EAA Sport Aviation - April 2010

Here’s where everything seems to revert to slow motion. Even when the throttle is advanced, the engine only increases in speed to 1120 rpm. Liftoff takes place just as the airspeed indicator comes alive at 40 mph. At only 300 feet per minute, the rate of climb isn’t impressive. Climbout is slow but steady as you become aware of the lack of prop wash and the stability of this big kite. Turns in either direction are smooth and coordinated; movement in any regime is easy. The elevators are not as heavy as they were on the ground and the ailerons have plenty of authority. The rudder leaves a little bit to be desired, but it is sufficient.

The FE.2b flies like it looks—big, heavy, slow, and stable. It is odd that the entire throttle range seems to be about 250 rpm; use 1300 for takeoff and the first part of the climb, reduce to 1250 to keep the temperature down and for cruise, then reduce to 1050 to descend. Diving is an experience. Point the nose down and you would expect all this weight to carry you to the ground at an alarming rate. Not so. There is so much drag that there is hardly any acceleration without an excessive amount of forward stick. Even then the Fee doesn’t go much faster. It’s a chore to reach its never-exceed speed of 110 mph.

The view from this vantage point is stunning. However, it is easy to see why the Fee was best flown in defensive formations, as it is vulnerable from the rear. In fact, even to the side the view is obscured by the high cockpit walls extending above the pilot’s shoulders and head. A few steep turns in either direction reveal no unusual characteristics. In fact, the machine feels strong and purposeful.

For its pilots and gunner, the Vintage Aviator reproduced original coats worn by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), including straps inside, the purpose of which was a mystery until the first flight. As we climbed for altitude my observer attempted to stand and reach for the rear-facing gun. He inflated like a balloon. It was funny at first, but then the thought of him being pulled over the low sides of the front cockpit became real.

The cockpit comes only to just below the observer’s knee. The straps were there to keep the coat from blowing open in the wind.

Time to land: Simply head back to the field and point the nose down a few degrees, throttle back to 1050 rpm, and wait. The speed builds to only 80-85 mph and the noise increases a bit. Once in the pattern, some planning is required. The Fee is a big machine with a lot of momentum and little climb performance—important factors in a go-around. Downwind-leg speed should be about 60, turn to base at 55, then reduce to 50 over the fence, and touch down at 45. The undercarriage will make any landing short of a crash feel good.

As you taxi back to dispersal, think about young men in 1917 flying this machine with a full bomb load—at night, in all kinds of weather. Or simply enjoy the smell of burnt castor oil and another piece of history is brought to life.

Gene DeMarco has 25 years of experience with early aircraft types, having worked for Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Parker O’Malley Air Museum, and RyderMuseum in the United States. He is an FAA certificated mechanic with an inspection authorization and has logged nearly 13,000 hours in early aircraft types.

THE VINTAGE AVIATOR

The Vintage Aviator Ltd. maintains working relationships with other restoration facilities and museums in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States that assist TVAL in sourcing information as well as technical data and original parts for duplication and reproduction. Likewise, TVAL can help others by supplying missing parts for display engines in museums or to assist other organizations that may require replacement parts, in essence, preserving the technology.

TVAL seeks to promote interest in World War I aviation and would like to make many of the parts and equipment it produces available to serious collectors and builders. The Vintage Aviator Ltd. does not sell any of these items but instead seeks interesting trades. TVAL will consider original aircraft, engines, parts, and uniforms. Medals, drawings, propellers, memorabilia, photo albums, and just about anything from this time period also will be considered.