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One of the best Allied fighters of World War I, the S.E.5a was considered fast, strong, and a stable gun platform. The original S.E.5 of late 1916 was criticized for poor lateral control, an oversized windscreen, and deficient performance. These shortcomings were addressed in the improved S.E.5a. The S.E.5a ultimately scored fewer aerial combat victories than the Sopwith Camel, but most pilots considered the S.E.5a to be easier to fly, more forgiving, and possessing superior high-altitude performance. Many of Britain's most famous WWI aces, including Edward “Mick” Mannock, Albert Ball, and James McCudden, flew the S.E.5a into combat. Over 5,200 S.E.5a aircraft were produced by six manufacturers.
S.E.5a armament consisted of a fuselage-mounted .303-caliber Vickers machine gun with interrupter gear and a wing-mounted .303-caliber Lewis machine gun that fired over the propeller. Several 200-horsepower V-8 engine types were mounted to S.E.5a airframes, including the Hispano-Suiza, Wolseley Viper, and Wolseley Adder.
The Museum's S.E.5a is one of three S.E.5a reproductions begun by Bobby Strahlmann, Tom Davis, and Gil Bodine in Florida in 1971. It was delivered to the Champlin Collection in 1988 and completed the following year. Inside and out, it replicates the details of the original aircraft. It is painted in the markings of American fighter ace George A. Vaughn, who served with No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. The markings depict his aircraft as it appeared on August 22, 1918, the day he scored his fifth aerial victory.
One of the best Allied fighters of World War I, the S.E.5a was considered fast, strong, and a stable gun platform. The original S.E.5 of late 1916 was criticized for poor lateral control, an oversized windscreen, and deficient performance. These shortcomings were addressed in the improved S.E.5a. The S.E.5a ultimately scored fewer aerial combat victories than the Sopwith Camel, but most pilots considered the S.E.5a to be easier to fly, more forgiving, and possessing superior high-altitude performance. Many of Britain's most famous WWI aces, including Edward “Mick” Mannock, Albert Ball, and James McCudden, flew the S.E.5a into combat. Over 5,200 S.E.5a aircraft were produced by six manufacturers.
S.E.5a armament consisted of a fuselage-mounted .303-caliber Vickers machine gun with interrupter gear and a wing-mounted .303-caliber Lewis machine gun that fired over the propeller. Several 200-horsepower V-8 engine types were mounted to S.E.5a airframes, including the Hispano-Suiza, Wolseley Viper, and Wolseley Adder.
The Museum's S.E.5a is one of three S.E.5a reproductions begun by Bobby Strahlmann, Tom Davis, and Gil Bodine in Florida in 1971. It was delivered to the Champlin Collection in 1988 and completed the following year. Inside and out, it replicates the details of the original aircraft. It is painted in the markings of American fighter ace George A. Vaughn, who served with No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. The markings depict his aircraft as it appeared on August 22, 1918, the day he scored his fifth aerial victory.
