Air War

 

Balloons | Bombing | Dogfights | Wireless Telegraphy | Fist Successful Flight |
Austria-Hungary Aces | Australia Aces | Britain Aces | Canada Aces | France Aces |
German Aces | Russia Aces | America Aces

 

Balloons

Hot-air balloons were widely used in World War 1. Many were placed on the Western Front as observers because they were cheaper than planes. The development of fighter planes made it more dangerous to be in an air balloon. Balloon crew members were given parachutes. They were also given a powered wrench that helped them bring the balloon down quickly.

Bombing The use of bombs was very important in World War 1. Bombing raids were conducted all the time. Bombers such as Zeppelins were extremely vulnerable to ground fire, but could level buildings in seconds. The Sikorski 1M, Caproni, Gotha, and the Airco DH-4 were other bombers used; none of them were very effective. Fast fighter planes and strong antiaircraft artillery made it hard to bomb during day hours, and it was hard to bomb during night hours due to the darkness. Strategic bombing was difficult to carry out. Still, there were over 9,000 casualties due to bombs.

 

Dogfights

"Dogfight" means an aerial battle between two or more planes. Dogfights were a big part of World War 1. Since the war broke out soon after planes were invented, there had not been time to create guns that could be built to the body of the plane. Early planes had guns connected to the top wing. Also, they had two seats. There was a pilot in the front and a gunner in the back. The pilot had to listen to the gunner while dodging enemy fire, making early dogfights difficult. A British pilot, Louis Strange, developed a safety strap to allow the gunner to stand and be able to fire all around the top of the plane. With Rolland Garros' deflector plates added to planes, machine guns could be used, and a single seat fighter was possible. Once Anthony Fokker developed his synchronized gear, true fighter planes and dogfights were created. With so many new developments for fighter planes, tactics were changed. Originally fighters had the 'lone wolf' tactic, now they traveled in groups. When attacking, most pilots dove towards the target from the sun. This reduced the time the pilot being attacked had to react and avoid being hit. Later pilots placed mirrors in line with their gun, so rays were reflected into the eyes of pilots using this tactic against them. Many pilots also used clouds for cover when attacking.

 

Wireless Telegraphy

At the beginning of the war, wireless telegraphy was used to communicate at a distance of about 2,000 miles. The Royal Flying Corps created a way to use wireless telegraphy to help artillery hit specific targets. Observers would carry a wireless set and a map. They identified the enemy's position and sent messages to the artillery commander. They also used wireless telegraphy for defense. They were able to detect planes or bombers coming towards from twenty miles away. This was especially helpful in stopping bombers before they could unload bombs on a city.

 

First Successful Flight

The first successfully controlled plane flight was December 17, 1903. So by the time of WW1 outbreak it was still a relatively new invention. Not many people realized the full potential of the plane. After the Wright brothers gained worldwide fame with their "Flying Machine" Orville and Wilber offered their design to the US War Department as well as other governments and individuals in Europe. They were repeatedly turned down. But in late 1907 the US Signal Corps asked for an aircraft. And then a few months later a group of French businessman bought another. After demonstrating their plane in Europe and in the US orders poured in for planes. But since it was obvious there was money in the aviation business many copycats entered the picture. By 1912 many countries were producing their own planes. With the outbreak of war many realized that the plane could be used as an advantage. But not many of them thought beyond reconnaissance. Since the Civil War balloons had been used to spot enemy formations and troop movement. At first planes were sent out and over enemy positions to scout where they were located and their strength. The pilots independently armed themselves with pistols and sometimes rifles to shoot at any enemy plane they might come across. Occasionally they even carried small bomb to drop over the side of their plane onto enemy positions. Eventually machine guns were mounted to planes so that the pilot could fire in the direction he was flying. This created a new problem. Pilots had to crash land because passing bullets were destroying their propellers. A French Pilot, Rolland Garros, added small wedges of toughened steel to divert bullets. On April 1st, 1915 Garros took his new invention to the sky and shot down an Albatros B II. In the next two weeks Garros shot down four more planes (giving him 5 kills, enough to be an ace). However on April 18th Garros was forced to crash land behind the German front line. German troops arrived and captured him (and his plane) before he could set fire to it, to protect his invention. The plane was immediately sent to Anthony Fokker, a Dutch designer who was producing planes for Germany. Since 1914 Fokker was designing a synchronizing gear to add to planes. During the summer of 1915 the Fokker E was introduced. It was on the Western front within the month. It gave the Germans a clear advantage. The Allies weren't too far behind the Germans and soon answered the "Fokker Scourge" with their own synchronizing gear, which was designed by George Constantinesco.

 

Austria-Hungary Aces

Pilot	Victories
Godwin Brumowski	35
Julius Arigi	32
Benno Fiala von Fernbrugg	28
Frank Linke-Crawford	27
Josef Kiss	19
Franz Graser	18
Eugen Bonsch	16
Stefan Fejes	16
Ernst Strohschneider	15
Adolf Heyrowsky	12
Kurt Gruber	11
Franz Rudorfer	11
Friedrich Navratil	10
Raoul Stojsavljevic	10

 

Australia Aces

Pilot	Victories
Robert Little	47
Roderic Dallas	32
Arthur Cobby	29
Elwyn King	26
Alexander Pentland	23
Edgar McCloughry	21
Richard Minifie	21
Edgar Johnson	20
Andrew Cowper	19
Cedric Howell	19
Fred Holliday	17
Allan Hepburn	16
Francis Smith	16
John Gordon	15
Roy Phillipps	15
Arthur Coningham	14
Harold Hamersley	13
Eric Stephens	13
Thomas Baker	12
Raymond Brownell	12
Walter Kirk	12
Roby Manuel	12
Cecil Richards	12
Leonard Taplin	12

 

British Aces

Pilot	Victories
Major Edward Mannock	73
Captain James McCudden	54
Major Philip Fullard	53
Major William Barker	52
Captain G. E. McElroy	48
Captain Albert Ball	44
Captain H. J. Larkin	41
Captain J. I. Jones	41
Captain W. G. Claxton	39
Captain F. R. McCall	39
Captain John Gilmore	37
Captain Henry Wollett	35
Captain Frank Quigley	34
Major Murless-Green	32
Captain J. L. White	31
Captain M. B. Frew	30
Captain C. E. Howell	30

 

Canada Aces

Pilot	Victories
William Bishop	72
Raymond Collishaw	60
Donald MacLaren	54
William Barker	50
Alfred Atkey	38
William Claxton	37
Joseph Fall	36
Frederick McCall	35
Francis Quigley	33
Andrew McKeever	31
Albert Carter	29
Reginald Hodge	28
Clifford McEwen	27
Frank Soden	27
Arthur Whealy	27
William Thomson	26
Stanley Rosevear	25
William Shields	24
William Alexander	23
Joseph White	22
Charles Hickey	21
Kenneth Conn	20
Camille Lagesse	20
Arthur Fairclough	20