Naval History by Country : ROYAL NAVY US NAVY GERMAN NAVY FRENCH NAVY MORE PAGES

ALWAYS GREAT OFFERS : 20% FURTHER PRICE REDUCTIONS ON HUNDREDS OF LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE ON THOUSANDS OF PAINTINGS AND PRINTS FOR MORE OFFERS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

FE.2

Name : FE.2 Manufacturer : the Royal Aircraft Factory Production Began : 1914 Retired : 1918 Number Built : 1939

The F.E.2a entered service in May 1915 with No. 6 Squadron RFC, which used the F.E.2 in conjunction with B.E.2s and a single Bristol Scout. The first squadron to be equipped entirely with the F.E.2 was 20 Squadron, deploying to France on 23 January 1916. At this stage it served as a fighter-reconnaissance aircraft – eventually about ⅔ of the F.E.2s were built as fighters (816) and ⅓ as bombers (395). The F.E.2b and F.E.2d variants remained in day operations well into 1917, while the "b" continued as a standard night bomber until August 1918. At its peak, the F.E.2b equipped 16 RFC squadrons in France and six Home Defence squadrons in England. On 18 June 1916, German flying ace Max Immelmann was killed in combat with F.E.2bs of No. 25 Squadron RFC. The squadron claimed the kill, but the German version of the encounter is either that Immelmann's Fokker Eindecker broke up, after his synchroniser gear failed and he shot off his own propeller or that he was hit by friendly fire from German anti-aircraft guns. In any case, by this time the F.E.2b was at least encountering the German monoplane fighters on more or less even terms and the so-called "Fokker scourge" ended. By autumn 1916, the arrival of more modern German fighters such as the Albatros D.I and Halberstadt D.II meant that even the F.E.2d was outperformed and by April 1917, it had been withdrawn from offensive patrols. Despite its obsolescence in 1917, the F.E.2 was still well liked by its crews for its strength and good flight characteristics and it still occasionally proved a difficult opponent for even the best German aces. Rittmeister Baron von Richthofen was badly wounded in the head during combat with F.E.2d aircraft in June 1917 – the Red Baron, like most German pilots of the period, classed the F.E.2 as a "Vickers" type, confusing it with the earlier Vickers F.B.5.

Pilots and Aircrew for : FE.2
A list of all aircrew from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
Name	Info
Holt, Felton Vesey Click the name above to see a profile of Holt, Felton Vesey    Died : 23 / 4 / 1931	Holt, Felton Vesey Air Vice Marshal Felton Vesey Holt CMG, DSO, RAF (23 February 1886–23 April 1931) was a squadron and wing commander in the Royal Flying Corps who became a brigadier general in the newly established Royal Air Force just before the end of the First World War. During the inter-war years Holt remained in the Air Force, serving in several staff appointments before becoming Air Officer Commanding Fighting Area. Holt was killed in a flying accident not long after taking up his final appointment. Having carried out an inspection of RAF Tangmere, he had taken off in his DH.60M Moth K1838, with his PA flying another Moth when a formation of Siskins, seeing his PA’s aircraft decided to pay him an aerial salute. Unfortunately, the formation dived directly at the AVM, whom they could not see and the 43 Sqn Siskin J8893 piloted by Sgt Charles George on the left of the formation caught the wing of his Moth. Going into a spin, the pilot recovered and the AVM took to his parachute, but they were too low, the AVM being killed when he hit the ground without a fully deployed parachute and Flt Lt Henry Michael Moody MC (32) the pilot when the aircraft hit the ground. The inquest brought a verdict of accidental death. DH.60M Moth K1838, 24 Sqn, Northolt Collision with 43 Sqn Siskin J8893, Seahurst Park, near Tangmere AVM Felton Vesey Holt CMG DSO (45) killed Flt Lt Henry Michael Moody MC (32) killed Sgt Charles George Wareham unhurt in Siskin

Squadrons for : FE.2
A list of all squadrons known to have flown the FE.2. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.6 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 21st January 1914 Oculi exercitus - The eyes of the army Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.6 Sqn RAF	No.6 Sqn RAF The squadron was formed on 31 January 1914, at Farnborough as No. 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Its first squadron commander was Major John Becke. The Squadron finished the war flying RE8s, and shortly after the end of the War, it transferred to Iraq and re-equipped with Bristol Fighters. During the following years, it undertook operations against various uprisings before transferring to Egypt in 1929 and receiving Fairey Gordon bombers. Following increased tension between Arabs and Jews No 6 Sqn moved to Ramleh in Palestine during 1937 with Hawker Hardys. During the early part of WWII, the Squadron and its Lysanders remained in Palestine, but detached aircraft to the Western Desert until 1941 when Hurricanes were on strength. Further action in the Desert on anti-tank duties continued from 1942 until the end of the North African campaign. After converting to rocket-firing Hurricanes in 1944, the Squadron moved to Italy and flew the remainder of the War over the Balkans. A brief stint in Palestine after the War as followed by a move to Cyprus with Tempests.In July 1945, the squadron moved to Palestine. They cooperated with the police, patrolling the Kirkuk-to-Haifa oil pipeline to prevent terrorist attacks. The squadron remained in the Middle East until 1969. During this period, the squadron went from being equipped with Hurricanes (and for a brief period four Spitfires due to a lack of available Hurricanes) to Hawker Tempest Mk. VIs and subsequently De Havilland Vampire FB.5s. In January 1950 the squadron moved to RAF Habbaniya in Iraq with many moves back and forth between RAF Habbaniya and RAF Shaibah in Iraq, RAF Abu Sueir and RAF Deversoir in the Suez Canal Zone, RAF Nicosia in Cyprus, RAF Mafraq and RAF Amman in Jordan and detachments throughout the Middle East Throughout this period, it continued to operate Vampires and a twin-seat Gloster Meteor T.7 until re-equipped with De Haviland Venoms The Squadron finally left the Middle East in 1969 when it moved to Coningsby to become the first Phantom Squadron. During 1974, No 6 Sqn moved to RAF Coltishall and re-equipped with Jaguar fighter bombers. Operational deployments with the Jaguar have seen the squadron involved in Operation Granby (Gulf War 1), Warden (later Op Resinate North - Northern Iraq - until 2003) and Deny Flight (Balkans). In April 2006 No 6 Sqn moved to RAF Coningsby where it was the last RAF Sqn operating the Jaguar. On Monday 6 September 2010, No 6 Squadron, the first Typhoon fighter squadron in Scotland, officially stood up at Royal Air Force Leuchars.

Last edited : 12:53, June 25, 2016
Last editor : HMS
First created : 12:41, June 25, 2016
Created by : HMS

Return to Aviation Directory Search Home

Everything we obtain for this site is shown on the site, we do not have any more photos, crew lists or further information on any of the ships. COPYRIGHT NOTICE. ALL IMAGES DISPLAYED ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROTECTED BY  COPYRIGHT  LAW, AND ARE OWNED BY CRANSTON FINE ARTS OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.  NO REPRODUCTION OR COPYING ALLOWED ON OTHER WEBSITES, BOOKS OR ARTICLES WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT.