Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 - Operational History

Operational History

The first production aircraft reached No. 52 Squadron RFC in France in November 1916. The inexperienced pilots of No. 52 found their new mounts thoroughly dangerous – several of them were killed spinning in off a stall while attempting to land – and they were grateful to return to the B.E.2e by exchanging aircraft with 34 Squadron in January 1917. Experienced pilots did not have the same problems, and re-equipment of B.E.2 squadrons continued. Pilot’s notes for the type prepared in the field drew attention to the fact that the R.E.8 had a higher landing speed than the B.E.2e (hardly surprising, since it was heavier, and had almost the same wing area) and that (like other types at the time) it gave very little warning of a stall.

The Royal Aircraft Factory conducted spinning tests on the type, concluding that the R.E.8 was quite hard to spin, and recovered easily – but, nonetheless, the vertical fin area was redesigned with slightly increased area to improve spin recovery. This modification resulted in the production version being just as stable as the B.E.2e, and while this was an advantage for artillery spotting and photography, it gave the R.E.8 little chance of out-manoeuvring enemy fighters. A still larger fin was fitted to some R.E.8s used as trainers.

Large numbers of R.E.8s began to arrive in the squadrons just as the period of German air superiority known as "Bloody April" was taking a heavy toll of all types in the RFC and early service was, unsurprisingly, not auspicious. On 13 April 1917, a patrol of six R.E.8s from No. 59 Squadron RFC was met by aircraft from Jasta 11 and all the R.E.8s were shot down within five minutes.

The casualty rate in R.E.8 squadrons dropped as new Allied fighter types regained air superiority, and as a result of improved pilot training and tactics. Although never a popular aeroplane, it was reasonably satisfactory for the tasks demanded of it and was even regarded with some affection, gaining the rhyming slang nickname "Harry Tate" (after a popular music hall artist of the time). Some crews flew their slow, cumbersome mounts quite aggressively; the German fighter ace Eduard Ritter von Dostler was shot down by an R.E.8 of No. 7 Squadron RFC, while No. 3 Squadron AFC was credited with 50 air victories in 12 months of operations.

Although supplemented by other types the R.E.8 remained the RFC’s standard artillery spotting, air photography, and general short range reconnaissance aircraft for the remainder of the war – equipping 18 Royal Flying Corps squadrons in 1917 and 19 squadrons in 1918. Belgium was the only country other than Britain (and its Dominions) to operate the R.E.8 during the First World War, receiving 22 in July 1917. The Belgian examples were fitted with Hispano-Suiza engines – but in a SPAD type cowling – rather than the S.E.5a type cowling of the R.E.8a.

It was hoped to be able to replace the R.E.8 with a version of the Bristol Fighter powered by the Sunbeam Arab engine but the combination proved highly problematic, and few "Arab Bristols" had been completed by the end of the war.

By November 1918, the R.E.8 was regarded as completely obsolete and surviving examples were quickly retired after the Armistice. Nor was the type popular with the private owners who purchased many surplus aircraft after the war, as no R.E.8s came onto the civil register.