Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 family

We start with a list of Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2/ B.E.12 Squadrons of the First World War.

The Royal Aircraft Factory (R.A.F.) was responsible for the design of most Royal Flying Corps aircraft in the early years of the First World War.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.1 was the first tractor biplane to be designed by Geoffrey de Havilland, and was the immediate predecessor of the B.E.2 and its variants, the mainstay of the early R.F.C.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was the second in the Factory's series of experimental tractor biplanes, and was also the prototype for the B.E.2a and the family of aircraft that followed.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2a was a two seat tractor biplane that became the standard equipment of the pre-First World War Royal Flying Corps.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2b was a slightly improved version of the B.E.2a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft, developed early in 1914 to increase crew comfort.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c was the most controversial British aircraft of the First World War. Designed to be a stable reconnaissance platform it was a perfectly capable military aircraft until the arrival of the Fokker E.I, when its built-in stability and lack of any defensive armament made it a sitting duck

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2d was a version of the B.E.2c with dual controls and a modified fuel system that was produced in small numbers between October 1915 and early 1916.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e was produced in an attempt to improve the military performance of the B.E.2c. Taken in isolation these efforts were successful, for the B.E.2e was the fastest version of the B.E.2, but the improvements weren't enough to compensate for the ever-increasing capacity of German fighter aircraft

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2f was the designation given to existing B.E.2cs that had been modified to the B.E.2e standard by giving them the unequal span wings and modified tail of the newer design.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2g was the designation given to existing B.E.2ds that had been modified to the B.E.2e standard by giving them the unequal span wings and modified tail of the newer design.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.3 was the third entry in the BE.1/2 family and differed from the earlier aircraft in having heavily staggered wings

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.4 was structurally identical to the B.E.3 but with a more powerful engine

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.5 was one of a number of similar aircraft all based on the original B.E.1 built by the Aircraft Factory in the years before the First World War.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.6 was one of a series of early R.A.F. aircraft that were official produced by reconstructing damaged aircraft, in this case the Factory's own S.E.1.

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.7 was a higher powered version of the B.E.3 and B.E.4, two experimental members of the B.E.2 family that were distinguished mainly by their staggered wings.