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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists World War One Aircraft  SE5a |
| SE5a Aviation Prints |
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Leutnant Josef Mai by Ivan Berryman. Victory No 26 for Josef Mai was a 64 Squadron SE5.A on 5th September 1918, here falling victim to the guns of the aces zebra-striped Fokker D.VII 4598/18 of Jasta 5. By the end of the war, his total had risen to 30 aircraft destroyed, Mai himself collecting a number of decorations, among them the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class. Surviving the Great War, it is believed that he became a flying instructor for the Luftwaffe during World War II, finally being laid to rest in 1982, aged ninety four. |
McCudden, VC by Ivan Berryman. Major James McCudden is pictured in his 56 Sqn S.E.5a B519 on a patrol during August 1917. In this month alone, he shot down four Albatross DVs. His final tally of victories totalled a remarkable 57 before he was killed in a flying accident in 1918. |
Knights of the Sky by Nicolas Trudgian The dramatic scene depicts an aerial dog-fight between Sopwith Camels and SE5A fighters of the Royal Flying Corps, and the bright red planes of Baron von Richthofens JG1 fighter wing. High over Northern France, the highly manoeuvrable fighters wheel and turn in the cauldron of close aerial combat, the artist bringing alive that evocative era when aerial combat first began. |
Grid Caldwell by Graeme Lothian. Grid Caldwell, the top New Zealand Ace with 25 victories in his SE5A of 74 Squadron, is shown taking off from his home airfield during the Great War. Keith Logan (Grid Caldwell) was born 16th October 1895. At the outbreak of World War One, Caldwell joined the territorial army. He attempted to enlist with the New Zealand expeditionary force destined for Gallipoli but was refused. In October 1915 he paid the sum of £100 to join the first class of the New Zealand Flying School. In January 1916 Grid Caldwell arrived in England and was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps in April that year. In July 1916 he was posted to No.8 Squadron, flying BE2Cs and Ds on observation duty. It was on 18th September 1916 his first aerial victory was scored, shooting down a Roland CII. He transferred to 60 Squadron in November and flew Nieuport 17 fighters and was promoted to Captain in February 1917. During this period he scored further victories, shooting down Albatros Scouts, and on 17th September was awarded the Military Cross. In October 1917 he was posted back to England as an instructor. In March 1918, promoted to Major, he was given command of 74 Squadron RAF flying SE5As. The squadron under his command was credited with 140 aircraft destroyed and 85 out of control. This tally was scored in the last eight months of the war with the loss of only 15 pilots killed or taken prisoner. During his wartime flying, he had fought dogfights with German aces Werner Voss and Herman Becker, and he once survived a mid-air collision, bringing his badly damaged aircraft to ground level, jumping out before it crashed. He was credited with 11 aircraft destroyed, 3 shared destroyed or captured and 10 out of control, and 1 further shared out of control. During World War Two he was station commander at Woodbourne and later Wigram and posted to India in 1944. After the war he was made commander of the British Empire. He retired from the RNZAF in 1956, and sadly died of cancer in Auckland on 28th November 1980. |
Captain Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor by Ivan Berryman. Standing just five feet two inches tall, Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor had to have his SE5a specially modified to accommodate his small stature, but the diminutive South African was a giant in the air, claiming a total of 54 victories before the end of the war, many of them observation balloons which made him one of the top balloon-busting aces of the RFC. But many aircraft fell to his guns, too, as here when on 21st August 1918 he claimed an Albatros C-Type as victory number 34 whilst flying D6856 of 84 Squadron. |
Last Dogfight of Werner Voss by Ivan Berryman. The air battle that took place above the trenches of France on the evening of 23rd September 1917 was to go down in history as one of the most extraordinary dogfights ever. The young German ace Werner Voss found himself engaged with no fewer than eleven SE5s of 56 Sqn, among them British aces such as James McCudden and Arthur Rhys Davids. Hugely outnumbered, the brave Voss saw off several British aircraft with his amazing airmanship and accuracy of fire. Again and again he could have fled the scene due to his Triplanes superior rate of climb, but his attacks were insistent and deadly. His final moments came when Rhys Davids found himself on the tail of Voss and fired both his Lewis and Vickers guns into the little turqoise Triplane which was seen to drift toward the ground, his aircraft inverting before impact, killing Voss instantly. The painting shows Voss distinctive pre-production Fokker F. 1, with the yellow nose of Jasta 10, being pursued by the SE5 of Rhys Davids while, high above,a Spad is helping to keep a gaggle of Albatross DVs at bay. |
