Plane Crash 1917

[wolfenbill]

The Fe2b, while being a totally different design than the Be2c, did share the same wing. *The Fe2b used the same wing panels as the Be2c but had a wider wingspan because a long midsection wing was added between the two Be2c wings. *I've looked at the crash photo for awhile and to be honest it could be either type aircraft. *The Fe2b was a 3 bay aircraft while the Be2c was 2 bay. *My first impression was that it was a 2 bay aircraft but the way the struts have been moved I couldn't decide for sure whether the farthest set of visible struts were as big as the closer ones. *If not as big then it's a Be2c, but if they're the same, it's an Fe2b. *There's just not much of a fuselage or empanage visible to be definitive. *Because they both share the same wing panels the wing tips (the only really good visible clues) are not much help. *Sharing Be2c wing panels was not unique to the Fe2b. *An early prototype of the Bristol F2 (later called the Brisfit) started with Be2 wings before subsequent design work led to its having its own wing design.

I received your email Ashley and decided to use this forum to reply. *Hope that's ok.

If I HAD to bet money I'd go with the Be2c. *I see no evidence of any boom type structure emanating backwards from the top wings but I see a SUGGESTION of a standard fuselage extending backward. *

Maybe examination of the photo with a magnifying glass would help. *I've seen a lot of these photos which are magnificently clear when looking at them directly but are fuzzed up a bit when digitized.

When I mention Fe2b, I could have said Fe2d as well. The engine was different but I don't think the planform of the wing changed at all.