• Royal Flying Corps •



• The Departure of the R.F.C. Expeditionary Force •




PURCHASE OF FRENCH MACHINES

Immediately after arrival in France a group of officers went to Paris in order to purchase additional machines from French manufacturers. The first batch of aircraft were numbered 801 onwards until it was realised this sequence had been allotted to the RNAS. They were subsequently renumbered in the 1801- sequence. The list shows purchases up to 31.12.14

Serial Type Date Pilot Notes
1801H Farman18.08.145SqCarmichael delivered
1802H Farman20.08.145SqBorton delivered
1803H Farman22.08.145SqVaughan delivered - f/l Senlis and arrested by French as no markings.
1804H Farman30.08.145Sq
1805H Farman01.09.143Sq
1806(1)H Farman01.09.143SqAircraft wrecked on delivery. number re-used.
1806(2)H Farman01.09.145Sq
1807Be2c02.09.142SqRenumbered ex 602 on arrival in France*. Given logbook of 239
1808Bleriot06.09.143Sq
1809Bleriot06.09.143Sq
1810Bleriot09.09.143Sq
1811Bleriot10.09.143Sq
1812Bleriot10.09.143Sq
1813H Farman12.09.143Sq
1814H Farman12.09.145Sq
1815Bleriot13.09.143Sq
1816Bleriot21.09.143Sq
1817H Farman23.09.143Sq
1818H Farman23.09.145Sq
1819Bleriot29.09.143Sq
1820Bleriot29.09.143Sq
1821H Farman30.09.143Sq
1822H Farman02.10.145Sq
1823H Farman02.10.145Sq
1824H Farman01.11.145Sq
1825Bleriot03.11.143Sq
1826H Farman05.11.14AP
1827M Farman27.11.14HQ
1828Bleriot30.11.14AP
1829Morane02.12.143Sq
1830M Farman27.10.14HQ
1831Bleriot25.10.143Sq
1832Bleriot22.10.143Sq
1833Bleriot21.10.143Sq
1834Bleriot21.10.14AP
1835H Farman21.10.143Sq
1836Bleriot28.10.143Sq
1837Bleriot31.10.143Sq
1838Bleriot31.10.143Sq
1839M Farman02.12.14HQ
1840M Farman05.12.149Sq
1841M Farman06.12.149Sq
1842Bleriot21.12.14AP
1843Morane24.12.143Sq
1844M Farman26.12.149Sq
1845Morane26.12.143Sq

* The BE2c arrived in France by air with no serial painted on the machine (it flew with 'BE2C' on the tail) and no logbook. The Aircraft Park were unsure of it's identity and thus gave it a serial taken from the block of numbers issued to the Expeditionary Force for purchases in France. As the aircraft had no log book and the Aircraft Park had no supply of blank logbooks they re-used the log book of BE2a 239 which had been struck off the day before.