Download The War in the Air - Summary of the Air War

The War in the Air - Summary of the Air War
When Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated on the 28th of June 1914, it was just over a decade since the Wright
brothers first twelve second flight at Kittyhawk.
In the intervening years advances in range and reliability proved that the airplane was a viable, if still somewhat
exotic, means of transport. In 1909 Bleriot made the first flight across the English Channel. In 1913 Roland Garros
made the first cross Mediterranean flight, from the south of France to Tunisia.
There was also, in this period, some initial understanding of the military implications of the airplane. After
Bleriot's flight H. G. Wells was to write, prophetically, that "…this is no longer, from a military point of view, an
inaccessible island." In 1911 the Italians, at war with Turkey in Libya, became the first to make military use of the
airplane, dropping grenades from a German-built monoplane. In 1912 they also dropped bombs from an airship.
When war broke out the number of aircraft on all sides and all fronts was very small. France, for example, had
less than 140 aircraft at the start of the war. By the end of the war she fielded 4,500 aircraft, more than any other
protagonist. While this may seem an impressive increase, it does not give a true indication of the amount of aircraft
involved. During the war France produced no less than 68,000 aircraft. 52,000 of them were lost in battle, a
horrendous loss rate of 77%.
The period between 1914 and 1918 saw not only tremendous production, but also tremendous development in
aircraft technology.
A typical British aircraft at the outbreak of the war was the general purpose BE2c, with a top speed of 116 km/h
(72 mph). Powered by a 90 hp engine, it could remain aloft for over three hours. By the end of the war aircraft were
designed for specific tasks. Built for speed and manoeuvrability, the SE5a fighter of 1917 was powered by a 200 hp
engine and had a top speed of 222 km/h (138 mph).
Britain's most famous bomber, the Handley-Page O/400, could carry a bomb load of 900kg (2000 lb) at a top
speed of 156 km/h (97mph) for flights lasting eight hours. It was powered by two 360 hp engines.
In 1914 it was important that aircraft be easy to fly, as the amount of training that pilots received was minimal, to
say the least. Louis Strange, an innovative pilot from the opening stages of the war, was an early graduate of the
RFC (Royal Flying Corps) flight school. He began flying combat missions having completed only three and a half
hours of actual flying time. For this reason aircraft were designed for stability. By the end of the war stability had
given way to manoeuvrability. The famous Sopwith Camel was a difficult aircraft to fly, but supremely agile.
Not only did aircraft become faster, more manoeuvrable and more powerful, but a number of technologies that
were common at the start of the war had almost disappeared by the end of it. Many of the aircraft in 1914 were of
"pusher" layout. This is the same configuration that the Wright brothers used, where the propeller faced backwards
and pushed the aircraft forward.
The alternative layout, where the propeller faces forwards and pulls the aircraft, was called a "tractor" design. It
provided better performance, but in 1914 visibility was deemed more important than speed. World War One marked
the end of pusher aircraft.
Another technology that scarcely survived the war was the rotary engine. In this type of engine the pistons were
arranged in a circle around the crankshaft. When the engine ran, the crankshaft itself remained stationary while the
pistons rotated around it. The propeller was fixed to the pistons and so rotated with them. Rotary engines were air
cooled, and thus very light. They provided an excellent power-to-weight ratio, but they could not provide the same
power that the heavier in-line water cooled engines could. Although they remained in use throughout the war, by
1918 Sopwith remained the last major manufacturer still using them.
The rapid pace of technological innovation was matched by a rapid change in the uses to which aircraft were put.
If in 1914 there were few generals who viewed aircraft as anything more than a tool for observation and
reconnaissance (and many of them had great reservation even to that use) by the end of the war both sides were
integrating aircraft as a key part of their planned strategies.
While the plane did not play the decisive role that it was to play in later conflicts, the First World War proved
their capabilities. It was during this period that the key tasks that aircraft could perform were discovered,
experimented with, and refined: observation and reconnaissance, tactical and strategic bombing, ground attack, and
naval warfare. With the growing importance and influence of aircraft came the need to control the air, and thus the
fighter was born.
