the sights are raised; again we fire; and this time the shells strikes plumb upon the body of the Colossus. or internment to him. In May 1917 No. In fifty-six flights it displayed the Iron Cross to all the oceans of the world—to the Pacific, the Atlantic, the South Seas, and the Indian Ocean. Out towards the west we see a green star suddenly appear in the air. In addition to that, one must take into consideration the extreme cold, and the difficulty of working in the rarefied atmosphere of 19,000 or 20,000 feet under conditions to which our bodies - are not accustomed. During the war balloon officers were recruited from the infantry and from other branches of the J. E- GURDON. The bows of the gondola of the P.L. In those eases one had to assume that one machine had been compelled to descend, and The pilot obeys his directions and turns the 'machine in the given direction; the constellations, by which he is now flying, safeguard him from error. Few as they were in number, they succeeded in retaining their sense of superiority. While on their outward and return flights they used to attack the enemy's lines of communication with machine guns. But if the work was heavy, the reward was also great. 13. In the light of these facts there could be no further doubt as to the region from which the attack would be launched and its general direction. Reliability was therefore of more importance than great power. 14. thermit bombs, forty-three 25-lb. Some 7,425 Allied aircraft and 614 kite balloons were claimed as destroyed. Only by a sudden turn and rush of speed can we escape from the dangerous glare. This question of the gas compartment was, and still is, one of the moat difficult in the science of airship construction. The pilot had de- scended to within 120 feet of the ground, the observer had bestowed his blessing of bombs, and when he settled down contentedly for the homeward flight Although serviceable, and fitted with machine guns, it can bear no comparison with the later fighting and bombing machines. The development of wireless telegraphy cannot be As a rule there was only one observer in the basket of an observation balloon, and it was only during training that two were sent up simultaneously. 3 ‘Battle Squadron’ the number of whose flights was later increased to five. the Avre! We have now enumerated the principal points in the development of observation-balloon design. sufficient that he should be able to distinguish and Before long there was a slight jerk and the balloon ascended no farther. Another serious problem closely connected with airships is the question of the supply of gas. Only the fighting squadrons remain quiescent, it being impossible for them to attack the raiders until dawn. developed from a purely reconnoitring corps to a she was able to salve thorn in case of forced landing. — Orders. A very large number of propellers were used owing to the enormous heat, which made them split. reprisal for the enemy's raids on German open The rigid type—as distinct from the semi-rigid and non-rigid types—was especially favoured, and had already achieved a high standard of excellence in the Zeppelin and ‘Schtitte-Lanz’ airships. The first step forward was made when the wireless set was mounted on aeroplanes, at first only in the form of a transmitting set. This screen, as it may best be called, should be sufficiently close for the nearest airship to remain constantly in sight so that any attempt on the part of the enemy to slip through our lines unseen might be frustrated. The once desultory research was now pushed forward with every means at our disposal, but it was a hard task. In order to preserve the individuality of the various flying units, their transfer to aerodromes in the devastated area was effected in groups by convoys of lorries. With these machines our pilots fought the unequal contest, defying death. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order (1-to-Z). guns, and after about two minutes the observer It was the Japanese boat, Hitachi Maru (6700 tons). occupied the full time of our airmen henceforward. On such bright nights, machines generally made use of secret landing grounds in the neighbourhood; the aerodrome itself was empty, a precautionary practice which the English also adopted. However, in order that we might efficiently carry out the work assigned to us, the attempt was made to deliver our attacks under cover of darkness. 34, an airship which, incidentally, had been copied from our design and concerning which there has been so much talk, was mere child's play, for it had been possible to our airships for many years past. of the attack. We cast glances at the sky above, where great clouds, which seem to indicate the advent of bad weather, are appearing. ‘Hostile aeroplanes are continually flying over our trenches at a height of only 150 feet, while the observer fires on our men, or, lying on one of the planes, signals with his handkerchief to the enemy's artillery.’ Telegraphic direction-finding enabled the ship to discover its whereabouts at any time, and was independent of drift. Channel to lie in wait and intercept its passage to the Belgian coast. Fig. This railway, so to speak, formed the key to our plans, but we were unable to harass the English successfully in their advance. The front line trenches as well as all the back areas, which included the forests on the north-eastern front and the wooded region to the east of Varennes, received the closest scrutiny. The train, which still kept up steam, was used as the chilly quarters for the personnel and a mobile base for the whole unit, for the seaplanes could quickly be mounted on low-lying trucks in the event of a bombardment, and men and machines could be moved inland to a place of safety. engines were installed, and a special photographic machine was designed. The old normal C type, however, with a 200 or 220 H.F. engine, was still used for short-range photo-graphy and artillery observation. Even a slight wind and a light sea are sufficient to detract so much from the general usefulness of these vessels j that no naval leader would voluntarily go into battle under such circumstances. Even guns of a heavier calibre became part of the aeroplane's equipment. Some of the critics complain of the fact that types other than the Meybach engine were never used. A sheet of flame leaps up ; the petrol tank has been penetrated and blazes brilliantly. (Neumann. behind the lines, although on the same night Staples It was well known that a water-pipe ran alongside the railway. CO-OPERATION WITH THE HIGH SEA FLEET: CRUISER WARFARE. Owing to the fact that the means at our disposal were but slender in proportion to those of the enemy, this record could only be made by machines and airmen undertaking several flights in the course of one night. On the other hand, the rainy season brought with it furious rain which frequently lasted for days on end and was usually associated with heavy thunderstorms, during which period all flying was out of the question. At the beginning of the war the personnel of the Naval Air Service, including both sea and land units, consisted of about 200 men (combined land and sea units for land flying did not exist in those days); at the end of the war about 18,000 men. Surveying and mapping succeeded the invention of complementary photographs and mosaics with new methods of exact scaling. although the wing span and engine remained un They quickly turned towards their enemy and opened fire at short range. How was it : 'We have received reports from various places on the front to the effect that our aeroplanes are now meeting with more success, and that the infantry are gradually recovering their faith in our Air Force.' Development next led to a further increase in engine power which rose to 260 and 300 H.P., while the observation and reconnaissance machines, which were so constantly menaced by hostile scouts, were provided with a second machine gun. With the increasing number and varying nature of tasks allotted to aeroplanes, new demands were constantly being made on airmen, particularly on observers. Their decision was wise, for the gaily coloured triplanes would stand no nonsense and were most disconcertingly accurate with their machine guns. But above all, aircraft discloses new possibilities whose development lies outside the limitations of wheeled methods of transport. One of our greatest difficulties was the manufacture of bombs, but with the assistance of cast-iron pipes inserted one inside the other, filled with high explosives, and detonated by a cartridge, The Royal Flying Corps, RFC with a military wing and a naval wing was formed in February 1912. Although perhaps the Air Force did not play the same decisive r61e at Verdun as it did in later opera-tions, the cause of this lies in the fact that they were opposed by French aviators, and that they were numerically too weak to be used as a unit in the battle. The party in charge of the airship on the ground comprised every possible kind of craftsman that might be required ; i.e. The bigger it was the more difficult and hazardous became the handling of the vessel on the ground, and the processes of housing and bringing it out of its sheds. into the air, and are connected with the compartments by a shaft passing between the walls of each compartment. The reconnaissance machines working in the North Sea were then equipped with a wireless transmitting set, and later with a receiving set. The L. 71, which was the last ship to be actually built, had a net lift of 50 tons. direction signals, that at X, being four shots at intervals of three minutes; that of Y. being a shot every two minutes three seconds pause, then a second shot. But those who know what sea-sickness means—and balloon-sickness is far worse than that experienced on the roughest sea—can realise with what I had to contend. Their orders are: ‘Attack cargo ships off the mouth of the Thames.’ They have soon disappeared from sight, keeping close up underneath the clouds in order to escape the notice of the enemy's machines as long as possible. Wolf. It is hoped that this book may The incessant elaboration and development of the tactics and science of trench warfare called so urgently for The various branches of the Air Force on active service never had to work so completely together as those on home defence duty. (2) Should good weather prevail, machines will A specific type was constructed, and meanwhile, perhaps, the enemies' defensive measures had been developed. Dunkirk with a squadron of fourteen machines, and, in spite of all the derogatory reports which were circulated concerning this operation, our efforts met with a striking success. night blindness was recognised. One had to bo resigned to a short life and no seaworthiness. $399.00. The most important objectives are the enemy's artillery, strong points, saps and mining works, infantry camps, parks, railheads, the ascension places of their balloons, roads, billets and concentration points of the infantry, tanks, and transport on the roads and railways. 