Aircraft Details for Modelers and other Artist: RAF B.E.2

[FOKKERJ]

I didn't want to hi-jack Terri Werner's B.E.2c Thread, so I thought that this might be a good place to start this

Originally Posted by Lodzermensch

Hello,

Terri,

This is beautiful work indeed. It is nice to know that modelling is not only a men's world.

Jay,

I hope this will be helpful.

Regards

Marek

I thought that perhaps others might share my interest for details that usually aren't found in instructions and not always available in even the finest resource publications.

This is for the B.E.2 and variants.

Please feel free to add any images that would be of interest.



HAPPY MODELING, FOKKERJ

P.S. Thanks Marek! : )

[Breguet]

I love my BE's. Here's a nice shot for you and also a video on Youtube:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BzH4SSrRDs"]YouTube- Royal Aircraft Factory BE2[/nomedia]


And of course the stuff on the Vintage Aviator Site

BE.2c Reproduction | The Vintage Aviator

[Lodzermensch]

Hello,

I like your idea, Jay. Let’s start from two photo postcards showing the same plane, at the same time and place but from very different angles. This is a rear opportunity to see almost entire airplane.

This is RAF Be 2c serial 1744 of 12 Squadron downed near Phalempin, Lille, France on 26th September 1915. The crew is identified as Capt. FB Binney and 2nd/Lt. A. Lees.

At first sight it seems to be an average Be 2c but here are some details of painting and markings, which may be of interest to modellers as well as may bring a headache on them.

Note the tail section.

Despite colour strips painted on the rudder, there is still the Union Jack visible below the serial. The same shade of dark strips is another detail noteworthy. It seems that both dark strips were painted with the same colour – most likely red in my opinion. Such a possibility is described in Windsock Datafile No 42. The same effect is noticeable in case of rundles painted on upper surface of upper wings and on the fuselage.

Let’s take a look at roundels on lower surface of lower wing.

The difference between red and blue is clearly visible. Note the Union Jack left on lower surface of lower wing.

Another interesting detail is the colour difference between upper deck and side of the fuselage. The same difference can be observed between upper surfaces of wings (especially lower one) and side of the fuselage.

Regards

Marek

[John McKenzie]

Hello guys ...
Interesting to note that the aileron balance running along the top of the upper wing , has broken or been shot through ...This allows one side at a time only to posatively lower the ailerons , while the other side may ride on the airflow , but may not be raised up under control , so some loss of control here .

The decking around pilot and observer is made from ash plywood sheet .
Early on , in BE2A 's and B's and some examples of 2c 's this was simply shellac varnished to give an orange / brown shade , as in the BE2b , pictured in the Second part of the U-Tube film , link posted above ,.. which shows the RAFmuseum Hendon machine ...... Which incidentaly , I did actually build this particular BE2b machine myself , that is shown in the film .

Later on for the Be2c , as shown in the First part of this same U-Tube film of this time , the Imp War Museum Be2C ,.....this plywood was covered in linen fabric glued on , after which this part was then supposed to be painted " Battleship Grey " ....as also this same colour , were the metal pannels , also painted . ... The rest of the aircraft that was fabric covered was simply clear doped at this early date .

Note that Orange /brown and grey are both likely to come out dark grey tone on this WWI film .

The fact that the wings top surfaces "appear" different ( darker ) to the undersurfaces and fuselage sides etc. is most probably due only to the lighting conditions at the time of photo ...although , I suppose , is posible that top faces of wings have recieved more protective varnish than the rest ?.

I do not feel able to comment either way ,on Red. W. Red /Red. W. Blue roundels and stripes to rudder etc. as not least of all , I have no information on the film type used and also this is out of my field of expertise .

Regards ..John M

[FOKKERJ]

Hello Marek,

Thanks for the fotografs and the information.

I don't recall seeing the Union Jack Flag on the wing surfaces, let alone with the Cockades and especially in
conjunction with the rudder flash, might have been the early "Cross-Over" to the later style.
Very interesting!

Hello John McKenzie,

Thanks for the information, especially the progressive evolution of the fuselage materials.
I imagine that you are "The Man" when it comes to things B.E.2.

Thanks to both of you, Jay

P.S. Marek, I'm glad that you agree that this type of Thread could be helpful. Perhaps I will run across
the instructions to my stalled B.E.2 build and show them here as an example. I believe that it left the
subject of proper exhaust manifold location a complete mystery as to whether they were located on the
outside, inside, or top of the engine's cylinders! I scratched two exhaust headers, pipes, and stacks for
the upright version that follow the forward cabane struts, then I stopped when
I couldn't figure out where they wanted to be.

I also have grief with instructions that don't tell you which engine part that you are suppose to paint this color.... What is it?
I figure a builder can buy a kit and then dump boucoup monies into research materials, decals, etc. and
still be left clueless sometimes! Although some decal makers go through a lot of research time to provide
that information with their product, they are the heros!
Also ther are the Top Notch Researchers/Authors of DATA-FILES, not to be forgotten.
I do wish that they had more extensive Color Profiles included though.
I also have found good information on camouflage and markings in several of the OSPREY publications,

[FOKKERJ]

G'Day Breguet,

Thanks for sharing the great engine close-up and the You-Tube link.

This is definetly the right place to post all things B.E.2 related.
Hopefully we will get more good questions/answers and fotos.

Cheers, Jay

Your image and John's definetly appear to show the manifold exhaust location to be the inside/top of the cylinders.

[modelhound]

Hello all,

Please go here for the complete skinney on this motor. All will be explained when you look at the photos.

RAF 4A Engine

mIKE

[Breguet]

Some more engine details for you

[FOKKERJ]

Originally Posted by modelhound

Hello all,

Please go here for the complete skinney on this motor. All will be explained when you look at the photos.

RAF 4A Engine

mIKE

Thanks mIKE, I am taking your QUOTE and moving it to my Thread on the B.E. 2.

You already took care of that!

These photos were taken by Karen Rychlewski and Tomasz Gronczewski at the Kraków museum in fall 2003. :

[FOKKERJ]

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