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Known as the 'Harry Tate', the R.E.8 looked a little like a scaled-up B.E.2. During the course of the latter half of World War I no less than 4,077 were built for the RFC/RAF and a few for Belgium. R.E.8s for British service standardised on the 112kW RAF 4a engine. During a brief spell on the Western Front in late 1916 several were lost through accidents, resulting in their temporary withdrawal. However from early 1917 the aircraft settled to a steady career as a reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber on the Western Front and in Palestine and Italy, remaining active until the Armistice.
| ENGINE | 1 x RAF 4a, 112kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 1300 kg | 2866 lb |
| Empty weight | 717 kg | 1581 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 12.98 m | 42 ft 7 in |
| Length | 8.5 m | 27 ft 11 in |
| Height | 3.47 m | 11 ft 5 in |
| Wing area | 35.07 m2 | 377.49 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 164 km/h | 102 mph |
| Ceiling | 4115 m | 13500 ft |
| ARMAMENT | 2 x 7.7mm machine-guns, 100kg of bombs |
 | A three-view drawing (662 x 664) |
| Bob Hughes, rf.hughes(@)virgin.net, 09.03.2007 I have a photograph of my grandfather and his mates standing round a RAF RE8 circa 1917. The plane carries the numbers C 2464 - is it possible to get any further inforamtion about this particular plane? Thanks |
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Do you have any comments about this aircraft ?
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COMPANY
PROFILE
FACTS AND FIGURES© The RE.8 had a forward-firing
machine gun set at an angle so
the pilot could fire it, but
where the bullets would miss
the propeller. This made hitting
an opponent almost impossible. © At least on early model RE.8s the
observer could not turn around in his
seat or fire the rear gun from a standing
position, so he had to somehow aim
and fire it over his shoulder. © The tendency to spin was reduced
by fitting a venrral fin at the base
of the tail. This further reduced
what little agility the RE.8 had.
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