William Avery (Billy) Bishop (1884-1956) was Canada's highest-scoring fighter pilot of World War
One, with 72 confirmed victories.
Born on 8 February 1894 in Owen Sound, Ontario, Bishop attended the Royal Military College before joining the
8th Canadian Mounted Rifles once war began in 1914. Following a spell with the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Bishop sought and received a transfer to the British Royal Flying Corps in December 1915. He eventually received
his pilot's license in 1917.
Bishop, who flew Nieuport 17 and S.E.5a's, was referred to as "the Lone Hawk" for his preference (like Albert Ball)
for solo missions. Perhaps unfortunately for a member of the RFC he was also regarded as something of a weak
pilot, suffering from a tendency to crash land his aircraft.
Indeed Bishop was due to be sent to England from France for 'remedial' training when he succeeded in shooting
down his first aircraft. There was no looking back and Bishop quickly gained celebrity for his undoubted ability as a
crack shot if not for flying ability.
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the remarkable feat of scoring 25 'kills' within just 12 days as leader of
the so-called 'Flying Foxes', he was earlier awarded the Victoria Cross for a single-handed offensive against the
German aerodrome at Arras on 2 June 1917.
Bishop was the ninth Canadian to receive the VC (the first being Alexander Roberts Dunn in 1854). Some years
after the war (from 1982 onwards) questions were raised concerning the verifiability of Bishop's feats that day and a
Senate enquiry was held (he was cleared of any wrongdoing). Added to his DFC and VC were also the DSO and bar
and Military Cross.
Bishop survived the war (unlike a great many of his contemporaries) as commander of 85 Squadron. He was in fact
withdrawn from active duty in June 1918 for fear that he would be shot down (with a consequent ill-effect upon
morale at home). The same year he published his war memoirs, Winged Warfare.
After the armistice Bishop initially travelled the U.S. giving lectures. He subsequently co-founded (with fellow
Canadian ace Billy Barker) a charter airline business, which however went bankrupt. After a period of floating he
eventually established himself as a successful sales director for Frontenac Oil in Canada.
During World War Two he served as Air Marshall with responsibility for Canadian recruitment. His fame as a
former World War One air ace served to draw fresh recruits to the air force (indeed too many to be admitted). After
the war he entered semi-retirement, later attempting to enlist (unsuccessfully) during the Korean War.
He died on 9 November 1956 in Florida.
Arthur Roy Brown (1893-1944) achieved lasting fame during the First World War for being credited as the air
ace who finally brought the 'Red Baron' - Manfred von Richthofen - to earth.
Born on 23 December 1893 in Carleton Place, Ontario the son of a flour mill and power company owner, Brown
was one of five children. Following a high school education Brown studied at business school in order to take his
place running the family businesses. This was followed by a course at Victoria High School in Edmonton from
1913-15 so as to gain his high school matriculation.
A somewhat shy but intelligent man Brown enlisted in 1915 as an Officer Cadet at the Army Officers' Training
Corps. Even at this early stage Brown was fascinated by the aerial war; it was a more attractive draw than trench
warfare.
Although Brown expressed interest in joining the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) his father, concerned at the high
casualty rate for RFC pilots, declined Brown's request for elementary flying school lessons. Service with the Royal
Naval Air Service (RNAS) was deemed a potentially safer avenue, since these airmen were less likely to routinely
undertake combat missions, instead flying coastal patrols for much of the time.
Consequently Brown, along with three friends, applied to join the RNAS upon the former completing his schooling
at Edmonton. Finding that they needed Aero certificates before they could join the RNAS they embarked upon
flying lessons conducted at the Wright Brothers school in Dayton, Ohio (the Toronto flying school being full).
On 13 November 1915 Brown emerged from training with his pilot's certificate after just six hours air time. Joining
the RNAS in Ottawa along with his friends he was appointed Temporary Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant.
Brown set sail for England on 22 November 1915 and upon his arrival Brown underwent further training at
Chingford.
On 2 May 1916 Brown crashed his AVRO 504 aircraft, initially emerging apparently unscathed. It was only on the
following morning that he experienced severe back pain; upon investigation it was revealed that he had broken one
of his vertebrae. In consequence Brown spent the next two months recuperating in hospital.
