The Royal Aircraft Establishment Aero Club was formed in 1922 and first flew in 1923.
The Zephyr, Hurricane and Scarab all flew.
The c/n 3 Sirocco single seat for the 1926 Lympne Light Aircraft Trials was not completed. Allocated G-EBNL, it was to be powered by a Bristol Cherub III engine.
Details on c/n 4 are not known.
The “Eta” which in a progressive series of small experimental airships built at the Royal Aircraft Factory. The small airships that have been built there were quite inadequate from the standpoint of national requirements.
The capacity of the 1913 “Eta” is 100,000 cubic ft, and.it carried 160 hp in two radial stationary Canton-Unne engines, set on opposite sides of the car with their axes placed transversely. Oblique shafts transmit the power to gearing, supported by an overhead framework, which also carries the swivelling propellers. As the airship ascends, these propellers are swivelled round, so that ultimately their axes are horizontal for full speed ahead. In order to stop the airship they can be turned completely round so as to thrust backwards, and they can similarly be used for lowering the airship for the purposes of descent.
Launched in August 1913, the Eta was a non-rigid of 118,000 cu.ft incorporating twin ballonets and capable of 46 mph. The Eta introduced the ‘Eta patch’ in its design as an improved anchorage system for car suspension that greatly reduced drag. The Eta patch allowed the car to be made smaller and attached nearer to the envelope, providing a better streamlined form and reducing drag. The patch consisted of a steel ring through which several layer of overlapping material were rove, forming a fan-shaped patch with the ring positioned at the lower apex. The overlapping layers of fabric were glued and stitched to each other and to the envelope, forming a strong attachment position allowing fr better distribution of load.
On August 19, 1913, “Naval Airship No.2” (the re-constructed “Willows No.4” – under the command of Lieut. Neville Usborne, R.N.) experienced engine failure due to a broken crankshaft near Odiham in Hampshire. In order to save the hydrogen in the disabled airship, it was decided to try and tow it home employing the airship “Eta” – newly-constructed by the Royal Aircraft Factory and currently undergoing its acceptance trials. Accordingly, a tow-line was attached and the two airships ascended, the “Eta” keeping about 600 feet above the towed ship so as to avoid all chances of fouling the rudder gear. The approximate 8-mile trip back to the airfield at Farnborough was made at a groundspeed of 25 mph against a 5 mph headwind. The “Eta” was in all probability skippered by Army Capt. Waterlow at the time.
Designed by A.J. Rowledge, the RAF 4 was a British air-cooled, V-12 engine developed for aircraft use during World War I. Based on the eight–cylinder RAF 1 it was designed at the Royal Aircraft Factory, first run in December 1914, but produced by the two British companies of Daimler and Siddeley-Deasy.
More than 3600 were built.
The RAF 5 was a pusher version of the same engine.
In April 1918 a turbocharged experimental version of the RAF 4d was developed using a Rateau turbocharger, the engine being flown in the R.E.8 B738.
Variants:
RAF 4
1914 – Prototype engine, 140 horsepower (104 kW).
RAF 4a
1917 – Main production variant, 160 horsepower (119 kW). 3,608 built.
RAF 4d
1916 – 180 horsepower (134 kW), experimental supercharger installation. 16 built.
RAF 4e
1917 – 240 horsepower (180 kW), strengthened cylinders and enlarged valves.
RAF 5
1915 – 150 horsepower (112 kW), pusher version with fan-cooling.
RAF 5b
170 horsepower (127 kW), increased bore version of RAF 5.
