Wood and String

 

Continuing the theme of illustrating the aircraft of The Larks, this is one I recently completed of the F.E.2b used by Andy and Cubby following the demise of their unloved B.E.2c. It's from the exposed cockpits of this loose assembly of wood and string that they watch the first assault on July 1st 1916 - the opening of the brutal Battle of the Somme.

The "Fee" was a huge beast - nearly fifty feet across the wings - and it had a reputation for being stable, dependable and pleasant to fly. The two gun set-up seen on this example was a common modification to allow the observer to fire to the rear over the top wing. This required him to stand up, leaning to either side to train the gun. This while the pilot was throwing the machine around to evade enemy fire. It's scarcely surprising that several returned to base lacking twelve stone of forward ballast.

If you click to view the larger image here you'll notice that the guns have canvas sacks attached to their ejection ports. These are to collect spent cartridges, which otherwise would otherwise a) hit the pilot in the face and/or b) remove the propeller blades. Neither outcome is ideal.