2.3.2
The War in the Air
The War in the Air
The War in the Air
Most fighting took place on land, but airplanes were crucial to the war effort too.
Early developments
Early developments
- At the start of the war, both sides mostly used planes for observation by both sides.
- The first aeroplane innovation was on the German side. The Germans began to use machine guns on the propellers of planes.
Fighter aces
Fighter aces
- Fighter aces were military aviators (pilots) who had shot down five or more enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
- Adolphe Pegoud was a French pilot who downed seven German aircraft.
- The Red Baron was a German fighter pilot called Manfred von Richthofen. Von Richthofen shot down 80 enemy aircraft in 17 months. This was the most of any aviator (pilot) during the First World War.
Bombing raids
Bombing raids
- Germany began to bomb Allied cities with zeppelins.
- Gotha IV bombers began to raid Britain in 1917 and caused over 800 deaths. Britain bombed Germany in response.
1The Causes of the First World War
1.1The Alliance System
1.2Crisis in Morocco and the Balkans
1.3Anglo-German Rivalry
2The First World War: Stalemate
2.1The Schlieffen Plan
2.2The Western Front
3Ending the War
3.1Changes in the Allied Forces
3.2Military Developments in 1918
Jump to other topics
1The Causes of the First World War
1.1The Alliance System
1.2Crisis in Morocco and the Balkans
1.3Anglo-German Rivalry
2The First World War: Stalemate
2.1The Schlieffen Plan
2.2The Western Front
3Ending the War
3.1Changes in the Allied Forces
3.2Military Developments in 1918
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