KNIGHTS OVER EUROPE   

AIRCRAFTSGOINTOWAR

"Mankind went to die in air as had done for centuries on land and sea, killing one another.

The conquest of the skies was completed at last"

                                                                                                                      Renè Chambre (Au temps des carabines) 

       

The first use of airplanes in war occurred in 1911 during the Italo-Turkish War  with the Italian Army Air Corps bombing a Turkish camp at Ain Zara, Libya. 

Between 1914‐1918 aviation developed considerably under  the pressure of  the conflict. From  that day at Kill Devil 

Hills (first flight of the flyer in 1903) when aircrafts were called "heavier than air", until the days when WWI was still a 

"rumor", aviation was a matter for a few reckless pilots, dreaming  inventors; but this event brought a revolution  in 

this rising field. 

From a few hundred aircrafts (up to that time for pioneers (achieving the crossing of the English Channel)) the number 

had increased and reached the thousands, and their use nearly attained daily usage. Restricted to war scope, WWI for 

the  first  time  contributed  to  define  the  roles  and  purposes  that  aircrafts  could  perform,  causing  also  the 

differentiation  in projecting different  airplanes  for different purposes, with  a  reflection  even  in  later history.    The 

flying aces who fought above the Western Front also contributed to shoring up the idea of "contemptuous of danger" 

that already hovered around pilots. 

ThefirstimpactwiththeestablishedArtofWar

AT THE SERVICE OF THE ARMY  ‐ The prewar pioneers, among whom  figures Roland 

Garros, enlisted, following their patriotic fervor, as soon as they could, but the army of 

every  faction  was  hesitant  as  to  how  to  use  them.  Soldiers  in  every  army  were 

numbered  in  thousands  while  the  aircrafts  were  no  more  than  500,  fragile  and 

unarmed. 

Roland Garros - The first pilot who overthrew an enemy using guns that fire through propeller blades.

AIRCRAFTSGOINTOWARDRIVERS OF THE SKIES ‐ Pilots of the army were essentially drivers who, in the rear seat, brought the higher officers as 

passengers and let them, by flying above the battlefield, to prevent troops' movements and then all information was 

then reported on the ground with the help of notes and sketches noted down during the flight, or pictures taken with 

cameras. 

SONS OF THE CAVALRY ‐ Although it was an extremely dangerous task, that of air 

patrolling wasn't a well regarded resource by the more conservative generals of 

the army, who didn't trust the information that came with patrols preferring that 

of  another  important  machine  of  patrolling,  the  cavalry.  It  was  still  a  quite 

widespread use that of horsemen in WWI, and it's fun to remember how the best 

patrol pilots came after service in cavalry squadrons.  After 1915, aircrafts almost 

completely  replaced  the  cavalry exploration  squadrons, whose  role was utterly 

irrelevant on the Western Front, thank to aircrafts' efficiency in exploring greater 

areas in less time. 

Thefirsttask:Patrol

WATCH, NOT FIGHT ‐ At the beginning of WWI, the German general staff would have described the main purpose of a 

pilot with the sentence "an aviator must watch, not fight". By the way, it's interesting how such an important purpose 

was demanded of aircrafts neither so powerful nor safe such 

as the "TAUBE". 

WATCH OUT FOR THE HOLES ‐ During the war of the 

trenches, despite the high cost in human lives, the use of air 

patrolling gave great help. The use of artillery was simplified 

and made more efficient with the help of air patrols that by 

spotting the holes on the ground made by the bombs, let the 

officers make the 

appropriate correction to the 

shots. The system was 

furthermore improved with 

the introduction of the clock 

system.   

Aircraftsembracearms

We have references that the first use of an object in the air 

as carrier of a weapon of any kind dates from around the 

age of the ancient Chinese dynasties, who used a kite 

carrying a barrel of gunpowder.   

The pilots who were asked to patrol put on pressure and 

asked for more reliable planes, more efficient engines, but 

most of all for a device that would have make them able to 

defend themselves against enemy fighters. The answer to 

pilots and patrollers was the introduction on airplanes of 

machine‐guns. German designer A. Fokker invented a system 

that was able to synchronize the firing rate with the rotation 

of the propeller blades so that the bullets didn't hit them. The 

Outdated even at the very beginning of the war, 

the Austrian  "RUMPLER TAUBE" flew at the 

speed of 97 km/h, and the light material it was 

made of, rendered it a very vulnerable aircraft.

