Armament was led by 1 x 0.303 caliber (7.7mm) Vickers machine gun in a fixed, forward-firing position on the forward fuselage and operated by the pilot. The rear gunner managed 1 or 2 x Lewis machine guns on a trainable mount. In addition to these standard fittings, the aircraft was cleared to carry up to 225 lb of bombs.
Compared to the B.E.2, the R.E.8 was faster, could fly higher and given more base power. By these factors it should have impressed more than it did but the Grand War became the ultimate testbed for all military aircraft of the period and any weaknesses in a given design were to come through eventually.
Service trials were conducted in France through two prototypes during July 1916 and this led to approval for serial production coming that fall - first deliveries to the Front were in November. Due to limitations of certain components (including the intended machine gun fits) early R.E.8 models were given varying arrangements of armament in the early-going. Despite their more powerful engines, the line was still deemed underpowered mainly due to their heavier weight so attempts were made to re-engine the type - a sole model represented the R.E.8a variant with a Hispano-Suiza of 200 horsepower but this design never entered serial production, mainly due to shortage of the engines in question.
In practice, the R.E.8 lacked the stability pilots had come rely on with the B.E.2 series and some, typically greenhorns, paid with their lives. Landing and spinning actions were particularly of concern to new pilots for the aircraft proved unforgiving. Engineers ultimately tried to address the spinning/recovery issue by instituting a larger tail fin but this had limited results in-the-field. Restricted as a direct-combat platform, R.E.8s was eventually operated in reconnaissance and artillery spotting roles before moving on to pilot training.
Beyond the British - who stocked over thirty squadrons with R.E.8s - the Belgian Air Service operated the aircraft line during the war and these featured Hispano-Suiza engines in a revised cowling. British use of the aircraft was given up rather quickly after the Armistice of November 1918 though post-war service saw the R.E.8 utilized in Australia, Estonia and the Soviet Union.
The only other R.E.8 variant of note was the R.E.9 which was an R.E.8 fitted with equal-span wings and enlarged tail fin. However only two R.E.8s were modified in this fashion and proved no better than standard R.E.8 aircraft.
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