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Rebeca Ruth Scurt

HST 343-01

Dr. Eubank

20 November 2019

The Impact of Aerial Warfare on World War I

The first airplane to be invented was in 1903 by the Wright brothers. Five years later

when the Wrights finally went public with their new invention, many countries became

interested in developing their own version of this technology. Airplanes saw more and more use

as they became an establishment in military procedures and strategies. In Europe, planes and air

balloons were used in land battles and at sea to spy on their enemies and get information about

what kind of defenses and weapons they have. As soon as everyone saw how effective planes

were, Italy began to use the airplane in open combat. In the Italo-Turkish War (1911-12), Giulio

Gavotti was the first Italian pilot to ever conduct an attack by air. While he was flying over

Turkish lines, Gavotti repeatedly dropped bombs on the troops below (Johnston). Even if the

Italo-Turkish War had minor casualties, it proved the importance of the plane on the modern

battlefield. The Italian victory over the Turks set the stage for more combat air patrols to come.

Other countries began to take notice of the potential for planes to be used both militarily and for

reconnaissance. As the First World War progressed, the Allies were convinced that aircrafts

could be used as an offensive weapon against the German submarines and destroyers. In the

following paper, I will provide research about the development of air power in Great Britain,

Germany, Russia, and America as well as its influence in global power dynamics.

In Great Britain, Frederick Handley Page set up the first factory that produced and

designed airplanes in Barking, Essex. His interest and passion for aviation pushed him to

persuade people to finance his risky business in 1908. His first plane that he designed was the

Bluebird. Although it crashed during its first try out, Handley Page kept working on his

experiment until he built his successful 20-hp Type A monoplane (Hastings). His company,

Handley Page Limited, developed several other monoplanes and biplanes. George Volkert joined
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Handley Page in setting up a new factory in Cricklewood close to London. At this time both

continued investing more time and money in the new aircraft company (Fearon).

In 1912, the British government persuaded Handley Page to develop airplanes strong

enough to carry heavy bombs overseas. As soon as Handley Page started working on this project,

a new branch known as the Royal Flying Corps was created to design planes, plan aerial

missions, and train pilots (Whitmarsh). The RFC consisted of a small military division that was

dedicated to carrying out aerial bombardment. During the war, the RFC became known for its

rigorous offensive air operations into enemy territory. It was not always easy for the RFC to

mobilize its forces which consisted of only a handful of aircraft and aviators. As a result, they

were relying on the British Army for help in performing training exercises. Two years later the

RFC became part of the Royal Naval Air Service (Sass).

The Corps also recruited one of the best aviators in the British Army during the war.

Lieutenant Mick Mannock became known for his leadership skills and outstanding victories

against the German aircraft. His first victory was the one where he attacked and destroyed a

German observation balloon that contained multiple aircraft machines and batteries. His second

victory was when he shot down an Albatros D.III which went down out of control. He eventually

scored more than seventy combat victories by the end of the war. In 1918, Mannock was

awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his outstanding performance, courage, and service

during the First World War (Bradbeer).

Between 1911-14, the British government believed that airplanes could be usefully

employed for reconnaissance purposes. Sir James Grierson noted that aircraft could be

effectively modified and used to gain valuable information behind enemy lines. He continued to

experiment with the use of aircraft and heavy airplanes. Aviation was finally considered a useful
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weapon in warfare in 1914 when the British army finally realized that airplanes should be

distributed in aerial warfare, and not just used to scout ahead. With war looming, the Admiralty

increased its military spending and demanded a large airplane. Handley Page developed the

0/100 which was a twin-engined bomber considered as a night bomber. As soon as this giant

biplane was tested and approved, the RNAS urged for production in large quantities. The 0/100

was not ready for active service until two years later when an entire squadron was equipped with

enough planes for an attack against the Germans (Hastings).