ARCHIE ‐ was the name 

given by  the British Royal 

Flying Corps to the 

German counter‐aircraft 

stations. 

MG 08 with syncro gear

AIRCRAFTSGOINTOWARsuperior power that offensive guns brought to aircrafts contributed to the definition of a new kind of plane that 

brought with it new tactics of warfare.  

The fighter was born and while at the very beginning of its introduction it served as a lone wolf chasing for enemy 

aircraft, during the battles of Verdun and the Somme, generals wanted them to fly and fight in formation, a warfare 

that reflects the tearing battle on ground, with its loss in terms of lives, too. 

Awarnotonlyonthebattlefields

In parallel with the battles on the front, the "war" increased between the different aircraft industries. Agreements 

made those that once have been small factories, such as Nieuport, Fiat, Renault, Fokker, into relevant industrial poles 

whose turnover was counted in millions (1916).  

The "Allies" of the "Triple Agreement" counted on a unprecedented amount of production of aircrafts (30 000 every 

year), while the "Mittelmächte" focused on the double target of maximizing the production and performance, 

unfortunately the unfair amount of Allied aircrafts caused the loss of the war by the German coalition.  

The best example of the combination between production and quality sought by the Germans was the ALBATROS D.V 

(built in 3000 units between 1917‐18). 

 

kies  above  the Western  Front were  a  sort of  a  "Darwinian" habitat where 

airplanes,  in  order  to  survive,  were  forced  into  a  continous  evolution, 

sometimes  achieved  by  copying  each  other.  In  1917  the  British  SOPWITH 

TRIPLANE  impressed German  aviators,  thanks  to  its  agility while  flying,  so 

much  that  the  Fokker  Industry  copied  it  and  created  the DrI  Triplane,  the 

ALBATROS D. V - Despite the wide-body fuselage, essential but elegant shape, this German fighter was considered already outdated as soon as it reached the battlefields in 1917, if compared to other Allied aircrafts.

AIRCRAFTSGOINTOWARplane that  Manfred von Richthofen made a legend in the history of flight. 

USAentersWWI

The idea that the entry of the USA into WWI 

would have brought a change of superiority 

to the advantage of the Allied forces, didn't 

take account of the extreme backwardness 

of USA in what concerns the aircraft 

industry. on the contrary, Americans 

developed an efficient production such as 

the assembly line. The idea was to introduce 

the way of production to aircraft 

manufacture. Unfortunately a project is 

always simpler than its realization, so USA 

sent only 1400 fighters, and the same 

inefficiency happened to the production of 

engines,too. The Liberty engine was, 

bacause of the difference of standards 

between Europe and the USA, in its first edition outdated, in the second version so pawerful, that at maximum power 

(400CV) solicitations would have caused the wreck of the airplane it was mounted on. 

Kaiserschlacht

On 21 March 1918 Germany with the help of aircrafts as supporters for infantry succeeded in unlocking the nerve‐

racking  trench‐war, breaking enemy lines and forcing them to retreat towards Paris. 

Victory was near but the early success was soon stopped because of lack in fuel. While the Germans were forced to 

cut  airborne missions, Allied Forces had time ro rise their power again. Thousands of pilots came from USA and at the 

end of 1918 France fit out 700 fighter and bombers so, during the battle of Saint‐Mihiel American General William 

Mitchell counted on more than 1500 aircrafts recruited from all the Allied Forces.  

TheendofWWI

Exausted and near the depletion of fuel, German aviators never stopped flying and, although overwelmed by the 

Allies, caused more deaths than those that they suffered. 

WWI  ended with the defeat of the "Mittelmächte" and the death of 9 000 000  people, among them 15 000 

aviators, whose life expectancy during the fight  was the same as that of infantry in the trenches.  