1 first, then target No, 2. On the 15th of February 1918 a hostile aeroplane appeared in the evening over the aerodrome of No. The observer sits ahead in the nacelle, watching his compass and his map, and pointing out the course to be followed with his hand. After that, nobody thought of eating ; there was too much rushing about and excitement, and the ringing of telephone bells. Direction lights and forced landing ground are Almost every domain of human knowledge contributed to its development, either directly or indirectly. In the summer of 1918 this difficulty was overcome by the use of parachute flares and this method was so perfected that in September 1918 the photographic section of the Air Force detailed special squadrons for night photography. The formation and squadron leaders also carried a wireless installation for the purpose of transmitting any important information they might acquire, or for registering our artillery on some moving target. The inefficiency of flying boats on the sea itself was an unimportant factor because of England's mastery o£ the sea. The observation patrols and raids into the Channel, and the attacks on French and English coast towns which were carried out from the end of the year onwards, will be dealt with later. Each of them carried one 45-lb. leave the ground by 4 P.M. at the latest. appearance and design. Then the 10 cm. work to its completion, (Siegert. In no time our airmen— either in their sleeping suits, or at any rate but very The cactus thickets over which it was impossible to see, proved a very serious obstacle to the success of the first infantry attack. The pressure in the gas chambers and balloonets was automatically regulated so as to be correct under all conditions. The wadis became raging torrents, and on either side of the road one had to wade tediously through the sticky mud. During the first few days, therefore, both men and machines were used unsparingly ; every flying officer hoped to be the first to report: ‘There they are'! Even then it was not large enough for the latest types, but a further lengthening was not possible. serious set-back through the accidental destruction of the P.L. But in the very carrying out of their aims for the economic exploitation of the air they hide a recognition of warlike requirements. A veritable aerial battle resulted. But it was not only on such rare and extraordinary occasions that the life and liberty of the one rested in the hands of the other- The fate of the pilot, as of all the other occupants of a machine, depended on the coolness and accurate shooting of the observer in every aerial combat, in the same way as only the calm skill of the pilot would avail to save them from dangerous anti-aircraft fire. As an example, on February 21 there occurred the first big aerial battle, in which altogether sixty or seventy aeroplanes took part. When the advance came to a standstill they were again required to take over the work usually associated with trench warfare. Naturally the most important training was that of the Commanders for their multitudinous duties. At first newly-erected huts were sufficient evidence that the enemy were concentrating their troops in preparation for some big offensive. An effective means of weakening the enemy and of causing damage and moral effect was afforded by the practice of engaging moving targets. One thinks of the Prince Heinrich flight in 1914, in which all the best pilots and machines were represented. Perhaps for crossing the ocean the airship is still superior to the aeroplane. [3][4], The duties of such aircraft were initially intended to be reconnaissance and artillery spotting in support of the armies, just as balloons had been used during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) and as far back as the Battle of Fleurus (1794) during the French Revolutionary Wars. On the latter raid eighteen aeroplanes took part, and returned undamaged to then-base, having dropped three-quarters of a ton of bombs. We are flying at a fair height. The Royal Flying Corps’ The English secret service had again done a brilliant piece of work. These abbreviations had to be changed frequently. This vast amount was supplied mainly by private firms who set up quantities of new plant and greatly increased their output. Furthermore, the enemies’ defences were proof against all but the heaviest projectiles. It was only by such means that the best use could be made of the forces at our disposal during the long battle. This is exactly how the fabric was woven during the time of the Great War. The first explosion causes the defence to notice the fresh enemy. On account of the necessity for economising weight the construction of the machine had to be exceedingly frail, as otherwise even two 100 H.P. For this reason the valves on the top deck were made accessible, so that if necessary they could be closed by hand. (Lampel. weather was bad, and the time was therefore used for the erection of workshops and shelters, and for carrying out short trial flights and observation patrols with the machines. Air force units were reorganised on numerous occasions to meet the growing need of this new weapon. Details such as houses, trees, small valleys cannot be distinguished, and only the boundaries of large villages, forests, and patches of water are visible. The sea provided them with an alternative route, to Alexandria and Port Said. It is difficult to understand how we manage to survive the storm of shell and shrapnel, for, accord- ing to the chronometer, we have spent a good hour under that furious fire. Ever since its creation on October 8, 1916, it has stood synonymous with national devotion to duty. On the other hand, the disadvantages of the and surrounded by exploding shells, without that moral support afforded to the infantryman by his comrades in battle. World War I was the first major war where airplanes were used as a significant part of the military. A flight commander of the squadron, who