles an hour the nosewheels were however frequently removed in the field, and some aircraft were fitted with a normal "V" type undercarriages - again in an effort to reduce drag.

By autumn 1916, the arrival of more modern German fighters such as the Albatros D.I and Halberstadt D.II meant that even the F.E.2d was outperformed and, by April 1917, it had been withdrawn from offensive patrols. Despite its obsolescence in 1917, the F.E.2 was still well liked by its crews for its strength and good flight characteristics and it remained a difficult opponent for even the best German aces. Rittmeister Baron von Richthofen was badly wounded in the head during combat with F.E.2d aircraft in June 1917 - the Red Baron, like most German pilots of the period, classed the F.E.2 as a "Vickers" type, confusing it with the earlier Vickers F.B.5.

Although outclassed as a day fighter, the F.E.2 proved very suitable for use at night, and was used both as a night fighter in home defence squadrons on anti-Zeppelin patrols and as a light tactical night bomber. It was first used as a night bomber in November 1916, with the first dedicated F.E.2b night bomber squadrons being formed in February 1917. F.E.2bs continued to be heavily used as night bombers in eight bomber squadrons until the end of the First World War, with up to 860 being converted to, or built as, bombers. Service as a night fighter was less successful, due to the type's poor climb and ceiling.

F.E.2bs were experimentally fitted with flotation bags for operation over water, and were also used to conduct anti-submarine patrols operating out of the Isle of Grain at the mouth of the Thames River.

A total of 35 aircraft derived from the F.E.2 were sold to China in 1919 by Vickers as Vickers Instructional Machines (VIM), to be used as advanced trainers, having a redesigned nacelle fitted with dual controls and powered by a Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine. Although acquired as trainers they were used in battles between Chinese warlords. The last combat operations were those in early 1927, when Zhili clique and Fengtian clique warlords joined their forces to defeat Guominjun. VIMs in the hands of Fengtian clique warlords continued to fly in training missions until their capture by the Japanese in the Mukden Incident, and the new owner soon disposed the obsolete aircraft.