AVIATION CAME OF AGE DURING A WAR THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN AS A SLAUGHTER,  LED WITH TECHNOLOGIES MADE 

AVAILABLE BY INDUSTRY. ALTHOUGH PILOTS SOARED ABOVE TRENCHES AND MASSACRES, THEY TOO PLAYED THE 

ROLE OF VICTIMS AND HEADSMEN. FLIGHT HAD LOST ITS INNOCENCE.    

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WWIaces

WWI was the first conflict that requested human resources in 

their ensemble, finalized for victory. The massacre that 

everyday happened in trenches generated a common sense of 

solidarity with those men, relatives even before being soldiers, 

who face death daily at the Front. Generals understood that although patriotism was extremely widespread it could 

be sooner or later no more sufficient. So airplane pilots started to form an efficient "tank" of heroes for common 

patriotism.       

The French  and the Germans created an official system in order to acknowledge 

victories achieved by pilots and a defined least number to get the title of "ace" (this 

number will increase during the war). British didn't recognize formally aces but still 

confer those pilots who succeeded in many missions as well to those who overthrew an 

high number of enemies  the highest military honor, the Victoria Cross. Aces were 

transformed by patriotic propaganda in true celebrities and national heroes.   

   

FOKKER DR. I - Probably the most well known aircraft of the whole conflict, the Dr I helped its pilot M. von Richthofen to achieve 19 out of 80 of his victories in the skies. The revolution of introducing the third wing to the established prototype of biplane resulted in an increase of lift and control as well as agility.

Manfred von Richthofen - German ace of the Luftstreitkrafte is considered the top ace of WWI with 80 officially recognized victories. His airplane painted red in order to be visible to both allies and enemies brought him the nickname "Der rote Kampfflieger".

National hero - when in 19171 the French ace Georges Guynemer died, his name was engraved on a slab inside the Pantheon in Paris, next to those of greatest French philosophers, poets and worthy people.

Flying Circus - Because the colorful liveries Manfred introduced on the aircrafts of his squadron, enemy often called the German formation "The von Richthofen's Flying Circus".

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Abovethefilthytrenches

Propaganda also plumped the missing of a war like the ancient ones, more noble and 

fair, utterly contrasting with the shabby trench war. Only aviators morally and 

materially seemed to soar away from the dirt of the Flanders trenches on the 

Western Front, the only soldiers in WWI depicted as holders of virtues of a man in 

battle. Pilots had an high awareness of themselves and during fights they sometimes 

showed up true chivalric manners (not shooting down an enemy whose machine gun 

was not working properly). However were more frequent the opposite manners 

such as when British E.M. Mannok easily shot down 6 airplanes of training cadets 

and their instructor only because they were easy targets. 

However war in trenches and aviation had more in common than what claimed. Also aircrafts and pilots were 

subjected to a constant strain caused in first place by the loss of companions and generally by the shell shock caused 

by the war. in 1917 a pilot life expectancy was only 2 or 3 weeks since he arrives at the Front.  

Atoughselection

Many fighter pilots came (like Richthofen) from cavalry now outdated, others had a past in sport, many were only 

once mechanics and the next day pilots. They were always very  young often commanders when only 19 years old.  

A great number of them even never reached the Front. Flight schools were not 

prepared to train such a great number of cadets, and as WWI airplanes were extremely 

difficult to pilot, many of them died at their first flight. It's estimated that the number 

of cadets dead during training was double if compared to that of pilots dead at the 

Front. 

Warfareevolved

As the war was evolving  Germany did  its best in order to deny conspicuous loss in terms of pilots and prepare them 

properly with an efficient training. Fighting principles were established and imparted by Boelcke in 1916, than, a 

squadron of trained and highly specialized fighter pilots (Flight Section 62) was created. Although was making its 

appearance the tactic of flying in formation, most of veteran fighters continued to prefer solo flights and missions. 

Only in France there were squadrons of elite formations such as the "Cigognes" (that fought in the battle of 

Verdun).French also introduced in their "group warfare" another squadron, squadron "Lafayette" composed of 7 

American pilots whose purpose was, by actions of insane bravery, to persuade USA to enter the conflict supporting 

the Allied Forces. 