Major Edward Mannock by Ivan Berryman. Despite having sight in just one eye, Major Edward Mick Mannock was to become one of the most decorated and celebrated aces of World War 1, bringing down an official 61 enemy aircraft in just eighteen months before himself being brought down in flames by enemy ground fire. He was reluctant to add shared kills to his tally, so his actual total of victories is recorded at 73. His decorations include the VC, DSO and 2 Bars, MC and Bar and he is depicted here diving on enemy aircraft in SE5a D278 of 74 Sqn in April, 1918. |
The Lonely Sky by Gerald Coulson. A single Royal Flying Corps SE5 patrols the clouds above the trenches of the Western Front. |
Magnificent Courage by Stan Stokes. On April 6, 1916 the RFC formed several new squadrons, including the No. 56 Squadron - Scouts. In March of 1917 the unit received the first of its new SE5s. The aircraft was disappointing to the pilots, being slower than expected, and its new Vickers machine gun with interrupter gear was next to useless. Many modifications ensued in the field, and many SE5s were fitted with Lewis guns located atop the upper wing, and in some cases an additional Lewis was installed which could be fired downward through the cockpit. In early April of 1917 No. 56 was ready to see its first combat action, and the unit headed off to France. About nine months earlier the pendulum of air superiority had swung back to the Germans. The Fokker scourge of 1915 had previously been negated by the deployment of DH2 and FE8 aircraft, but the newer German Albatros and Halberstadt fighters had regained the upper hand. The RFC was once again suffering unsustainable casualties. No. 56 Squadron was immediately pressed into service upon its deployment in France, and over the next several months gave a good account of itself. The Squadrons first victory came on April 22, and went to Albert Ball who would become a high scoring ace. On September 23, 1917 many of No. 56 Squadrons pilots would become engaged in what would be considered as one of the epic battles of early aerial warfare. At about 5:00 PM in the evening eleven SE5s took off for a routine patrol. There were heavy clouds at 9,000 feet, effectively limiting the ceiling. Several engagements took place prior to James McCudden noticing a lone SE5 from No. 60 Squadron under attack by a German triplane. Unknown to McCudden was the fact that the triplane was piloted by Werner Voss, a top German ace with 48 confirmed victories. During the next several minutes 7 SE5s focused their efforts on attacking Voss triplane. Voss had several opportunities to make a dash for the German lines, but chose to stay and fight. Demonstrating beautiful flying and determination, Voss held the massed SE5s at bay, and managed to inflict damage on each and every one. With maneuvers made so quickly and so unpredictably, none of the SE5 pilots could keep Voss in their gunsights long enough to fire a meaningful burst. Voss managed to damage two of the SE5s enough that they withdrew from the fight, and a red-nosed German Albatros joined in the fray for a short time. At one point in the battle McCudden indicated that the triplane was in the cone of tracer bullets from at least five machines simultaneously. Voss could out climb and outmaneuver all the RFC craft. Minutes later at about 2,000 feet the SE5 piloted by Arthur Rhys Davids managed to catch the German ace in a straight flat dive, and approached to within feet of the triplanes tail, firing a solid burst before pulling out of his dive. Moments later the triplane hit the ground and disintegrated. Later that evening the pilots of 56 Squadron recounted the epic battle speculating as to who might have been the pilot of the German triplane. The next morning General Trenchard sent an aide to 56 Squdron to elicit details of the battle. In this report James McCudden paid the following tribute to Voss, As long as I live I shall never forget that German pilot who single-handedly fought seven of us for ten minutes, and who put some bullets through all our machines. His flying was wonderful, his courage magnificent, and in my opinion he is the bravest German airman whom it has been my privilege to see fight. |
James McCudden by Ivan Berryman. SE5As of B Flight, 56 Sqn led by James McCudden in the aircraft numbered B519, on patrol over the Western Front in 1917. |
Oberleutnant Lothar Freiherr von Richthofen by Ivan Berryman. On the evening of 7th May 1917, a fierce battle took place involving aircraft of Jasta 11 and 56 Sqn RFC, the former led by the brother of the Red Baron, Lothar von Richthofen. As the sun dipped beneath the heavy clouds, most expected the dogfight to break off in the fading light, but an extraordinary duel between the RFCs Captain Albert Ball and Lothar von Richthofen broke out, the two aircraft flying directly at each other, firing continuously, then turning and repeating the manoeuvre. Lothars all red Albatross was damaged, but landed safely. Albert Balls SE5, however, was seen by observers to fall through the heavy cloudbase inverted, before crashing heavily, fatally wounding Ball. |