Applications:
RAF 4
Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
Bristol F.2 Fighter
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12
Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7
Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8
Siddeley-Deasy R.T.1
Vickers F.B.14
RAF 5
Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.4
Specifications:
RAF 4a
Type: 12-cylinder, upright, 60-degree Vee engine
Bore: 3.94 in (100 mm)
Stroke: 5.51 in (140 mm)
Displacement: 806.15 cu in (13.2 L)
Dry weight: 680 lb (308 kg)
Valvetrain: EOI (side-valve inlet, exhaust overhead)
Fuel system: Twin Claudel-Hobson Mk.1A carburettors
Cooling system: Air-cooled
Reduction gear: 0.5:1, Left-hand tractor
Power output: 163 hp (122 kW) at 1,800 rpm (takeoff power)
Specific power: 0.2 hp/cu in (9.2 kW/L)
Compression ratio: 4.3:1
Power-to-weight ratio: 0.24 hp/lb (0.4 kW/kg)
The RAF 3 was a British liquid-cooled, V-12 engine developed for aircraft use during World War I. Based on the eight–cylinder RAF 1 it was designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory but produced by the two British companies of Armstrong Whitworth and Napier & Son. First run in September 1914, a total of 289 were built.
The RAF 7 was a high compression version of the same engine.
Variants:
RAF 3
1914 – Prototype engine, 200 horsepower (150 kW).
RAF 3a
1914 – Main production variant, increased bore, 260 horsepower (194 kW). 29 built by Armstrong Whitworth, 260 built by Napier & Son.
RAF 7
300 horsepower (224 kW) high compression version with high-lift camshafts.
Applications:
Airco DH.4
Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7
Specifications:
RAF 3a
Type: 12-cylinder, upright, 60-degree Vee engine
Bore: 4.5 in (114.3 mm)
Stroke: 5.5 in (140 mm)
Displacement: 1,049.4 cu in (17.24 L)
Dry weight: 780 lb (354 kg)
Valvetrain: Overhead valve, both valves operated by a single pushrod
Cooling system: Liquid-cooled
Reduction gear: 0.5:1, left-hand tractor
Power output: 260 hp (194 kW) at 1,750 rpm (takeoff power)
Specific power: 0.25 hp/cu in (11.25 kW/L)
Compression ratio: 5.3:1
Power-to-weight ratio: 0.33 hp/lb (0.54 kW/kg)
The RAF 2 was a British air-cooled, nine-cylinder radial engine developed for aircraft use just prior to World War I. It was designed and built by the Royal Aircraft Factory, and first run in October 1913.
Applications:
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8
Specifications:
RAF 2
Type: 9-cylinder, single-row, radial engine
Bore: 3.94 in (100 mm)
Stroke: 5.51 in (140 mm)
Displacement: 604.6 cu in (9.9 L)
Valvetrain: Poppet valve
Cooling system: Air-cooled
Reduction gear: 0.563:1, geared epicyclic, right-hand tractor
Power output: 120 hp (90 kW)
Specific power: 0.2 hp/cu in (9.2 kW/L)
First run in 1913, the RAF 1 was a British air-cooled, V-8 engine developed for aircraft use during World War I. Based on a French design it was designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory but built by six different British companies including Daimler, Rolls-Royce and Wolseley Motors Limited.
The RAF 1 was based on the Renault 70/80 hp engine, being intended specifically to replace that engine in the B.E.2c. It featured larger cylinders (3.9 in × 5.5 in (99 mm × 140 mm)) for a total displacement of 540 cubic inches (8.8 L). It was rated at 92 hp (70 kW) at 1,600 rpm. The heads were cast integrally with the cylinders, with the intake and exhaust valves set one above the other in an upside-down F-head configuration. The engines featured a large diameter lightweight flywheel at the rear, enclosed in a cast housing. Engine oil was picked up from the bottom of the crankcase and slung into a reservoir at the top. From there it was gravity fed, via a gallery high on the right side of the engine block, to the main bearing caps, and then to the connecting rod journals by centrifugal effect of the turning crankshaft. The main bearings were ball bearings and were splash fed. Engine oil from the gallery was also supplied to the 1 : 2 reduction gearbox at the front. This drove the four-bladed propeller at one half engine speed, and the single camshaft was splined into the rear of the short propeller shaft. This arrangement meant that no mechanical oil pump was needed. Excess engine oil from the flywheel overflowed the reservoir and trickled over the large surface area of the round flywheel cover. Two passages cast into the cover took air-fuel mixture from the carby mounted at the bottom to a copper U-shaped inlet manifold mounted between the banks of cylinders, and the flywheel cover acted as a heat exchanger, preheating the fuel-air. In late 1915, the bore was increased to 4.1 inches (100 mm), leading to an increased displacement of 590 cubic inches (9.7 L) and power of 86 kW (115 hp) at 1,800 rpm.
