R.E.8 A3731

[nuvolari]

Hi,

Today I received two lovely kit's Wingnut.
I've never seen such lovely detailed kit's, just super.
The only down side to the order was, that it cost me an extra €43 on import taxes, speaking of a European mafia.

But loose from that, among the order was the lovely detailed R.E.8 "Harry Tate".
The problem with me is, I always wanted to build something that has a historical attachment to somebody I know.
In case of the RE8 it's my friends uncle Arthur Wardlaw, who was the Air Mechanic 1st Class.
He was shot down on the 30/09/1917 by Lt. Hamscher of Jasta 37 (indeed the guy of whom I asked questions of before).
In the story of Lieutenant  William Lefevre Oxley Parker, 13 Squadron, RFC, the dreadful day was described as following:
" The last day of September 1917 was ideal weather for photographic reconnaissance to be carried out, 13 Squadron sent A3731 off on a mission at 1050hrs. Front line troops reported a Corps machine falling in flames half an hour later. Fears were confirmed when Sgt pilot Albert Stanley and AM Arthur Wardlaw failed to return to Etrun."

From other sources, told me, that the fuselage had got a big strait white stripe between the tail section and the roundel.
I even found this computer drawn image on the net.


My question is does anybody has  more data or drawing or photos on this particular aircraft.

An other question I have, since we know that the goal of this particular RE 8 was photographic reconnaissance, where would the camera be mounted?
I know that they fiddled around a lot with cameras, as this all was new technology.
I've seen camera's  hold by hand, mounted to the side, so where would the camera have been at the end of 1917.
Any information or photos on those camera's would also be welcome?

Thanks for your help.

Danny

[Nigel Jackson]

Dear Dany

I'm sorry that I cannot answer your questions, but I will later look to see if I can find anything on the camera question.  I just wanted to say bravo, for doing an R.E.8; such an unfairly maligned aircraft, well to my mind anyway!

Best wishes
Nigel

[Nigel Jackson]

Hello Dany

I've scoured through two Datafiles, no. 24, which is that covering the RAF RE8, and 153, which is called RAF RE8 at war. An undated photo in page 6 in the former shows A3187 precariously balanced on its nose and reveals a square aperture beneath the fuselage for the camera. It is pretty much as shown on pages 23, 24 and 26 in the WnW RE8 instruction manual. Page 6 in the same shows the camera and installation - but then you know that because you've got the model. Fuselage frame drawings on page 17 in the later Datafile include a camera bracket and an alternative, but I found it a bit tricky to see.

I don't know enough about batch numbers to say how far A3187 was removed from your A3731 in terms of modifications etc. but there we are, perhaps others could help.

Best wishes
Nigel

[Jamo]

Hi Danny
I looked in British Aviation Squadron Markings of World War I by Les Rogers and he confirms that during the period of RE8 service (up until 22nd March 1918) the squadron marking was a narrow white horizontal bar along the centre of the fuselage running from the roundel to the tail. He also notes that photographs of the squadron are very scarce but those known have no individual markings