SE5 Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear. Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5.a D3540. The Artful Dodger was the personal aircraft of Wing Commander G.H. Lewis DFC and the aircraft in which he claimed four of his twelve victories. Aircraft History: The third S.E.5 produced (A4563) became, in effect, the prototype S.E.5a with a 200hp Hispano Suiza power plant and shorter span wings. The S.E.5.a went to No56, No.40 and No.60 squadrons from June 1917, and by the end of the year Nos 24, 41, 68 and 84 squadron had taken them on charge. After troubles with the reduction gear of the Hispano Suiza together with a general shortage of these power plants, the direct drive Wolseley Viper became the standard S.E.5a power unit. The S.E.5.a built a fine reputation for strength, performance and general flying quality, which together with the Sopwith Camel was the main reason for the Allies gaining and maintaining air superiority during 1918. Some aircraft were fitted with four 25lb (11kg) Cooper bombs on under fuselage racks. The S.E.5.a also service in the Middle East and several home defence units in 1918. At the end of World War I over 2,000 S.E.5.a aircraft were in service with the RAF. The type had served with 24 British, 2 US and 1 Australian Squadrons. After its demob 50 of these aircraft were supplied to Australia, 12 to Canada with several more to other countries including South Africa, Poland and the United States of America. 50 came onto the British register and were used for developing the art of sky-writing. The S.E.5.a will always remain one of aviations great warplanes. Wing Commander Gwilym H. Lewis, DFC: Born 5th August, 1897, Gwilym Lewis qualified for his aviators certificate number 2116 on 27th November 1915. He was posted to France with 32 Squadron at he age of eighteen flying the DH2 single seater scout aircraft. Later after a period as an instructor he was posted as a flight commander to 40 squadron flying the famous S.E.5.a. By the end of the First World War, Gwilym Lewis had amassed a personal tally of 12 enemy aircraft destroyed and had been awarded the DFC. After leaving the RAF he went into insurance working for Lloyds Insurance Brokers, Sedgwick, Collins & Company Ltd. Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, he rejoined the RAF and became a member of Winston Churchills Joint Planning Staff in the underground Central War Room. After World War II, he resumed his successful career in insurance and retired in 1974. |
Brief Encounter by Gerald Coulson. Royal Flying Corps SE5As of 56 squadron engaged in air combat with flying circus Fokker Dr1s commanded by the great German ace Baron von Richthofen, France 1917. |
Dawn Dog Fight, Mick Mannock VC by Graeme Lothian. High above the trenches in April 1918, 74 Squadron engage the famed JG 1 led by the renowned ace baron von Richthofen in his distinctive bright red DR 1. Edward Mick mannock flying a SE5.a diving down top engage another Fokker Dr1 as the red baron flies past momentarily catching each others eyes. The new CO of 74 squadron, major Grid Caldwell MC (bar) New Zealands top ace can be seen above entering the dog fight. But it would be Mannock who would go on to great fame. with 61 confirmed victories and to win the VC, DSO (bar) and MC (bar) After 74 squadron he replaced Billy Bishop of CO 85 Squadron on the 3rd July 1918, scoring 46 victories in the Se5.a He was killed by ground fire near Lestram, France on the 26th July 1918. his Victoria Cross being gazetted on the 18th July 1919. The red baron CO of the Richthofen's Flying circus didn't survive the month, also killed by ground fire on the 21st April, he was buried by the Allies with full military honours. |
The Tenacious Grid Caldwell by Ivan Berryman. New Zealand's highest scoring ace, with 25 victories to his credit, proved himself to be an extraordinary and resourceful leader. Whilst on a routine patrol in September 1918, Keith Logan 'Grid' Caldwell's 74 Sqn SE5a was involved in a mid-air collision with another SE5a, the impact breaking one of Caldwell's struts and destroying the aerodynamics of his aircraft, which promptly dropped 1,000 ft and went into a flat spin. Incredibly, Caldwell climbed from the cockpit of his stricken machine and held the broken strut together with his left hand whilst keeping his right hand on the joystick, somehow steering his wayward fighter out of danger and over friendly territory. With no hope of a safe landing, the Kiwi jumped clear of the SE5a just a second or so before it impacted with the ground. Astounded British soldiers in a nearby trench saw Caldwell stand, dust himself off and walk casually toward them. He returned to his unit and continued flying until the end of the war. |
Seeing Red by Ivan Berryman. Credited with no fewer than 80 victories, Manfred Von Richthofen, The Red Baron, became legendary, not least for the 17 kills scored whilst flying the diminutive Fokker DR1 Triplane. Contrary to popular belief, however, only one of his aircraft is known to have been painted all red. Serial no. 477/17 is shown here dicing with an SE5. |
SE 5/5a Aces of World War One. The Royal Aircraft Factory SE 5/5a was, along with the Sopwith Camel, the major British fighting scout of the last 18 months of the war in France. It equipped several major squadrons, the first being No 56 Sqn in April 1917. This unit became famous for the number of aces it had among its pilots, including Albert Ball, James McCudden, Geoffrey Bowman, Richard Maybery, Leonard Barlow, Hank Burden and Cyril Crowe. In all, 26 aces flew the aircraft with No 56 Sqn alone. Other well-known units were Nos 1, 24, 29, 32, 40, 41, 60, 64, 2 AFC, 74, 84, 85 and 92 Sqns. A number of Victoria Cross winners also flew SE 5/5as, namely Ball, Mannock, McCudden, Beauchamp Proctor and Bishop. Among the aces, no fewer than 20 scored more than 20 victories. In all, there were almost 100 SE 5/5a aces, and a large number of them are profiled in this volume. Supporting the text are more than 110 photographs, 37 brand new colour artworks and detailed appendices listing every pilot who made ace on the SE 5/5a. |