Built under licence by the Lanchester Motor Company Ltd in Birmingham, the RAF 1A is fitted with a Claudel-Hobson carburettor.
In late 1915 a supercharged experimental version of the RAF 1a was developed, the engine being flown in a B.E.2c improving the climb from taking 36 minutes to reach 8,500ft without the supercharger, to reaching 11,500ft in the same time.
Variants:
RAF 1
RAF 1a
RAF 1b
RAF 1c
RAF 1d
RAF 1e
Applications:
Airco DH.6
Armstrong Whitworth F.K.2
Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3
Boulton Paul P.6
Boulton Paul P.9
de Havilland DH.51
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.9
Specifications:
RAF 1a
Type: 8-cylinder, upright, 90 degree Vee engine
Bore: 3.94 in (100 mm)
Stroke: 5.51 in (140 mm)
Displacement: 537.4 cu in (8.8 L)
Dry weight: 450 lb
Fuel system: Twin Claudel-Hobson carburettors
Cooling system: Air-cooled
Reduction gear: 0.5:1, Left-hand tractor
Power output: 108 hp at 1,800 rpm (takeoff power)
Compression ratio: 4.3:1
1918 Experimental. Other engines also fitted. Project only
Engine: 1 x 275-h.p. R.-R. Falcon
Seats: 1
1918 Experimental. Development of F.E.4; project only.
Engine: 3 x 150-h.p. R.A.F.5
Span: 103ft 0in
Seats: 3
The last aircraft type to emerge from the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough, before its change of name in June 1918 to Royal Aircraft Establishment, the A.E.3 was itself an extrapolation from the N.E.1.
Designated as an “Armoured Experimental” type, the A.E.1 was intended as a specialised ground-attack fighter, for which purpose it was to mount a pair of 7.7mm Lewis guns in the nose, with a limited degree of movement in azimuth and depression. A third Lewis was to be pillar-mounted in the front, observer’s, cockpit for self-defence. Like the N.E.1, the A.E.3 was a large three-bay equi-span biplane, differing principally in the construction and shape of the nacelle, which was armoured with steel plate and provided stowage for 32 ammunition drums.
Royal Aircraft Factory AE.3 / RAM Article
Intended to be powered by the 200hp Hispano engine as used in the N.E.1, the A.E.3 prototype emerged at the end of March 1918 with a 200hp Sunbeam Arab, whilst the second, eight weeks later, had a 230hp Bentley B.R.2 rotary. Flight testing of the latter began on 4 June, and larger ailerons and rudders were fitted before this A.E.3 went to France for service trials, which aroused little enthusiasm. The third aircraft, also completed in June 1918, had an Arab engine like the first and in this form the A.E.3 was named the Ram I, whilst the B.R.2 version became the Ram II.
A proposed derivative, the Ram III, was not built and no production ensued, other, better, types having become available.
AE.3 / Ram Mk. 1
Engine: 1 x 200-h.p. Sunbeam Arab
Span: 47ft 10.5in
Length: 8.44 m / 28 ft 8 in
Height: 3.05 m / 10 ft 0 in
Wing area: 52.02 sq.m / 559.94 sq ft
Max. speed: 153 km/h / 95 mph
Seats: 2
Ram Mk. II
Engine: 1 x 230-h.p. Bentley B.R.2.
Span: 47ft 10.5in
Seats: 2
1917 Fighter. Tatin monoplane formula; pusher engine, with propeller behind tail.
Engine: 1 x 200-h.p. Hispano-Suiza
Span: 31ft 4.75in
Seats: 2
