Airpower Through WW I

2 Mitchell Video

3 Time Period Distinctive Capabilities Functions (missions) Doctrinal Emphasis Pre- WW I  Information Superiority  Surveillance & Reconnaissance  Artillery Spotting  Gathering Military Info to support land forces CFD Model

4 World War I—Missions Reconnaissance – Collecting visual and photographic information Counterair – Air-to-air combat Close Air Support – Support of ground forces Interdiction – Striking enemy resources close to the battlefield Strategic Bombing – Strikes deep into enemy territory to destroy war making capabilities

5 World War I—Missions Reconnaissance – Collecting visual and photographic information -- What was the overall attitude regarding aviators? -- Why was Germany successful at Tannenberg? -- How did France turn the tide of war? Counterair – Air-to-air combat -- Who was Roland Garros? How did he change the war? -- Why arm the planes? -- What was Anthony Fokker’s contribution? -- What was the Allies’ response?

6 Roland Garros (French): Developed metal strips for propellers so machine gun bullets would not shatter the props – First WWI pilot to shoot down an enemy plane by firing through propeller blades Technological Developments

7 Anthony Fokker (Dutch): Designed synchronizing gear so bullets would pass through the spinning propeller blades Technological Developments

8 WWI—Early Uses of Airpower Reconnaissance and artillery spotting – Took away the element of surprise – Hampered by weather / unserviceable aircraft Pursuit Aviation (Air superiority) – Grew out of attempts to deny reconnaissance – 1st air-to-air kill occurred in Oct – Developed rapidly in WWI – Key to winning the air war

9 Nieuports and Spads (French): Most reliable and flexible aircraft in 1916 Fokker Triplanes: German aircraft that put the Germans back on top in 1917 Technological Developments

10 American Participation in WWI When United States. entered the war in April 1917, US Air Service was totally unprepared – Aviation Section had 56 pilots and less than 250 airplanes; none ready for combat Congress approved $640 million in July 1917 to raise 354 combat squadrons At the end of WWI, Air Service had 183,000 personnel and 185 squadrons

11 World War I—Missions Close Air Support – Support of ground forces Interdiction – Striking enemy resources close to the battlefield Strategic Bombing – Strikes deep into enemy territory to destroy war making capabilities

12 Strategic Bombing in WWI Limited in scope and intensity Had a negligible outcome on the war Laid the foundation for future thought

13 Bombing of Britain Germans conducted daylight bombing raids against Britain using Zeppelins— – Stopped because of poor results Germans reinitiated daylight raids using Gotha bombers in 1917 – ineffective Germans begin night bombing using Zeppelins and Reisen bombers— —Primarily terror raids Strengthened British morale; destroyed little war making capacity

14 Began in 1914; generally ineffective British bombed German cities and airfields in retaliation for German strikes Allies created the Inter- Allied Independent Air Force (IAIAF) in 1919 for the purpose of bombing Germany. – War ended before the IAIAF was used British Handley Page Bomber Allied Bombing of Germany

15 Strategic Bombing Theorists Sir Hugh Trenchard Giulio Douhet

16 Commander of the Royal Air Force Primary target should be civilian morale Believed allies should attack German homeland Attack around the clock Sir Hugh Trenchard

17 General in the Italian Army Believed airpower was supreme after WWI Believed bombers would win all wars Air weapon would be used against ports, railroads and economic structures Best way to gain air superiority was to destroy the enemy’s ground organization Giulio Douhet

18 Once air superiority was achieved, bombers would concentrate on cities to destroy industry and morale Influenced by Italian geography where there was little threat of a ground invasion His doctrine led to a total war concept—war on the nation as a whole, not just military forces Giulio Douhet (cont’d)

19 Review of CFD Model Distinctive Capabilities: Air and space expertise, capabilities, and technological know-how that produces superior military capabilities Functions: Broad, fundamental and continuing activities of air and space power Doctrine: Fundamental principles which military forces guide their actions in support of national objectives

20 Time Period DistinctiveCapabilitiesFunctions(missions) Doctrinal Emphasis Pre- WW I  Information Superiority  Surveillance & Reconnaissance  Artillery Spotting  Gathering Military Info to support land forces Post WW I  Information Superiority  Precision Engagement  Surveillance & Reconnaissance  Counter Air  Strategic attack  Strategic attack, of military targets Review of CFD Model