Aircraft

What was the role of aircraft in the First World War?

Aircraft were mostly used to gather intelligence on the enemy. This could be in the form of monitoring troop movements, trench layout or supply chains.

What were aircraft like in 1914?

In 1914 aeroplanes were extremely primitive, unarmed, unreliable and highly dangerous 'string bags'. Losses were very high, especially among new pilots.

How did aircraft improve during the war?

By 1918 aircraft were more specialised:

• ❖ 'Fighters' such as the Sopwith Camel were developed. These, were fitted with machine guns and were much faster and more maneuverable. Dogfights were common.
• ❖ 'Bombers', such as the German Gotha and the British Handley Page, had been designed that could carry heavy loads of bombs and drop them on distant targets.
• ❖ By 1918, 10,000 planes were being used and over 50,000 airmen had been killed.

What were dogfights in the First World War?

As aircraft were fitted with machine guns, they could fire on the men in the trenches and also against other enemy planes, in what became known as dogfights. These were spectacular aerial battles relying on a pilot's skill and reflexes.

What impact did aircraft have?

The war sped up the development of aircraft technology so they became a key weapon on the Western Front. Air power was also used at sea to observe and attack shipping.