First Aerial Flight by the Wright Brothers
Photo Reconnaissance
Invention and Introduction of the Plane
One invention which derived from the invention of the internal combustion engine was the airplane when in 1903, Orville Wright of North Carolina drove a power-driven airplane for twelve seconds. The airplane had been a topic for theory for many years and at first, it was theorized that they would play an important role in reconnaissance and a smaller one as aerial artillery by dropping bombs[1]. It was not until 1911 when the plane was incorporated into military use by the Italians (during their war with Turkey in Libya, a German-built monoplane was used to drop grenades, and again in 1912 when an airship was used to drop bombs).
One invention which derived from the invention of the internal combustion engine was the airplane when in 1903, Orville Wright of North Carolina drove a power-driven airplane for twelve seconds. The airplane had been a topic for theory for many years and at first, it was theorized that they would play an important role in reconnaissance and a smaller one as aerial artillery by dropping bombs[1]. It was not until 1911 when the plane was incorporated into military use by the Italians (during their war with Turkey in Libya, a German-built monoplane was used to drop grenades, and again in 1912 when an airship was used to drop bombs).
Photo Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance missions proved to be fairly successful during the war. At Tannenberg, the German victory was partially made possible by reconnaissance missions to determine the positions and intent of the Russian army[2]. Transmitting through wireless telegraphy, pilots could communicate back to the troops telling them where to direct their fire and how short they were if needed be. Soon aircraft became a dominant weapon in war. So important, in fact, that the Chief of the German General Staff, General Erich von Falkenhayn, gave an order to try and shoot down all observation planes and balloons[3]. However later on in the war, reconnaissance missions took a shift for the worst. The victory at Marne on the Western Front was partially due to French and British officers taking note of what aerial missions achieve, and use that information to deceive them[4].
Reconnaissance missions proved to be fairly successful during the war. At Tannenberg, the German victory was partially made possible by reconnaissance missions to determine the positions and intent of the Russian army[2]. Transmitting through wireless telegraphy, pilots could communicate back to the troops telling them where to direct their fire and how short they were if needed be. Soon aircraft became a dominant weapon in war. So important, in fact, that the Chief of the German General Staff, General Erich von Falkenhayn, gave an order to try and shoot down all observation planes and balloons[3]. However later on in the war, reconnaissance missions took a shift for the worst. The victory at Marne on the Western Front was partially due to French and British officers taking note of what aerial missions achieve, and use that information to deceive them[4].
Conditions for Pilots
Being a fighter pilot was extremely dangerous during the war for many reasons. The engines were often unreliable and underpowered, and the majority of planes were constructed out of canvas, wood and wire; thus allowing them to catch on fire easily. It was not uncommon for a pilot to jump out of a burning plane to his death rather than be burned alive[5]. Being at such a high altitude, the air was unpleasantly cold as well.
The Royal Air Force FE-2d
Being a fighter pilot was extremely dangerous during the war for many reasons. The engines were often unreliable and underpowered, and the majority of planes were constructed out of canvas, wood and wire; thus allowing them to catch on fire easily. It was not uncommon for a pilot to jump out of a burning plane to his death rather than be burned alive[5]. Being at such a high altitude, the air was unpleasantly cold as well.
Developments
Some of the first recorded aerial combats involved pilots taking rifles up with them when they went to fly and taking shots at enemy planes. In some cases, they would throw whatever was in arms reach to try and take down their opponent. It was not long before another seat was added to planes and a machine gun was mounted to the back facing rearward. The first victory was when a French two-seater biplane shot down a German aircraft on October 5th, 1914. Some attempts during the war to use pusher ( a plane with the engine behind the cockpit, rather than in front like most planes at the time)[6] aircraft to make a forward firing system, but the pushers were slower than the front-engine aircraft and proved unsuccessful at aiming a machine gun. Garros later introduced a system which allowed him to fire through the front propeller blades. A better system was created by Germany’s Anthony Fokker on monoplanes going into war in 1915 (These monoplanes used a single machine gun firing forward and proved to be highly effective)[7]. This marked the beginning of change for aerial warfare.
After Lieutenant Max Immelmann introduced formations of three or four planes into battle, the French and British reacted by introducing the De Havilland DH2, and the FE2b (all pusher planes), and the French Nieuport 11(the French Nieuport was a tractor aircraft with a gun mounted above the wing)[8]. As well as intruding new aircraft to battle, they increased the formation size to four and five. Only then did Fokker’s control of the skies come to an end.
As the war went on, larger and heavier aircraft were created that were capable of flying from bases in France to Germany, and back within one night[9]. Wood was being replaced by metal, engines were becoming more efficient, and monoplane designs were replacing the biplane and triplane designs due to its aerodynamic advantages. A new era of aerial warfare was soon to begin.
Some of the first recorded aerial combats involved pilots taking rifles up with them when they went to fly and taking shots at enemy planes. In some cases, they would throw whatever was in arms reach to try and take down their opponent. It was not long before another seat was added to planes and a machine gun was mounted to the back facing rearward. The first victory was when a French two-seater biplane shot down a German aircraft on October 5th, 1914. Some attempts during the war to use pusher ( a plane with the engine behind the cockpit, rather than in front like most planes at the time)[6] aircraft to make a forward firing system, but the pushers were slower than the front-engine aircraft and proved unsuccessful at aiming a machine gun. Garros later introduced a system which allowed him to fire through the front propeller blades. A better system was created by Germany’s Anthony Fokker on monoplanes going into war in 1915 (These monoplanes used a single machine gun firing forward and proved to be highly effective)[7]. This marked the beginning of change for aerial warfare.
After Lieutenant Max Immelmann introduced formations of three or four planes into battle, the French and British reacted by introducing the De Havilland DH2, and the FE2b (all pusher planes), and the French Nieuport 11(the French Nieuport was a tractor aircraft with a gun mounted above the wing)[8]. As well as intruding new aircraft to battle, they increased the formation size to four and five. Only then did Fokker’s control of the skies come to an end.
As the war went on, larger and heavier aircraft were created that were capable of flying from bases in France to Germany, and back within one night[9]. Wood was being replaced by metal, engines were becoming more efficient, and monoplane designs were replacing the biplane and triplane designs due to its aerodynamic advantages. A new era of aerial warfare was soon to begin.
References
[1] Brewer, Paul. The Chronicle of War London: SevenOaks, 2007 p 132
[2] Sondahl, Birron. “Tannenberg” MilitaryHistoryOnline.com http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwi/articles/tannenberg.aspx (Accessed May 10th, 2013)
[3] Brewer, Ibid. p 132
[4] Brewer, Ibid. p 133
[5] Brewer, Ibid p 133
[6] Brewer, Ibid p 133
[7] Brewer, Ibid. p 133
[8] Brewer, Ibid. p 133
[9] Brewer, Ibid p 133
[1] Brewer, Paul. The Chronicle of War London: SevenOaks, 2007 p 132
[2] Sondahl, Birron. “Tannenberg” MilitaryHistoryOnline.com http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwi/articles/tannenberg.aspx (Accessed May 10th, 2013)
[3] Brewer, Ibid. p 132
[4] Brewer, Ibid. p 133
[5] Brewer, Ibid p 133
[6] Brewer, Ibid p 133
[7] Brewer, Ibid. p 133
[8] Brewer, Ibid. p 133
[9] Brewer, Ibid p 133