Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is a full size authentic replica of a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a, displaying at Old Warden Airfield for its UK Public Airshow debut, during the Shuttleworth Military Pageant 2019.
It wears the World War One colour scheme of S.E.5a C1096 flown by Canadian 'ace' Lieutenant (later Captain) Henry John 'Hank' Burden of 'C' Flight, 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (Royal Air Force from 1/4/1918). 56 Squadron was the first to be equipped with the S.E.5 aircraft in
'Hank' Burden began his military service in 1915 when he was commissioned in the 9th Mississauga Horse, a unit that later became the 75th Battalion. Burden was later transferred to the 11th Canadian Machine Gun Corps in May 1916, in which he fought at St. Eloi, the Somme, and Vimy. He rapidly tired of trench warfare and in April 1917 joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). Following the completion of his training, he was posted to the 75th and 85th Squadrons, both of which were located in Britain. After some time spent without seeing any real action, he was posted to 56 Squadron in France on February 6th, 1918. He claimed five Fokker D.VIIs shot down on 10 August 1918, and two days later he claimed three more. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1918.
By the end of the war he was responsible for downing 15 enemy aircraft, plus 1 shared with another pilot, with all but three of his victories while flying S.E.5a C1096.
'Hank' Burden was Canadian 'ace' William 'Billy' Bishop's brother-in-law.
archeion.ca/index.php/henry-john-burden-collection
Building of C1096 was started in Yorkshire during the 1980s by John Tetley and Bill Sneesby. About 2003 the project was sent for completion to the Memorial Flight at Le Bourget, France who finished it and used a Hispano engine that they had. The airframe was given the serial number MF-01. The arrangement made was for the Memorial Flight to retain and fly the completed aircraft over the next 10 years, during which time it was only flown for about 11 hours. It was then returned to John Tetley in the UK and it was later sold to Roy Palmer in April 2014.
Subsequently another engine was fitted, this time a correct 1918 vintage Wright-Martin Hispano Suiza, with Guy Black's engine team at Retrotec doing the engine work. The rest of the airframe was thoroughly overhauled and checked by Aero Antiques and the fabric was refinished in a darker and more authentic colour scheme. The carburettor was restored by Fintech and a perfect copy of an original Hispano-Suiza 180hp propeller was made by Hercules Propellers. The aircraft has many original S.E.5a parts, including original fuel tank, Lewis gun and magazine, control column ring, Aldis gun sight and all instruments. Wheels and tyres came from The Vintage Aviator in New Zealand and a dry sump oil tank was copied from an original period S.E.5a tank. The aircraft is now totally authentic to the factory finished and in service S.E.5a's of 1918.
The SE5 (Scout Experimental 5) was a rival of the Camel for the title of the most successful British fighter of the First World War. It was developed by the Royal Aircraft Factory in response to a call from the Royal Flying Corps for the British aircraft industry to develop a fighter that was in all respects superior to the enemy’s machines. Powered by the new 150 hp Hispano-Suiza water-cooled engine, the first of three prototypes took to the air on 22nd November 1916. Two of the prototypes crashed during testing but, following appropriate modification, the aircraft entered service with No 56 Squadron in March 1917 and deployed to France the following month.
Whilst pilots liked the SE5 for its handling qualities and strength, it soon became obvious that the aircraft was underpowered. As a result, it was re-equipped with a more powerful 200 hp engine and re-designated the SE5a. It proved less agile than the Camel at lower levels, but was faster and enjoyed a better overall performance at altitude. Armed with only one synchronised .303-in Vickers machine gun against the Camel’s two, the SE5a also had a wing-mounted Lewis gun that enabled the pilot to fire at enemy aircraft from below as well as from behind. It was also capable of carrying 4 x 18kg Cooper bombs. From June 1917, further units were equipped with the aircraft but it was not until well into1918 that it became available in the required numbers. Some 21 British and 2 US squadrons operated the SE5a by the end of the war. It is significant that many of the top Allied aces flew the aircraft – Albert Ball achieved 17 of his 44 victories flying the SE5 and the SE5a was the aircraft of Bishop, Mannock and McCudden.
