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The War in the Air - Observation and Reconnaissance

The War in the Air - Observation and Reconnaissance. The War in the Air - Fighters. Air Aces of World War One. Manfred von Richthofen - known as the 'Red Baron‘ - scored the highest number of victories of the war (80)

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The War in the Air - Observation and Reconnaissance

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  1. The War in the Air - Observation and Reconnaissance

  2. The War in the Air - Fighters

  3. Air Aces of World War One Manfred von Richthofen - known asthe 'Red Baron‘ - scored the highest number of victories of the war (80) although Frenchman Rene Fonck was the highest scorer (75) to survive the war. Captain Albert Ball (1896-1917) scored 47 victories during World War One. Major Edward 'Mickey' Mannock (1887-1918) was Britain's highest scoring (61) fighter pilot in World War One.

  4. Vickers F.B.2 (1914

  5. Sopwith Camel

  6. ‘Dogfights’ The first fighter planes were only equipped with machine-guns which were fixed onto the top wing.These early fighter aircraft had two seats, with a man sitting in the rear controlling the guns. Dogfights were extremely difficult because the pilot would have to dodge other enemy aircraft while listening to the commands of the gunner as to where to fly to get the enemy into his sights.

  7. On the outbreak of the First World War, Anthony Fokker began work on a new single-seater fighter plane. Fokker was convinced that it was vitally important to develop a system where the pilot could fire a machine-gun while flying the plane. His solution to this problem was to have a forward-firing machine-gun synchronized with the propeller.

  8. British army observation balloon • Cheap to run • Aircraft could get tangled in the wires • Not armed

  9. Zeppelins (Airships) • Zeppelins could reach a maximum speed of 136 kph and reach a height of 4,250 metres. They had five machine-guns and could carry 2,000 kg (4,400 lbs) of bombs.

  10. Zeppelin Raids • While on leave from from France William Brooks and his girlfriend witnessed a Zeppelin raid on London. One night, we watched a Zeppelin raid on the Woolwich Aresnal. The German Zeppelin was sort of hovering over the building dropping bombs and they scored a couple of direct hits, causing massive explosions. We felt the blast two to three miles away. A few small bi-planes of ours went up to attack it but the Zeppelin had heavy machine-guns mounted in the cabin slung beneath it and, being almost stationary, could take careful aim on a plane. So our brave airman stood no chance. But one little plane went up, one of those double wing ones with all the struts holding the wings together. Well, this pilot flew above the Zeppelin and dropped bombs onto it. One hit it square on - flames started to light up the night sky. She was on fire all right. Everyone in the street started to cheer.

  11. Royal Flying Corps (RFC) • Great Britain founded the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in May 1912. • By the time the Battle of the Somme started in July 1916 the RFC had a total strength of twenty-seven squadrons (421 aircraft), with four kite-balloon squadrons and fourteen balloons.

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