Even if the airplane was considered beneficial in warfare, the British government was not

investing a lot of money in newer types of aircraft. Many of the firms had a small output

compared to the French and Germans which were already heavily invested in aeronautics. Britain

placed most of its orders in France whose air force was numerically and technically superior to

that of the British. According to recent data provided by Juliette Hennessy, the French had 136,

the Germans 180, and the British only forty-eight airplanes. The Royal Aircraft Factory was also

in need of skilled labor and capital to mass produce airframes and engines (Fearson). As soon as

Britain entered the war, the British army pressured the local aviation industry to produce more

airplanes. At that time a powerful bomber was developed by Handley Page in 1916. The 0/400

bomber was large enough to carry a 2000-pound bomb over a 300-miles-long distance (Quest for

Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft). Two years later more than four hundred 0/400s

were produced.

In 1914, the British Army was responsible for raising a large army in the war with

Germany. It relied heavily on volunteers to enlist in the Royal Flying Corps. After he enlisted in

the British Army with the Notts and Derby Regiment, Albert Ball was one of the first to transfer

to the RFC. He was enrolled in No.13 Squadron which arrived in France in 1915. One of his first
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jobs included making observations and providing reports and other valuable information about

the enemy to the British Army. After a while, No. 13 squadron was placed under his command.

His experience in flying enabled him to fly a more advanced machine known as the Bristol

Scout. The Bristol Scout was considered an outstanding fighting airplane that carried a variety of

machine guns. After being assigned to the No.11 Squadron, Ball had the necessary fighting skills

to be a single-seat pilot. He realized that he can make great use of surprise attacks against the

Germans. His success in combat flying made him the leading fighter pilot of the RFC. He made

his final flight in 1917 when he flew the SE5s. In spite of his skill, Lieutenant Ball was hit by the

German fighter squadron Jagdstaffel (Pengelly). Ball is still considered the best British ace of

World War one and an iconic figure remembered for his great victories in the Great War.

As soon as the war started, Germany was the first to launch a surprise attack on Paris in

1914. This marked the first time airplanes bombing was used to target civilians during World

War I. A year later German Zeppelin airships attacked London and other major British cities

(Hennessy). Although these Zeppelins raids caused much damage and civilian casualties, British

defenses discovered its extreme vulnerability to high-explosive shells. As a result, the Royal

Naval Air Force remobilized all its forces by developing heavily armed aircrafts, explosive

bullets, and shells (Dusch). This proved highly beneficial for the British in their air attack against

the Zeppelins in 1917. Known for its high speed and range, the V/1500 was used by the British

to provide air support against the Germans. After building fifteen of these V/1500s, the British

aviation industry became one of the biggest manufacturers of big bombers by the end of the war

(Hennessy).

Other British attacks were performed against the Germans in the North Sea and the

English Channel. The 0/100 proved successful during an attack on German destroyers. Its bombs
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heavily damaged one of the five German ships. The first bombing operation initiated by the RFC

was in 1917. Handley Page 0/400s participated in most attacks against German cities such as

Metz and Stuttgart. These 0/400s targeted German submarines, airfields, and destroyers (Quest

for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft). Another military branch was developed in

the following year. General Jan Smuts first proposed the idea of creating the RAF to carry out air

operations. King George V recognized the RAF as part of the military branch, which, in turn, led

to an increased number of airplanes and created the era of Air Power development (Wijninga).

The Royal Air Force also became heavily engaged in the fighting against the Germans during the

final years of WWI. By the end of the war, the size of the air force was drastically reduced by the

government.