Aces were not only national heroes, they were firstly men at the service of the army with specific tasks to be 

performed (patrolling, pursuing, bombing..). Aces or not however, during the most critical parts of the war, pilots were 

forced to an enormous stress. They were not immune to war shell shock, forced to see their companions die and 

crash. Another case was the absence of a parachute for pilots, not part of the equipment because generals belived 

pilots would have used it even when necessary due to their poor mental conditions during airborne fights, literally 

fleeing  from their enemies.  

   

Respect - when the German ace Oswald Boelcke was overthrew and died in 1916, British, dropped a wreath of flowers on his tomb with the label "In memory of Cap. Boelcke, brave and chivalric opponent".

Penguins - was the name given by the French to the airplanes used to simulate on ground airborne maneuvers and tactics.

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Fokker D. VII - In 1918 Germany desperately needed a new single seated fighter in order to replace the outdated Albatros and Dr I. Powerful (thanks to its new BMW engine) and extremely sensitive to pilot maneuvering, but still easy to fly, this airplane brought to Jasta the highest victory percentages if related to pilots' death. They were the first aircraft that counted on a parachute and oxygen stock onboard. Most of 1500 D. VII sent to the Front in 1918 had this innovative livery, extremely efficient because almost invisible at great distances.

Anthony Fokker - (1890-1939) Born in Giava before being a contractor has been a pilot himself. In 1912 opened a factory in Schwerin and the war and his immense sense of a affairs did his fortune. was personally friend to most of German aces and often asks their opinions before starting a project with his designer in chief Reinhold Platz. After WWI left for USA where started the "Fokker Aircraft Corporation" for both civilian and military purpose.

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      Max Immelmann (1890- 1916) - With O. Boelcke was member of the Flight Section 62, was the first pilot of the Fokker Eindecker. he invented a maneuver that would have lasted in history, the Immelmann veer (after an attack from above with a dive the pilot increases again the pitch and does an half loop, at the top e turns again pointing the ground redescending again on the enemy ). Was the first pilot honored with the medal " pour le mèrite" the highest German military honor. As Immelmann was the first pilot who has received it, British nicknamed it "blue Max". His death has been celebrated in hundreds of ways among them figures a piano march named "Der Adler von Lille" Immelmann nickname.

Oswald Boelcke (1891-1916) - more charismatic than Immelmann, was instructor, commander and pilot. He personally selected and trained the pilots grouping them into squadrons called Jasta or Fagdstaffeln. While was member of Jasta 2 instructed pilots, among who, there was von Richthofen. Instructed new warfare tactics and advice for pilots and achieved 40 victories.

Fokker E. III Eindecker

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Airborne patrolling - in the photos a "Thornton-Pickard Type A" camera used by British officers. Cameras were firstly hold in hands by the observers (usually sitting in the rear cockpit) who also controlled the rear machine guns if present. Artifices such as securing the cameras to aircraft fuselage or the mechanical change of photographic plates radically helped watchers in their job.

Aerial photography - in order to obtain a complete photo the pilot must maintain a leveled and slow flight, moreover it requires more than one passage on the same area to print the image on the plate. (below the photo of an artillery station bombed as seen from a patrolling aircraft)

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Bombs from above - as soon as the pilots and generals discovered the potential offensive power of an armed aircraft, planes started to be a vital supporter to infantry and artillery, as well as an arm of the deadliest for enemies. Bombs (in photo a Marten Hale (2kg)) were stored in the cockpit and dropped by hand when and where necessary by the pilot. Bunches of small steel darts were instead thrown against infantry and cavalry platoons.

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The eternal battle of innovation - During the whole last of WWI engineers and generals faced who the willingness of bring aircraft specs towards a continue evolution, who instead looked forward a radical conservatism. At the very beginning of the war engineers and builders of airplanes were, as been for the prewar-pioneers-age, people and workers of bikes and manufacturing industries and companies.

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Penally - Small town of the UK coast, Penally is the site where is still visible a hub once used as train-field for soldiers in trenches.

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                                                                                              Valerio Saccone (Liceo Augusto) Comenius Project (1‐5 Dec. 2014) 

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 Flying suit - Officers and pilots had different garments, to be used while flying or as a uniform. Flying suits were padded with animal fur, the equipment offered an overcoat, gloves, two caps, boots, trousers, specs. Oxygen masks and parachutes were introduced only at the end of war for German pilots.