Royal Aircraft Factory plane types and their top scorers

[Knusel]

Good afternoon Gentlemen,

the Royal Aircraft Factory (RAF) was a major producer of WW1 planes. But their designs were of very varying quality. This is a list of the top scoring pilots of each type. Enjoy !

• B.E.2a - Hubert Harvey-Kelly, Gilbert Mapplebeck and Augustus Marsh, 1 kill each
• B.E.2b - William Rhodes-Moorhouse, VC
• B.E.2c - Harold Medlicott, 3 kills
• B.E.2d - Keith Caldwell and Sydney Smith, 1 kill each
• B.E.2e - Philip Lavarack, 3 kills
• B.E.12 - Gilbert Murlis-Green, 6 kills
• F.E.2a - Lanoe Hawker, 3 kills
• F.E.2b - Carleton Clement and John Quested, 8 kills each
• F.E.2c - none
• F.E.2d - Frederick Thayre, 19 kills
• F.E.8 - Edwin Benbow, 8, kills
• R.E.5 - John Liddell, VC
• R.E.8 - Croye Pithey, 9 kills
• S.E.5 - Reginald Hoidge, 17 kills
• S.E.5a - Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, 54 kills

[Spoonfrog]

Nice list. The BE12 is an interesting one. I have read that it was considered too sluggish and was rejected for the western front. Murlis Green flew it in Macedonia and seems to have done well, perhaps because the opposition was not so good as on the Western Front..?

Two of his claims were for Friedrichshafen bombers (in reality probably AEG G bombers of Kaghol 1). Perhaps these targets were easier pickings for the BE12, which was not suited to dogfighting.

[Knusel]

The B.E.12 was withdrawn from the Western Front in March 1917 because of its poor manoeuvrability. For Home Defence its climb rate was too low, although it shared in a Zeppelin claim. Greece and Macedonia indeed seem to have been the ecological niche for Murlis-Green to become the only B.E.12 ace.

It's interesting that his Friedrichhafen's were AEG's.
Did you notice that he was credited with a capture Albatros D.V in January 1917, despite the type entering service no sooner than May ?

[Gregvan]

Knusel,

I think we can be fairly certain that Murlis-Green probably described his opponent of 4 January 1917 as merely an "Albatros Scout", if anything. I believe the "Alb D V" description was added by the authors of Above the Trenches, though I have no idea why.

As for AEG G-types being labeled as "Friedrichshafens", that's not surprising either. I'm kind of surprised he didn't just call them "Gothas", as nearly all twin-engine German bombers were called, at one time or another, by British and French fliers.

[Knusel]

Good morning Gentlemen,

there are several spellings of Gilbert Murlis-Green's name around.
For me the correct one is the one of his tombstone because it is the last official document of his biography:
http://www.eamemorials.co.uk/EAMemor...rlis-Green.JPG

Cheers,

Michael

[Spoonfrog]

Originally Posted by Gregvan

Knusel,

I think we can be fairly certain that Murlis-Green probably described his opponent of 4 January 1917 as merely an "Albatros Scout", if anything. I believe the "Alb D V" description was added by the authors of Above the Trenches, though I have no idea why.

I have in my notes that Green's victim was Erwin Kernchen of Jasta 25. Elsewhere he is reported as flying a Halberstadt when he was shot down...

[Knusel]

Okay, but Kernchen was lost one day after Murlis-Green's claim, wasn't he ?
http://www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.n...ic.php?t=18982

[Spoonfrog]

Yes, but I couldn't find any other claims on the Macedonian Front for the 5th Jan 1917, so I think I assumed it was an error.

[Knusel]

[delete duplicate]

[Knusel]

Good morning,

Gilbert Murlis-Green is supposed to have fought against Rudolf von Eschwege in February 1917. The latter flew a Fokker on that occasion, didn't he ?

Have a fine weekend,

Michael