royalaircraftfactorybe2

LOC: note typo in transcription of airship name "Parseval"
In this copy, Bain has redacted the source info, May & Co.'s postcard 300.
The unredacted photo is reproduced by Flickr user DesertBlooms here:
flic.kr/p/aLtzFD
Part of postcard series elsewhere in Bain Collection of pre WWI British airplanes and airships.




And here's some motion picture footage:
www.britishpathe.com/video/airships-earliest-days-aka-air...

Parseval was the name of the designer, and there were 22 such ships built. This one could be the PL-18 No. 4
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Parseval_airships#PL_18_-_No.4

The biplane at front right, No. 235 is identified as a BE.2a here: www.ukserials.com/serials-older-000.htm It is a Royal Aircraft Factory (Blériot Experimental) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_B.E.2

artolog, Thank you very much for such in depth digging about the airship and the accompanying plane - and for providing great citations. We'll add more identifying information when we update this record.

This appears to be a Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_R.E.8 See correct identification below.

Thank you!

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e. One possibility is A2968 built by British and Colonial (Bristol).

yavor.dinkov Thank you for the correction. This one was a real head scratcher for me.

Thanks for the help! Those planes do appear very similar.