WWI RAF SE5a - 1 - 3

These are 1/300 scale Royal Aircraft Factory (RAF) SE5 aircraft that I use with the Blue Max rules. They are from Irregular Miniatures 6mm World War I Aircraft range and have the code GWP6. The models are only about 2.5cm (1 inch) in length. I painted my three SE5a's in generic colour schemes and markings. You can click on the image for a closer view.

The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was was one of the most important and influential aircraft of the war. The S.E.5 was instrumental in ensuring that the period of German dominance known as 'Bloody April' in 1917 was not repeated.

The S.E.5 had only one synchronised .303 Vickers machine gun mounted in front of the cockpit (unlike the Sopwith Camel's two). However it did have a wing-mounted Lewis machine gun, which enabled the pilot to fire at enemy aircraft from below.

Only 77 original S.E.5s (Scout Experimental 5) were built before the improved S.E.5a model took over. In total 5,205 S.E.5s were built by six manufacturers including Austin Motors and Vickers.

You can click on the image for a closer view.