| Top Aces for : SE5 | ||
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name. | ||
| Name | Victories | Info |
| William Billy Bishop | 72.00 | The signature of William Billy Bishop features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| SE5 Pilot and aircrew signature details |
 William Billy Bishop Our estimated value of this signature : £300 Died : 1956 | William Billy Bishop William Avery Bishop. Born 8th February 1894, died September 1956 aged 62. Air Marshal William Avery Bishop, better known as Billy Bishop (his awards being VC, CB, DSO and Bar, MC, DFC, ED ) was the top Canadian Fighter ace of World War One, with 72 Victories which made him the top overall Ace from the British Empire. Billy Bishop joined the Mississauga Horse as an Officer when the war broke out in 1914, but due to illness he did not go with the regiment to Europe. Once he recovered from pneumonia he transferred to the 8th Canadian Mounted Rifles and was stationed in London, Ontario. On the 9th of June 1915 the regiment left for Britain. In July 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an Observer. After training he was moved to France at Boisdinghem airfield near st Omer on the 1st January 1916 - he was an observer on RE7 reconnaissance aircraft. On one mission he injured his knee and was sent back to Britain. On his recovery he was accepted in for Pilot training. Once he was awarded his wings he requested to be transferred to France and in March 1917 was posted to 60 Squadron at Filescamp Farm near Arras. He flew the Nieuport 17 Fighter aircraft. Billy Bishop's first victory was on the 25th March which was an Albatros D.III. He won his Victoria Cross on the 2nd June 1917 when he flew a solo mission behind enemy lines to attack a German Aerodrome. He claimed to have shot down three German aircraft who were about to take off to engage him and destroyed many others on the ground. His Victoria Cross was the only VC awarded without requiring witnesses. His VC was Gazetted on the 11th August 1917. For most conspicuous bravery, determination, and skill. Captain Bishop, who had been sent out to work independently, flew first of all to an enemy aerodrome; finding no machines about, he flew on to another aerodrome about three miles southeast, which was at least 12 miles the other side of the line. Seven machines, some with their engines running, were on the ground. He attacked these from about fifty feet, and a mechanic, who was starting one of the engines, was seen to fall. One of the machines got off the ground, but at a height of 60 feet, Captain Bishop fired 15 rounds into it at very close range, and it crashed to the ground. A second machine got off the ground, into which he fired 30 rounds at 150 yards range, and it fell into a tree. Two more machines then rose from the aerodrome. One of these he engaged at a height of 1,000 feet, emptying the rest of his drum of ammunition. This machine crashed 300 yards from the aerodrome, after which Captain Bishop emptied a whole drum into the fourth hostile machine, and then flew back to his station. Four hostile scouts were about 1,250 feet above him for about a mile of his return journey, but they would not attack. His machine was very badly shot about by machine gun fire from the ground. He went back to Canada as a hero in 1917 and helped the morale of the Canadian public. He again returned to France in April 1918 and was promoted to the rank of major and given the command of no 85 Squadron (Flying Foxes). The squadron was equipped with SE5a scouts and in this aircraft Bishop scored a further three victories. The Canadian Government was getting concerned if Bishop was killed what effect that may have on the Canadian morale so he was ordered back to Britain, to organise the Canadian Flying Corps. On the 5th August he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and became Officer Commanding-designate of the Canadian Air Force Section of the general Staff. Bishop died in his sleep while in Florida on the 11th September 1956 and is buried in Owen Sound Ontario at greenwood Cemetery. |
| SE5 Squadron details |
No.1 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , JX, NA, | No.1 Sqn RAF In Omnibus Princeps - First in all things |
No.40 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 1st February 1957 Known Codes : , BL, LE, OX, | No.40 Sqn RAF Hostem coelo expellere - To drive the enemy from the sky |
No.41 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , EB, PN, | No.41 Sqn RAF Seek and destroy |
No.56 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , US, LR, ON, | No.56 Sqn RAF Punjab Quid si coelum ruat - What if heaven falls |
No.60 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , MU, AD, | No.60 Sqn RAF Per ardua ad aethera tendo - I strive through difficulties to the sky |
No.85 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 19th December 1975 Known Codes : , VY, NO, | No.85 Sqn RAF Noctu diuque venamur - We hunt by day and night |
No.92 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 1st October 1994 Known Codes : , GR, QJ, DL, 8L, | No.92 Sqn RAF East India Aut pugna aut morere - Either fight or die |
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