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SE 5/5a Aces of World War One. - Cranston Military Prints

SE 5/5a Aces of World War One.


SE 5/5a Aces of World War One.

The Royal Aircraft Factory SE 5/5a was, along with the Sopwith Camel, the major British fighting scout of the last 18 months of the war in France. It equipped several major squadrons, the first being No 56 Sqn in April 1917. This unit became famous for the number of aces it had among its pilots, including Albert Ball, James McCudden, Geoffrey Bowman, Richard Maybery, Leonard Barlow, Hank Burden and Cyril Crowe. In all, 26 aces flew the aircraft with No 56 Sqn alone. Other well-known units were Nos 1, 24, 29, 32, 40, 41, 60, 64, 2 AFC, 74, 84, 85 and 92 Sqns. A number of Victoria Cross winners also flew SE 5/5as, namely Ball, Mannock, McCudden, Beauchamp Proctor and Bishop. Among the aces, no fewer than 20 scored more than 20 victories. In all, there were almost 100 SE 5/5a aces, and a large number of them are profiled in this volume. Supporting the text are more than 110 photographs, 37 brand new colour artworks and detailed appendices listing every pilot who made ace on the SE 5/5a.
Item Code : OSAA0078SE 5/5a Aces of World War One. - Editions Available
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Osprey Aircraft of the Aces Series Book.96 pagesnone£12.99

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Standing just five feet two inches tall, Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor had to have his SE5a specially modified to accommodate his small stature, but the diminutive South African was a giant in the air, claiming a total of 54 victories before the end of the war, many of them observation balloons which made him one of the top balloon-busting aces of the RFC. But many aircraft fell to his guns, too, as here when on 21st August 1918 he claimed an Albatros C-Type as victory number 34 whilst flying D6856 of 84 Squadron.

Captain Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor by Ivan Berryman. 		Victory No 26 for Josef Mai was a 64 Squadron SE5.A on 5th September 1918, here falling victim to the guns of the aces zebra-striped Fokker D.VII 4598/18 of Jasta 5. By the end of the war, his total had risen to 30 aircraft destroyed, Mai himself collecting a number of decorations, among them the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class. Surviving the Great War, it is believed that he became a flying instructor for the Luftwaffe during World War II, finally being laid to rest in 1982, aged ninety four.

Leutnant Josef Mai by Ivan Berryman.		 High above the trenches in April 1918, 74 Squadron engage the famed JG 1 led by the renowned ace baron von Richthofen in his distinctive bright red DR 1. Edward Mick mannock flying a SE5.a diving down top engage another Fokker Dr1 as the red baron flies past momentarily catching each others eyes. The new CO of 74 squadron, major Grid Caldwell MC (bar) New Zealands top ace can be seen above entering the dog fight. But it would be Mannock who would go on to great fame. with 61 confirmed victories and to win the VC, DSO (bar) and MC (bar) After 74 squadron he replaced Billy Bishop of CO 85 Squadron on the 3rd July 1918, scoring 46 victories in the Se5.a He was killed by ground fire near Lestram, France on the 26th July 1918. his Victoria Cross being gazetted on the 18th July 1919. The red baron CO of the Richthofen's Flying circus didn't survive the month, also killed by ground fire on the 21st April, he was buried by the Allies with full military honours.

Dawn Dog Fight, Mick Mannock VC by Graeme Lothian 		The air battle that took place above the trenches of France on the evening of 23rd September 1917 was to go down in history as one of the most extraordinary dogfights ever. The young German ace Werner Voss found himself engaged with no fewer than eleven SE5s of 56 Sqn, among them British aces such as James McCudden and Arthur Rhys Davids. Hugely outnumbered, the brave Voss saw off several British aircraft with his amazing airmanship and accuracy of fire. Again and again he could have fled the scene due to his Triplanes superior rate of climb, but his attacks were insistent and deadly. His final moments came when Rhys Davids found himself on the tail of Voss and fired both his Lewis and Vickers guns into the little turqoise Triplane which was seen to drift toward the ground, his aircraft inverting before impact, killing Voss instantly. The painting shows Voss distinctive pre-production Fokker F. 1, with the yellow nose of Jasta 10, being pursued by the SE5 of Rhys Davids while, high above,a Spad is helping to keep a gaggle of Albatross DVs at bay.

Last Dogfight of Werner Voss by Ivan Berryman.
Aircraft Related to This Print
SE5a

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