happened to be present on the aerodrome at the time, was killed by a bomb splinter, and several mechanics were wounded by bullets. Yet it is typical of a case like this that the majority of those old ‘lions of the desert’ should ever and again feel within their bones a longing for those sunny lands once more. Petrol was carried in tanks situated on the central gangway as nearly as possible vertically over the engine they were intended to feed. Furthermore the gas inside the compartments became saturated and lost some of its buoyancy. Eastern Front in September 1916, and a year later appeared on the Western Front. direction lights, searchlights, forced landing lights, He should also be able to assist the pilot to repair the aeroplane should it be damaged after a forced landing, and, in the event of the pilot being incapacitated, he should have sufficient presence of mind to bring the machine to earth. Naturally reconnaissance suffered in consequence of these increased altitudes, and the flying itself put a heavier strain upon the airships1 crews, particularly in winter, for the temperature of the air rapidly diminishes with increased height. I have endeavoured to preserve the individual style of each writer as far as is possible in English, but here and there the recasting of the work has necessitated slight alterations. through the bracing cables of the rings on either aide, by the difference in pressure. Four weeks later they made another attempt of the same nature, but this also was in vain. Sometimes this curtailment of his training was unfortunate. across the sea to a small island without any marks In place of this method, which, besides being cumbersome, interrupted the observer in his duty of closely observing the tide of battle, we developed the wireless installation. The limit was reached one day when the English airmen proposed that we should all land at some neutral spot to meet over a cup of tea, and In the neighbourhood of the pilot's gondola there is a vertical passage communicating with a platform on top of the ship on which several machine guns are fitted. The sources from which it sprang were widely scattered through unfrequented regions of pure and applied science. Railway trains could scarcely be concealed on account of the smoke and steam from the engines. The size of the ship grew first to 2,000,000 c,f., then to 2,400,000 cX With that displacement, even allowing for a fairly high turn of speed, it would have been possible to reach a height of 26,000 feet if hard pressed by hostile aeroplanes. Aircraft, therefore, had to undertake new work. However, this we succeeded in frustrating. A machine gun on a swing mounting was provided for the observer, and during the summer of 1915 a wireless receiving set was fitted. As there were also numerous offensive patrols flying up and down the front, and as the enemy adopted the same system, the air was always filled with the droning of aeroplanes, either with the black cross or with tricolour markings. Our reconnaissance now principally concerned itself with the progress of this railway and with observing the enormous camps along the Canal. These squadrons, which were organised similarly to the service fighting squadrons, acting on the information supplied by the aerial defence intelligence service, used to deal with any enemy squadron or individual machine which had succeeded in breaking through our defences at the front. Fig. Towards the end of May 1918, owing to the still existing call for day bombing, three machines from every flight were allotted to this duty. At the beginning of the war there were only two seaplane stations on the North Sea: Heligoland with sis machines and but a few men, and a station had been begun at List, on the Island-of Sylt; otherwise, except for an empty shed at Wilhelmshaven, there was nothing ready in the way of accommodation. difficulty of the tests put to night-flying pilots, a The commander, Captain Bockholt, announced in his report on the flight that he could have comfortably remained another two days in the air. They were called upon to endure the severest hardship and to expose themselves to the greatest danger. [7], The initial units of the Luftstreitkräfte, dedicated to observation, were known as Feldflieger Abteilungen (Field Flier Detachments) and had an official establishment of six unarmed, two-seat "A" (monoplane), and/or "B"-class (biplane) aircraft apiece. The Imperial German Army created an experimental balloon company with varying forms of organisation from 1884 to 1901 when a Balloon Battalion was formed. During the first quarter of 1917 four out of the seven existing ‘battle squadrons’ were allotted to escort duty, and of the remaining bombing squadrons, Nos. All these many considerations laid emphasis on the desirability of specialising types according to the work they had to carry out. with the result it lays out the signal ‘change targets’ six machines ready to operate with the High Sea Fleet, and only three machines were serviceable for observation work over the fairways of the Baltic. recognise friend and foe at close quarters, when the Arno Press, New York 1970, p. 2, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "A" (monoplane), and/or "B"-class (biplane), "Verdun: The First Air Battle for the Fighter: Part I – Prelude and Opening", http://www.spartacus-educational.com/FWWgaas.htm, Der Vormarsch der Flieger Abteilung 27 in der Ukraine. During that period of the war neither side achieved any strategical success, and the considerations of the higher command were principally tactical. On particularly active sections of the line they were usually sent in formations, and, working in pairs, would