As the German U-boat threat emerged, Winston Churchill established the Royal Naval

Air Service that was responsible for the war at sea. Some of their major responsibilities included

“attacks on Zeppelin bases, air and motor car reconnaissance of the Belgian coast, and

cooperation with the British Expeditionary Force” (Abbatiello). The RNAS also performed trials

with aircrafts carrying heavy bombs and machine guns. As soon as German forces moved

through Belgium to besiege France, the Admiralty ordered the RNAS to Dunkirk to protect the

British infantry within that area. Churchill feared the bombing threat posed by the German

Zeppelins, which started attacking British coastal towns and cities. After meeting with Squadron

Leader Spenseer Grey, Churchill initiated a plan that targeted the bases from which the

Zeppelins operated. He then immediately ordered Grey to launch an attack against the zeppelin

sheds in Dusseldorf and Cologne. They also targeted railway stations and junctions after bringing

in reinforcements/supplies (Abbatiello).
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At this time the Germans continued expanding its airbase at Dunkirk and increased the

production of submarines. Major German attacks were launched against American and British

ships passing through the Strait of Dover. These submarine attacks were successful in sinking

thousands of Allied merchant ships along the Channel coasts. Churchill immediately met with

Grey again to discuss plans of how to strategically destroy these submarines and so effectively

defend itself from the enemy. Under Grey’s leadership, aerial bombing raids against the German

submarines emerged off the Belgian ports (Rossano and Wildenberg). It took the RNAS many

hours a day of air patrolling around the Channel until they figured out how to detect submarines.

Admiral Sir John Jellicoe created the Anti-Submarine Division (ASD) that was responsible of

intercepting and defeating German submarines. They were also in charge of “Home Waters

minesweeping, air patrols, Q-ships, and destroyers detailed for anti-submarine work”

(Abbatiello). Under Jellicoe’s leadership, new air stations were opened in different cities around

the country. These air patrol units effectively spotted and intercepted German Zeppelins as they

advanced toward the British coastline. The ASD also kept making reports on daily patrol

activities and shared their data with air stations. Even if the German base provided a strong

defense against the RNAS, German submarines were evacuated by the Allies by the end of the

war.

It is also important to mention that the British decided to cooperate with the French and

the Americans to destroy the U-boats. The French were not involved in this process yet until

1917. Both the British and the French defined their patrol areas on each side of the channel to

avoid overlap. They agreed to share any information that would be helpful in case they detect a

U-boat. The French did not conduct as many anti-submarine patrols as the British did due to a

lack of interest from (French) senior admirals. The Americans invested more time and money
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than the French in the war against the German submarines. The United States declared war on

Germany mainly because it wanted to take revenge on the Germans for sinking their merchant

ships. After it developed a plan for air expansion, the US Navy assigned a number of patrol bases

in countries such as Ireland, France, and England. Their main responsibility was to train aviators

and escort conveys as an offensive against the U-boats (Rossano and Wildenberg). With the help

of the French and Americans, the British air and land patrols proved to be effective in reducing

the threat posed by the U-boat.

While the RNAS provided an offensive approach to air control, the German army

achieved a more defensive strategy against its opponents. The Germans developed the

Luftstreitkräfte to conduct every type of air campaign against the French and the British. After its

air service was used for reconnaissance purposes, the Germans continued to develop innovative

airplanes that provided air support above ground level (Dusch). It was not until spring 1917

when the Germans engaged in aerial combats and achieved some major victories in the English

Channel. Their fighter squadrons consisted of heavily armed aircrafts which supported land

campaigns and defended ground forces. In the following paragraph, Ross Mahoney and James

Pugh provide more details concerning the German approach to air power:

“Conversely, the German Luftstreitkräfte’s flexible defensive attitude in 1917 derived

from that of the German army’s in the same period. Thus, during 1917 and 1918, German

aviation came to concentrate air assets at time-specific and geographically important

locations to contest the control of the air, a situation compounded by the industrial

superiority of the Allies. In turn, German air policy and practice came to rely on quality

over quantity in the battle for the control of the air” (Mahoney and Pugh).
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The German air force did not only rely on air arms but also on its aviators. Control of the

air was achieved by some of their best trained pilots, including Manfred von Richthofen and

Werner Voss. Manfred von Richthofen is best remembered by his nickname “Red Baron.”