In September 1916 Brown, by now recovered, was posted to Eastchurch Gunnery School and was sent for advanced
training at Cranwell some four months later.
In March 1917 Brown was given a posting to No. 9 Naval Squadron and given a Sopwith Pup with which he was
tasked with Belgian coastal patrols. The squadron's chief task was the defence of the North Sea fleet and in driving
off German seaplanes as well occasional bombing raids.
However in April 1917 part of the Squadron - B Flight, which included Brown - was attached to the RFC to assist
during the Battle of Arras. In the event Brown was taken ill until June, missing what the RFC came to call "Bloody
April", when the new German aircraft, the Albatross DIII, wreaked havoc among Allied aircraft.
Once recovered from his illness Brown was posted to No. 11 Naval Squadron, primarily a training squadron. His
stay there was initially brief however; the following month, July 1917, brought him a posting to No. 4 Naval
Squadron before he was moved back to No. 11 Naval Squadron later the same month, flying a variety of Sopwith
aircraft (including Pups, Triplanes and Camels).
Brown finally opened his aerial score on 17 July 1917 when, flying a Sopwith Pup on patrol, he brought down a
German Albatross DIII south-east of Nieuport.
Appointed Flight Lieutenant Brown brought down up to three further enemy aircraft while with No. 11 Naval
Squadron; however, since these were not confirmed 'kills' they were not officially credited to Brown and did not
form part of his official tally.
With the disbandment of No. 11 Naval Squadron in mid-August 1917 Brown returned to No. 9 Naval Squadron, his
original squadron, by now flying Sopwith Camels. All of Brown's nine remaining air successes were achieved with
this aircraft.
On 6 October 1917 Brown was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in recognition of his aerial success
and in particular for coming to the aid of a lone Allied pilot under fire from four German Albatrosses. Even though
his own aircraft's guns had jammed he raced to the pilot's aid, forcing the German aircraft to scatter as he flew
directly through them: a remarkable act of courage. Ten days following the award of his DFC Brown was promoted
to Acting Flight Commander.
With the amalgamation of the RFC and the RNAS into the new Royal Air Force (RAF) at the start of April 1918
Brown's Squadron was renamed 209 Squadron. He was also appointed Captain under the new structure and the
squadron posted to the Somme area. As a consequence of the initial sweeping success of the German spring advance
of 1918 209 Squadron occupied no fewer than six different aerodromes between 20-29 March 1918, each time being
driven further back by continued German successes.
Flying an increasing number of high-tension missions each day, Brown scored kills on 11 and 12 April in the
Somme region. This brought his tally to nine. His tenth and final success came some nine days later on the morning
of 21 April 1918: his victim was Richthofen.
In the most famous aerial battle of the war Brown's flight fought against the seemingly overwhelming might of Jasta
11 - the so-called 'Circus' led by von Richthofen. Brown was officially credited with shooting down von
Richthofen's red Fokker DR.I, although controversy continues to the present day as to the real source of the credit.
Australian Lewis gunners of 14th Artillery Brigade laid claim for bringing Richthofen down (among others). Click
here to view present day photographs and film footage of the crash site.
Rewarded for his efforts that morning Brown was given a Bar to his DFC and widely praised for claiming the scalp
of the war's highest scoring fighter pilot: Richthofen had amassed 80 aerial victories.
Upon viewing Richthofen's body on the following day Brown wrote that "there was a lump in my throat. If he had
been my dearest friend, I could not have felt greater sorrow". He left the RAF in the aftermath of the armistice (in
1919) and returned to his homeland to work as an accountant. He also founded a small airline and worked for a
while as editor of Canadian Aviation.
Attempting to re-enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with the advent of the Second World War,
Brown's application was refused. He instead entered politics losing an election for the Ontario legislature in 1943.
Brown died on 9 March 1944 in Stouffville, Ontario shortly after posing for a photograph with a current prominent
air ace George Beurling. He was aged 50.
Questions:
1. Describe the change in the air force between 1914 and 1918 both in numbers and in
technological advances.
2. What similarities are there between Roy Brown and Billy Bishop?
3. What contrasts are there between Brown and Bishop?