Only 77 basic SE5s were built before the advent of the SE5a, of which some 5,000 were produced.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
This is a full size authentic replica of a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a, displaying at Old Warden Airfield for its UK Public Airshow debut, during the Shuttleworth Military Pageant 2019.
It wears the World War One colour scheme of S.E.5a C1096 flown by Canadian 'ace' Lieutenant (later Captain) Henry John 'Hank' Burden of 'C' Flight, 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (Royal Air Force from 1/4/1918). 56 Squadron was the first to be equipped with the S.E.5 aircraft in
'Hank' Burden began his military service in 1915 when he was commissioned in the 9th Mississauga Horse, a unit that later became the 75th Battalion. Burden was later transferred to the 11th Canadian Machine Gun Corps in May 1916, in which he fought at St. Eloi, the Somme, and Vimy. He rapidly tired of trench warfare and in April 1917 joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). Following the completion of his training, he was posted to the 75th and 85th Squadrons, both of which were located in Britain. After some time spent without seeing any real action, he was posted to 56 Squadron in France on February 6th, 1918. He claimed five Fokker D.VIIs shot down on 10 August 1918, and two days later he claimed three more. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1918.
By the end of the war he was responsible for downing 15 enemy aircraft, plus 1 shared with another pilot, with all but three of his victories while flying S.E.5a C1096.
'Hank' Burden was Canadian 'ace' William 'Billy' Bishop's brother-in-law.
archeion.ca/index.php/henry-john-burden-collection
Building of C1096 was started in Yorkshire during the 1980s by John Tetley and Bill Sneesby. About 2003 the project was sent for completion to the Memorial Flight at Le Bourget, France who finished it and used a Hispano engine that they had. The airframe was given the serial number MF-01. The arrangement made was for the Memorial Flight to retain and fly the completed aircraft over the next 10 years, during which time it was only flown for about 11 hours. It was then returned to John Tetley in the UK and it was later sold to Roy Palmer in April 2014.
Subsequently another engine was fitted, this time a correct 1918 vintage Wright-Martin Hispano Suiza, with Guy Black's engine team at Retrotec doing the engine work. The rest of the airframe was thoroughly overhauled and checked by Aero Antiques and the fabric was refinished in a darker and more authentic colour scheme. The carburettor was restored by Fintech and a perfect copy of an original Hispano-Suiza 180hp propeller was made by Hercules Propellers. The aircraft has many original S.E.5a parts, including original fuel tank, Lewis gun and magazine, control column ring, Aldis gun sight and all instruments. Wheels and tyres came from The Vintage Aviator in New Zealand and a dry sump oil tank was copied from an original period S.E.5a tank. The aircraft is now totally authentic to the factory finished and in service S.E.5a's of 1918.
The SE5 (Scout Experimental 5) was a rival of the Camel for the title of the most successful British fighter of the First World War. It was developed by the Royal Aircraft Factory in response to a call from the Royal Flying Corps for the British aircraft industry to develop a fighter that was in all respects superior to the enemy’s machines. Powered by the new 150 hp Hispano-Suiza water-cooled engine, the first of three prototypes took to the air on 22nd November 1916. Two of the prototypes crashed during testing but, following appropriate modification, the aircraft entered service with No 56 Squadron in March 1917 and deployed to France the following month.
Whilst pilots liked the SE5 for its handling qualities and strength, it soon became obvious that the aircraft was underpowered. As a result, it was re-equipped with a more powerful 200 hp engine and re-designated the SE5a. It proved less agile than the Camel at lower levels, but was faster and enjoyed a better overall performance at altitude. Armed with only one synchronised .303-in Vickers machine gun against the Camel’s two, the SE5a also had a wing-mounted Lewis gun that enabled the pilot to fire at enemy aircraft from below as well as from behind. It was also capable of carrying 4 x 18kg Cooper bombs. From June 1917, further units were equipped with the aircraft but it was not until well into1918 that it became available in the required numbers. Some 21 British and 2 US squadrons operated the SE5a by the end of the war. It is significant that many of the top Allied aces flew the aircraft – Albert Ball achieved 17 of his 44 victories flying the SE5 and the SE5a was the aircraft of Bishop, Mannock and McCudden.
Only 77 basic SE5s were built before the advent of the SE5a, of which some 5,000 were produced.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