carry out a watchful defensive patrol at some prearranged height, promptly attacking any inquisitive enemy who endeavoured to break through. The science of aerial fighting took its origin from duels between individual machines. The crew as they jump out are shot down by our infantry, who have assembled in the neighbourhood of the battery. The ship is so constructed that all these weights are principally carried by the main rings, as are also the gondolas. Squadrons Nos, 1, 2, 5, Their speed, climbing power, and manoeuvreability could not be sufficiently developed for them to undertake any useful work in daytime, owing to their great weight and consequent inability to avoid attack. Many German airmen who had been compelled to land behind the English lines were brought back into safety with true Arab cunning. Human nature, like that of most of the lower animals, thinks it sees an enemy in the person of In open warfare, both on the Western and Eastern Fronts, it was the flying man's duty to explore that area which was inaccessible to horses and therefore to the eyes of the cavalry, to report on the disposition of the enemy's troops and to reveal his intentions by observing movements on the roads and railways. For most of the war 'D' was only used for biplane fighters, 'E' for monoplane fighters and 'Dr' for triplane fighters. What a cursed long time it takes between release and impact while the bomb travels those thousands of feet! Bit by bit the machines were crashed, and the pilots went to the Baltic in order to fetch spare parts. The German aircraft industry was situated in the interior, and the designers bad frequently had no experience of the sea except as bathers. was ‘over-decorated’particularly with the ‘Ordre Pour le Merite’. The designers therefore had to draft new plans, which were carried out in practice as soon as possible. of bombs or undertaken raids on the enemy's dumps and camps behind the lines; nor could it have attacked the ports on the coast of England and France, or penetrated into the heart of England to bomb her industrial centres and shipbuilding yards. The effect of our barrage on the forest positions could only be observed from a very low altitude. Fig. Airmen, batteries, airships, searchlights, machine guns, intelligence and meteorological services, all worked together in sympathetic co-operation, and all these sections were unified in the course of their successful labours, as the founder of the home defences intended. coasts, and thus began the dishonourable process of They were first employed on the Aerial navigation at night was carried out principally with the assistance of the compass and stars, signal lights, and rockets, and, as far as it was visible, by the earth itself. At the same time the telephonist gave me the meteorological station reports, which ran as follows: Wind-strength near the ground 5 m- a; 1500 feet 11 m- S.W. Even though the number of nights on which it was possible to carry out successful operations was limited, it was soon found that night flying was applicable to other work besides mere bomb dropping. As Their luxurious tents, which had previously distinguished the camps along by the Canal, and bad made it possible to estimate the strength of the forces occupying them, disappeared. In the spring of 1915 it became clear that the original standard type, in spite of all improvements, would have to be replaced by types designed for special purposes, since it could not satisfy the new requirements of war, which demanded, among other things, a much greater radius of action. rubber, which was so important for the manufacture of balloon fabric, soon became so scarce that synthetic and waste rubber had to be used as a substitute. Disorganised by the pressure of fighting, weakened by casualties, they had to find what scanty protection they could in shell-holes or the remains of trenches, and they had to withstand the counterattack which the French would deliver from a region immune to artillery fire, and with fresh and untired troops. That was in the year 1911. The shoot, if agreed to, was carried out in the manner already described. The gale was now blowing with increased violence, causing the balloon to sway and rock more and more violently. Together with the aerial photographs, the information supplied by actual observation yielded valuable evidence, particularly on the question as to whether a position was occupied or not. The Schutte-Lanz type developed like Zeppelin in size and standard of performance. simplification and wished to dispense with everything that was not absolutely necessary to war flying. [23] In total 76 airmen were awarded the Pour le Mérite. strife. Long plumes of flame from the exhausts mark our passage across the sky. Naval airship, L. 15, about to land. Although the expenditure in materiel and personnel during the battle was very great, yet up to the very end the units could be maintained at full strength, Pilots who flew But even this type was unable to carry out the most important duty of a seaplane—namely, rapid transmission of intelligence concerning hostile forces—for it was not capable of carrying a wireless installation. The balloon observer had to do his duty alone and unseen, without the moral support afforded to the infantry officer by his men and by the knowledge that he must set them an example when leading them into action. The monthly production of aeroplanes was not even sufficient to provide each squadron with the same type throughout. At the conclusion of the battle of the Somme No. They must have easily passed over our front line infantry positions in the thick mist. 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