rfc

Dancer and pilot. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_and_Irene_Castle

A photo in the Bismarck daily tribune., August 10, 1916, Image 1 shows him standing in front of the same type of plane, obviously a Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_JN-4). According to the text, he was lieutenant of the British Royal Aviation corps at that time (and spended his time at night giving dancing lessons to officers).

On February 19, 1916, it was reported that British Army Captain Archibald B. Ford, 22, was training pilots for Curtiss and that he had been training Vernon Castle, who intended to enlist. It could be Capt. Ford on the left, though this person doesn't look a lot like Ford in this earlier Bain photo:

select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50A1EFC345C1373...

At center in the photo is American fighter ace William P. "Bill" Erwin. Erwin would perish in 1927 searching for missing fliers during the ill-fated Dole Air Race from Oakland to Honolulu, Hawaii. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Portwood_Erwin

L to R: Lieutenants Harry C. Roberts and George M. Belser, Captains William P. Erwin (shown wearing his Distinguished Service Cross, an eight-victory ace from the 1st Aero Squadron) and Thomas C. Traill (an eight-victory Bristol Fighter ace from 20 Squadron RAF), and Ewin T. Carroll (Lieut. Frank Carroll’s father and a prominent Evangelical Methodist, Local Preacher in Illinois), at Forest Park in St. Louis on April 14, 1919. This was the Victory Loan Flying Circus, Mid-West Flight's fourth air show during their tour of the Midwest. (Note: Roberts face is missing here, but I have my own personal copy, which is in much better condition.)

No medal ribbons so probably all beginners? Fine looking bunch and all sporting moustaches I see!!!!

Nice observation. Considering that this image is part of a larger collection of training slides, it would be quite reasonable to assume that these would be rookie pilots.

Apparently they are officers from No.2 squadron based in Montrose, Scotland in front of a BE-2 biplane shortly before they flew to Amiens on 13th August 1914. (Daily Record 19/04/14).

That's a late production BE2b aircraft, or an early BE2c.

Strange to think these gentlemen were likely in their 20s or 30s. Something about B&W, or the clothing & hairstyle always makes them seem an indeterminate "old" no matter how I go along aging myself; they always seem older than me!