Mannock's SE5a

Did Mannock's SE5a from 74th squadron (D278) have a letter "a" on the bottom of the wing? If so, which wing and what color was it (black I assume). I have good top views and side views of this plane but no bottom views.

Jim

[Dan_San_Abbott]

JimDrissell:
Captain Edward Mannock's A Flight apparently did not paint the aircraft letter on the wings, I have checked my files and Les Rogers' "British Aviation Squadrons Markings in World War I". A flight used letters A to F and were marked aft of the cockade, in front of the Squdron marking the white bar on the side of the fuselage. The white bar wasalso painted on the turtle-deck.
Captain Mannock's S.E.5a D'278 had a 200 hp direct drive Hispano-Suiza and had the one piece radiator simular to the 200 hp geared Hispano-Suiza. The cylinder heads were faired with stream-lined fairings in front and the rear of the cylinder banks.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

So DanSan, If I were to buld a model how would i know the difference between the two? And what about the SE with the big G on it?

Ginger, was your SE geared or direct drive?

[Ginger.]

If it was direct drive and powered by all the hot air from you lot it'd be the first biplane through the sound barrier!

Thanks for the information Dan San.

Topgun and Ginger, uh, thanks for the additional information?

A couple more questions. Was there lettering on the tail for the number D'278. Were the roundels toward the tips of the wings or were they inboard from the ailerons?

Thanks so much, Jim

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Jim Drissell:
Mannock's S.E.5a D'278 is painted on the fin and the cockades are out at the tip with the center located at the center of the rib to which the interplane struts are attached.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Wonderful!!!

Thanks again Dan San.

Jim