Aircraft in World War One

 Zeppelins conducted the first ever aerial bombardment of civilians dropping bombs on Norfolk towns in January  A further 50 Zeppelin Raids took place.  From 1917 the Zeppelins were accompanied by Gotha G Bombers.  The raids diverted enemy resources and hampered wartime production.

 Airplane’s first military use was by Italy in 1911  Combatants had few planes at the start of WW1  France began with 140 but produced 68,000 with a 77% loss rate. What does this say about the dangers of flying compared to other forms of war service?

 Early planes were fragile and could break up when performing combat manoeuvres.  BE2c biplane: 116km/h, 90hp, 3hrs flight time.

 SE5a fighter: 222 km/h, 200hp engine  What major changes do you think took place in aircraft technology during the war? How might these changes have impacted on the use and effectiveness of aircraft?

 Stability gives way to manouevrability. Why?  At start of conflict importance was given to ease of flying. First pilots only had hours training before combat.  Sopwith Camel: supremely agile; difficult to fly

 Began as tool for observation and reconnaissance.  Did not play decisive role in war but proved their capabilities in various roles that were created and experimented with;  Tactical and strategic bombing  Ground attack  Naval warfare  Dogfights (What do you think this might be?)

 “Good for sport” – What did Foch mean by this?  Cavalry still believed to be most important for reconnaissance. Why do you think officers maintained this belief?  Pilot had to fly straight and level – easy target!  Ilya Murometz: Russian bomber that was used as first class reconnaissance plane.

 Anti-aircraft fire  Their own artillery shells  Enemy fighters  More than half of Red Baron’s hits were recon. planes.  Perhaps the best recon. Plane, with a speed of 230km/h, was (surprisingly) the Italian Ansaldo SVA 5. Why?

 Pilots would wave to each other. Why?  Soon they were throwing bricks, rope and firing pistols.  The ‘strap–on’ – Louis Strange placed a safety strap on his Avro 504 to allow the observer to stand up and fire 360 degrees above plane.

 The first aircraft brought down by another was an Austrian recon. rammed on 8 September 1914 by Russian pilot Pyotr Nesterov in Galicia (both planes crashed killing all occupants).  5 th October 1914: A French Voisin III two- seater pusher plane became the first plane to shoot down another, the victim being an Aviatik B1: 

 Soon became apparent that best design was single seater with fixed machine gun pointing forward but… the propeller was in the way! Louis Strange fixed a Lewis gun on top of the upper wing of his Martinsyde S 1 biplane without success.

 Carried out against targets of opportunity.  Extremely accurate but extremely hazardous ( carried out from very low altitudes).  Used effectively at the Battle of Messines and again with the iconic Sopwith Camel at the Third Battle of Ypres.

 A number of female pilots volunteered for service but only a few were allowed to serve.  Princess Eugenie Shakhovskaya was the first woman to become a military pilot when she flew reconnaissance missions in  Marie Marvingt piloted bombing missions becoming the first woman combat pilot.  Nedeshda Degtereva had the distinction of being the first woman pilot to be wounded in combat while on a reconnaissance mission over the Austrian front in Galicia in 1915.

 Enrolled at age 11 at the military school at Wahlstatt and then attended the Royal Military Academy at Lichterfelde. Became a cavalry officer.  Briefly served in the trenches before joining the German Air Force.  Famously flew a brightly painted Fokker DR-1 Dridecker.  Appointed commander of the Flying Circus in June It comprised Germany's top fighter pilots.  After scoring 80 confirmed kills, Richthofen was shot down as he flew deep into British lines in pursuit of Wilfrid May on 21 April He was 25  Buried by the British with full military honours.  Controversy over who shot him down. British, Canadian and Australian forces all claim the credit. Why would they argue over this?  Why do you think Richthofen is more famous than Rene Fonck who scored 75 kills and survived the war?