Known for his famous surprise attacks, von Richthofen was the only pilot to achieve 79 kills

during World War I. In 1918, his career ended when the Allies shot him down close to the

Somme River (Hephner). One of von Richthofen’s closest competitors was Werner Voss. While

he was part of the same squadron as von Richthofen, he was famously known for his acrobatic

flying skills and his 48 kills. During his final flight in 1917, he was mortally wounded by the

British (Andrews). To this day the Germans still remember and honor these German aviators for

their successful air attacks.

Russia was less successful in its implementation of the airplane in its military stratagems,

due largely to its unpreparedness for the war. Unlike the United States and Western Europe,

Russian aviation was not very advanced. At the beginning of the war, Russia was not as quick

enough to industrialize, living them woefully unprepared to begin the mass production of

airplanes. In addition, many of Russia’s suppliers were given them faulty or poorly made

materials. By 1912-14, the Russian government became interested to purchase airplanes from the

Americans. Most of their aircrafts were produced by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company. Russia

preferred this American company over any other because of its reputation for hydro-aeroplanes

(Wilson). After it was founded in 1912, the Imperial Russian Air Service established schools for

aviation training. The IRAF also organized the first military squadron that used strategic

bombing. Overall Russia proved highly innovative in experimenting with aerodynamics and

providing a strong air force before the start of the war in 1914 (Wilson). The Russian army also

produced a couple of famous pilots during the war. Peter Nesterov was the first pilot to produce
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an “aeril ramming attack” while heading towards the enemy (Egorov). Unfortunately, Nesterov

died during this attack against the Austrians in 1914. Alexander Kazakov was the first pilot to

survive such a risky attack. Kazakov was known for having the greatest number of victories in

air combat. The British Royal Air Force appointed Kazakov as commanding offer in charge of

the Slavo-British Allied Legion (WW1 Wings of Glory Airplane Packs – Sopwith Snipe Preview

– Part 2). These and many other Russian aviators proved to be successful in the midst of a

waging war against the Germans.

Russian armies have been also challenged during the war. If they would have had a

strong air force, the Russian army would have been able to prevent a complete destruction of the

2nd Army in the Battle of Tannenberg. As a result, the Russian military department turned to

designer Igor Sikorsky for help. Sikorksy was best known for his contribution of the S-10A

biplane and the S-11 monoplane during the aircraft competition of 1913-14. The IRAF ordered

Sikorsky to provide an “immediate delivery of 10 IMs for long-range reconnaissance and

bombing” (Stamper). Unfortunately, these IMs were unable to perform well on the battlefield.

The especially did poorly in comparison to the United States who was seen as the greatest

reinforcement.

The United States played a great role in the Allies victory against the Germans in World

War I. The sinking of the British ship Lusitania indirectly convinced the United Sates to enter the

war. Before they declared war on Germany in 1918, the United States had no army with

experience in air combat. They first established the Signal Corps which was made up of a small

number of qualified pilots and airplanes. After President Woodrow Wilson passed the National

Defense Act in 1916, the Congress signed a deal with the National Guard to open an aviation

industry. This industry was designed by Raynal Bolling who contributed to the foundation of
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American airpower. Bolling was a lawyer and architect that was in charge of the 1 st Aero

Company in 1915 (Frandsen). He also passed legislation that was in favor of establishing a

strong air support.

Although this group of pilots had some experience in reconnaissance, the Signal Corps

were not suited for the domestic production of aircrafts as soon as the war started. After the

airplane industry was created, Bolling asked his partner Benjamin Foulouis for help. Foulouis

was known for his exceptional skills in organizing the 1st Aero Squadron and developing basic

training for his pilots. Before they were sent to France, these pilots were equipped and trained on

how to mount a machine gun and work with aviation instruments (Bergs). Foulouis’ 150-man

squadron was placed under the command of General John J. Pershing. Pershing designed the

American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) that helped assist the French in the fighting against the

Germans. While under the command of the French Air Service, the US combat units were

trained on how to perform on the front lines. Pershing also contributed to the separation of the

AEF from the Signal Corps. The new AEF led to the creation of the US Army Air Force in 1918

(Frandsen). Even if at first the Americans were far behind in military aviation compared to the

Europeans, their perseverance and determination made them become highly successful on the

battlefield over the course of the next two years.

