WWI Aviation History in short

Prior to the Great War the history of aviation was but 11 years old. The first successful powered flight only happening in 1903.
By 1908 the various records were:

• Altitude - 25 meters (82 feet)
• Speed - 44 kph (27.2 mph)
• Endurance - 2 hours 20 minutes 23 seconds
• Distance - 125 kilometres (77.5 miles)

At the end of 1913 these records were:

• Altitude - 6,120 meters (20,060 feet)
• Speed - 204 kph (124.5 mph)
• Endurance - 14 hours 7 minutes
• Distance - 1,900 kilometres (1178 miles)

Such development over a short time was in part due to the spirit of adventure and the striving of many individuals.

1914-1916

With the outbreak of war many thought the aircraft could play a role, but what is should be couldn't be decided. Tradition was strong in the Army and first the aircraft was limited to reconnaissance work. This was for two reasons, the aircraft was still a frail instrument and secondly its reliability and capacity to undertake work was limited.

So reconnaissance aircraft were reporting troop movements and collecting information for artillery. Initial weapons as such were the pilots and observers pistols, rifles and shotguns. The French also dropped Flechettes (steel darts) early in 1914.

Late 1914 saw the introduction of machine guns to aircraft and the concept of a true aerial weapon was formed. One approach was to build pusher aircraft, which gave a clear field of fire forward. Another was to fire through the propeller. Early versions had problems with firing through the propeller and it wasn't till Roland Garros utilised a steel deflector on the propeller that some progress was made. In 1915, Germany captured him and his aircraft and immediately accelerated Anthony Fokker into the limelight by producing the first synchronised firing mechanism. So started the "Fokker Scourge" in August 1915. The British aircraft like the BE.2c were not up to the Fokker E.III in both attack and defence. However the development of the RAF FE.2b and the DH.2, both pusher aircraft, did make a huge difference towards redressing the balance over the front line. Soon after the Nieuport 11 and 17 were released by the French. By February 1916 the balance was restored.

Also during 1915 the development of airships and bombers was advanced enough for them both to be consider suitable as weapons. The Zeppelin was favoured in Germany as a true strategic weapon, with its long range and heavy lift capacity. The bomber less so, as the required engine horsepower was well short of a true long-range weapon.

1916-1918

Germany responded with new aircraft the Albatros D.I, D.II and D.III, the Halberstadt D.II and D.III. Other German makers were also producing new models that resulted in a wider range of aircraft types and most built to fulfil a particular role in the air. Reconnaissance, fighter, bomber or ground attack.

Bombers became more matured with bomb loads increasing from 100 kg (220lbs) to 1,000 kg (2,205lbs) by the end of 1918. The variety of aircraft designed as bombers moved from conversion of existing fighters to full scale multi engined beasts.

Airships fell from grace as bombers proved more capable over long distances, but airships were to play an important role in defence for anti-ship and anti-submarine patrols over the English Channel and beyond.

Tactics also changed during this period with the formation of German Jastas (fighter squadron) where groups of identical fighters were formed into a single squadron.

The allies had to wait till the summer of 1917 before again they could restore the balance with the introduction of the Sopwith Camel, Triplane, SE.5a and Bristol Fighter. Along with the French SPAD VII.

The ongoing development of all sides resulted in superb aircraft such as the Fokker D.VII and Pfalz D.XII. But the production numbers from German manufactures were low, and in the end the allies industrial might defeated the better equipped but smaller German Air Force.

Post War records:

• Altitude - Sep 18, 1919 - 31,420 feet attained by Roland Rohlfs in a Curtiss L-3 triplane.
• Speed - 273 kph (170 mph)
• Endurance - Jan 1-7, 1929 - USAAC Maj Carl Spaatz and crew Capt Ira Eaker, Lt Elwood Queseda, Lt Harry Halverson, and Sgt Roy Hooe, in Fokker C-2A, using air-to-air refueling over Los Angeles.
• Time aloft: 150h:40m:15s. This was the first of the official endurance records.
• Distance - In-flight plane-to-plane refueling - June 27, 1923 - Capt L H Smith and Lt J P Richter, in an Army de Havilland DH-4B over Rockwell Field, San Diego. They also set a distance record of 3,293 miles covered in the flight.

Other key aviation events immediate post WWI

Airships were being used in commercial inter city flights across Germany between Berlin, Leipzig, and Weimar.

The British and French Both began passenger service in 1919, using modified military Bombers to carry passengers between London and Paris. In the United States, passenger service began in the late 1920s.

On June 14, 1919 John Alcock and A. W. Brown, both from England, made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean from St. Johns, Newfoundland to Clifton, Ireland. The 1,890-mile flight from Newfoundland to Ireland required 16 hours 27 minutes - an average speed of 118 Mph.

Distance and comfort soon became the drive as commercial interests took over the previous military aircraft thinking.

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