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Advent of the Air Age: World War I

Advent of the Air Age: World War I. Overview. How the airplane was employed during WWI Condition of air service at the beginning of WWI Beginnings of strategic bombing Early airpower theorists. World War I -- Missions. Reconnaissance -- Collecting visual and photographic information

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Advent of the Air Age: World War I

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  1. Advent of the Air Age:World War I

  2. Overview • How the airplane was employed during WWI • Condition of air service at the beginning of WWI • Beginnings of strategic bombing • Early airpower theorists

  3. 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

  4. WW I -- 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. 1914 • Developed rapidly in WW I • Key to winning the air war

  5. WW I Technological Developments • Roland Garros (French) -- Developed metal strips for propellers so machine bullets would not shatter the props • Anthony Fokker (Dutch) -- Designed synchronizing gear so bullets would pass through the spinning propeller blades

  6. WW I Technological Developments • Nieuports and Spads (French and British) -- most reliable and flexible aircraft in 1916 • Fokker Triplane -- German aircraft that put the Germans back on top in 1917

  7. American Participation in WW I • When US entered the war in in April 1917, the 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 WW I, Air Service had 200,000 personnel and 185 squadrons

  8. Strategic Bombing in WW I • Limited in scope and intensity • Had a negligible outcome on the war • Laid the foundation for future thought

  9. Bombing of Britain • Germans conducted daylight bombing raids against Britain using Zeppelins - 1915-16 • Stopped because of poor results • Germans reinitiated daylight raids using Gotha bombers in 1917 -- ineffective • Germans begin night bombing using Zeppelins and Reisen bombers - 1917-18 -- primarily terror raids • Strengthened British morale, destroyedlittle war making capacity

  10. Allied Bombing of Germany • Began in 1914 -- generally ineffective • British bombed German cities and airfields in retaliation for German strikes - 1917 • Allies created the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force (IAIAF) in 1919 for the purpose of bombing Germany • War ended before IAIAF was used

  11. Strategic Bombing Theorists • Sir Hugh Trenchard • Guilio Douhet • Billy Mitchell

  12. Strategic Bombing Theorists: Sir Hugh Trenchard • Commander of Royal Air Force • Primary target should be civilian morale • Believed allies should attack German homeland • Attack around the clock

  13. Strategic Bombing Theorists: Guilio Douhet • General in the Italian Army • Believed airpower was supreme after WW I • 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

  14. Strategic Bombing Theorists: Guilio Douhet (cont) • 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 total war concept -- war on the nation as a whole, not just military forces

  15. Strategic Bombing Theorists: General Billy Mitchell • Commanded Army combat units in WW I • Believed Navies were obsolete • Believed enemy cities should be attacked to destroy war production and morale • Advocated destruction of the enemy’s ability to make war -- factories, food production, communications, fuel supply

  16. Strategic Bombing Theorists:General Billy Mitchell (cont) • Felt airpower could be used against ground forces -- bombers should not be the only type of aircraft • Saw airpower in global terms • Overestimated the speed of technological development • Passionate advocate of airpower -- made many powerful enemies within military

  17. Summary • How the airplane was employed during WWI • Condition of air service at the beginning of WWI • Beginnings of strategic bombing • Early airpower theorists

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