At first the aviation industry struggled with the manufacture of airplanes in the United

States. It turned out that the American industry was not equipped with the latest technology. As

mentioned by Lieutenant Colonel Hunt, “Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles facing the military

in the pursuit of airplane production was the lack of experience in the logistics arena.” As a

result, Lieutenant Raynal Bolling met with a group of experts from France and Britain to discuss

this problem. They decided that it was better, at least initially, to rely upon the Allies for
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airplanes before they would be finally adequate to produce aircrafts on their own. They

purchased a great number of different aircrafts and bombers from France, Britain, and Italy.

Bolling was also known for his strategic bombing plan. Impressed by his strategic bombing plan,

General Pershing appointed him to coordinate the communication part of the Air Service

(Frandsen).

The French and British governments did not make it any easier for the Americans when

they pressed them to provide more air support against the Germans. Both European prime

ministers proposed a deal with President Woodrow Wilson that would allow them to purchase a

great number of aircrafts, pilots, and mechanics from the Americans. After its formation in 1917,

the American Aircraft Production Board (APB) was willing to accept this challenge and believed

that it was attainable. The Secretary of War Newton Baker ordered every engineer and

manufacturer in the country to participate in the production of combat airplane. The Congress

passed the Aviation Act of 1917 which provided $650 million to the Signal Corps (Bergs).

As previously mentioned, the first squadrons arrived in France in 1918. Bolling believed

that Mitchell would be best qualified to train and organize these squadrons. Mitchell was more

educated in aircraft and operations tactics than any other American officer before him. After he

was appointed as the chief commander of the AEF, Mitchell was put in charge of every aerial

combat unit. In the battle of St. Mihiel, he defeated German ground troops while in command of

a large armada of Allied and American airplanes (Grumelli). This was known as the largest air

operation of the First World War. With this success, the Allied forces would operate larger aerial

attacks against the Germans. Mitchel also established air headquarters for the First Army that

was put in charge of several military units (Frandsen). Mitchell performed many other series of

airplane attacks such as the one on the German battleship Ostfriesland.

By the end of the war, the American airpower had grown into a powerful military

organization. Even if they did not start off with a large number of pilots and aircrafts, they were

determined to increase and improve their air support after they finally launched their own

aviation industry. This enabled them to demand production in large quantities which, in turn,

provided an incentive for more people to volunteer as future aviators. This led to a rise in

advanced aviation technology that would transform the American way of approaching World

War II.

Through this essay, the trajectory of military aviation has been plotted over the course of

World War 1. This is of tremendous importance to understanding not only the outcome of the

war, but also to understanding how it is the modern air industry formed. This is because without

Word War 1 the true power of the plane may not have been realized until much later. Through

military funding planes became faster, more efficient, maneuverable, and could carry heavier

loads.

Just as the military affected planes. Planes forever changed the face of the modern

battlefield through their ability to see deep behind enemy lines and transport supplies rapidly

over a great distance. Calculated strikes could now be carried out without any ground assault to

support them, carrying on into the modern age with some wars being fought entirely from above.

So it is that the plane went from an expensive toy for the wealthy, to a world-changing

instrument of both death and progress.

In closing, since the invention of flight and its use in warfare, war has been drastically

changed. Planes have brought a more dangerous and advanced type of warfare that was never

seen before or even imagined before their invention. Overall, planes have been a very important
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source to nearly all militaries around the world and will always continue to become more

advanced as time goes on.

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