Page 227 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol V

2004 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

United States bombers
over Germany in 1943.
Allied air supremacy
was a key factor in the
German defeat.

The first frontline use of the
airplane occurred in August
1914, when the British Royal
Flying Corps used two-seater
Avro observation planes to
cover their lines when Ger-
mans attacked their infantry
near Amiens. The pilots ob-
served German infantry encir-
cling British infantry and
promptly reported this, allow-
ing commanders to redeploy
troops and avert a disaster,
proving the vital and efficient
use of aircraft for intelligence.
This simple observation and report would have taken two to things like wind drift, and bombsights were perfected
days to receive from ground patrols. The phrase “air to account for factors such as aircraft speed and altitude.
supremacy” entered military language. The swiftly changing nature of the war ramped up air-
In July 1913 Captain Alessandro Guidoni of Italy craft technology and played a major role in the evolu-
successfully dropped a 100-kilogram bomb. The Russ- tion of tactics using aircraft, virtually overnight. To
ian Igor Sikorsky developed the first four-engine plane protect bomber formations, the fighter was born—
in 1914 and flew it more than 2,250 kilometers. By pursuit aircraft, or “scouts,” such as the French Nieuport
October 1914, the Royal Flying Corps called for all and German Fokker. The “age of aces” dawned. Fighter
observation pilots to carry bombs. German airships pilots became public heroes and celebrities. Their role
struck at the heart of Britain, bombing London with not only stirred the public imagination, their individual
some 270 kilograms of high explosives and incendiary skill perfected the art of air combat tactics. The fighter
bombs. Reprisals were carried out on towns, and for pilot became an interceptor and escort to protect the
the first time, civilians and prominent personalities slower and more vulnerable bombers and reconnais-
were targeted—Kaiser Wilhelm on 1 November 1914 sance craft.They claimed the highest attrition rate of any
by the British and later Czar Nicholas II by the arm of the service.
Germans. Early on, pilots armed themselves with revolvers or
The year 1916 was a critical one for the technology of infantry rifles, until the invention of the Lewis gun by the
air warfare. Zeppelins became easy victims of British and American Isaac N. Lewis in 1911.Weighing only 11 kilo-
French antiaircraft guns and bombers. Germany devel- grams it was quickly adapted to aerial combat. The
oped the Gotha, a long-range bomber capable of flying French Hotchkiss and British Vickers came later. The
at nearly 5,000 meters. The first Gotha raid on 25 May Allied concept of aerial warfare changed from bombing
1917, in a tight formation, heralded a major advance in or reconnaissance missions to actually fighting enemy
air warfare and forced profound changes in the concept. aircraft. In 1915 the Dutchman Anthony Fokker devel-
By the end of 1917, attacks on major cities were com- oped interrupter gear fitting the machine gun to a Ger-
mon. Better bombs were developed that were not subject man airplane’s Mercedes engine and allowing it to fire on