Knights of the Air

Aircraft in World War One

Man in a Balloon

The Zeppelin Raids Zeppelins conducted the first ever

aerial bombardment of civilians dropping bombs on Norfolk towns in January 1915.

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.

The new menace 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?

Beginnings Early planes were fragile and could

break up when performing combat manoeuvres.

BE2c biplane: 116km/h, 90hp, 3hrs flight time.

Endings 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?

Change over time 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

More change 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?)

Observation and Reconnaissance “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.

Dangers 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?

First Meetings 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 Kill 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).

5th October 1914: A French Voisin III two-seater pusher plane became the first plane to shoot down another, the victim being an Aviatik B1:

The Propeller Dilemma 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.

GROUND ATTACK 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.

Women Pilots in the War 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 1914.

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.

THE RED BARON 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 1917. 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 1918. 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?