British Airways tv advert

[Panzergranate]

So Pope, or anybody, what is the bi-plane in the advert??

It isn't a Tiger Moth (too big and a 4 blade prop).

It does look suspiciously like an old RFC / RAF WW1 to 1930's RE-8 "Harry Tate" recce plane / light bomber / trainer.

All were replaced by the Hawker Hart and Hawker Hector in 1930, which in turn, were replaced by the Fairey Battle in 1937.

Having flown an RE-8 in some of the missions in the old WW1 Sierra simulator "Red Baron" all I can say is that they are the definition of a sitting duck and have the opposite of agility. The idea of the 4 blade prop was so that it could fly at a higher altitude than conventional recce planes in WW1.

In reality it overtaxes the engine at lower altitudes and in dives. Despite this it was reliable.

Top speed was 102 MPH on a good day. Defensive armament was a single rear scarff ring mounted lewis gun fired by the observer, a prayer book and a box of lucky Rabbit's feet.

RE-8's accounted for the majority of WW1 allied aircraft losses through enemy action....