The First Air War
Zach Orr
Introduction
For this class we were given instructions to pick a topic of World War I and do a project or a series of projects on that subject. We could pick whatever interested us and if we want to only focus on one subject we could and really get in the details or we could have a board topic, so we could cover many things. My interests of World War I were in the navies and air forces because I myself did not know much of either of them. I knew more about the air forces of World War I and wanted to learn more about both subjects. There was just not enough time in the semester to do both topics, so I had to choose.
I decided to do my research on the World War I air forces of the major players in the war. The main reason why I choose to research the air forces is because I am in the Wisconsin Air National Guard and thought that it tied to my profession as a guardsman. So being a part of the U.S. Air force, I had a deep interest in how aviation evolved since the Wright brothers’ first flight and how aviation changed the world forever after its introduction into warfare.
For this class we were given instructions to pick a topic of World War I and do a project or a series of projects on that subject. We could pick whatever interested us and if we want to only focus on one subject we could and really get in the details or we could have a board topic, so we could cover many things. My interests of World War I were in the navies and air forces because I myself did not know much of either of them. I knew more about the air forces of World War I and wanted to learn more about both subjects. There was just not enough time in the semester to do both topics, so I had to choose.
I decided to do my research on the World War I air forces of the major players in the war. The main reason why I choose to research the air forces is because I am in the Wisconsin Air National Guard and thought that it tied to my profession as a guardsman. So being a part of the U.S. Air force, I had a deep interest in how aviation evolved since the Wright brothers’ first flight and how aviation changed the world forever after its introduction into warfare.
Brief History
You can say military aviation started long before the invitation of the airplane. On November 21, 1783 in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris the brothers launched a 70-foot high balloon carrying Jean Francois Piltre de Rozier and the Marquis d’Artandes. After the invitation lighter-than-air machines were created, hot air and helium filled balloons, nations around the world used balloons from military observation. One of the most famous was Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was famous for making the Zeppelin blimps of World War I for Germany. Then came along the Wright Brothers who were able to achieve the first sustained flight with a heavier-than-air machine, also called an airplane. Although a great invitation, the Wright Brothers struggled for years to find a buyer for their newly found patent. As years went on, other inventors were able to build and build better aircraft than the Wright Brothers. Some nations did not find aircraft would have any military potential or just waited for aircraft to evolve enough, so they could have a military purpose. Eventually as the aircraft evolved, nations saw what the aircraft could do and exploited its potential for a military purpose. This would change the world forever.
You can say military aviation started long before the invitation of the airplane. On November 21, 1783 in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris the brothers launched a 70-foot high balloon carrying Jean Francois Piltre de Rozier and the Marquis d’Artandes. After the invitation lighter-than-air machines were created, hot air and helium filled balloons, nations around the world used balloons from military observation. One of the most famous was Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was famous for making the Zeppelin blimps of World War I for Germany. Then came along the Wright Brothers who were able to achieve the first sustained flight with a heavier-than-air machine, also called an airplane. Although a great invitation, the Wright Brothers struggled for years to find a buyer for their newly found patent. As years went on, other inventors were able to build and build better aircraft than the Wright Brothers. Some nations did not find aircraft would have any military potential or just waited for aircraft to evolve enough, so they could have a military purpose. Eventually as the aircraft evolved, nations saw what the aircraft could do and exploited its potential for a military purpose. This would change the world forever.
The Birth of Military Aviation
These projects require the Google Earth plug-in to view.
WWI German Airship Raids
o This is a tour of some of the first German airship raids of World War 1 on the Western Front. The Germans were able to produce Zeppelin airships that could travel for hundreds of miles and attack way behind enemy lines. The main German airships were the Zeppelins and were the biggest airships of World War. The Germans were able to do a series of raids on the British mainland and kind of foreshadowed of what would come in World War II. This is not all of the airship raids or bombings of World War 1, but it is some of the most important ones of the World War I for the Germans.
o This is a tour of some of the first German airship raids of World War 1 on the Western Front. The Germans were able to produce Zeppelin airships that could travel for hundreds of miles and attack way behind enemy lines. The main German airships were the Zeppelins and were the biggest airships of World War. The Germans were able to do a series of raids on the British mainland and kind of foreshadowed of what would come in World War II. This is not all of the airship raids or bombings of World War 1, but it is some of the most important ones of the World War I for the Germans.
Red Baron
o Manfred von Richthofen, aka "The Red Baron", was a pilot in World War I that had 80 confirmed kills, before he too was shot down. Richthofen was born into a military family and from a young age was put into a military academy. In the start of the war, Richthofen was a cavalry officer, but realized that the real glory for him would take to the skies of Europe. This tour will show you where he was, what he did, and what he accomplished.
o For more information on the Battle of Somme go to Ellen’s and Blake’s project. Blake focused on the Battle of Somme as a whole and Ellen focused on the mining and mine explosions of World War I.
o Manfred von Richthofen, aka "The Red Baron", was a pilot in World War I that had 80 confirmed kills, before he too was shot down. Richthofen was born into a military family and from a young age was put into a military academy. In the start of the war, Richthofen was a cavalry officer, but realized that the real glory for him would take to the skies of Europe. This tour will show you where he was, what he did, and what he accomplished.
o For more information on the Battle of Somme go to Ellen’s and Blake’s project. Blake focused on the Battle of Somme as a whole and Ellen focused on the mining and mine explosions of World War I.
General William Mitchell and the Birth of the American Air Service
o As America entered World War I, they were vastly behind in aviation and an air service. William "Billy" Mitchell was ready to turn America into one of the aviation elites. Mitchell was a capable, but controversial officer in the military and was a firm believer in that aircraft would change warfare forever. At the Battle of St. Mihiel he would show the world that the aircraft indeed would be the weapon of the future. Billy Mitchell is also considered the father of the U.S. air force, so this made me want to do some more research on him and the beginning of U.S. air force.
o For more information about the Battle of Verdun, go to and read Tanner’s and Lee’s projects. They both focused of the Battle of Verdun in two different aspects.
o As America entered World War I, they were vastly behind in aviation and an air service. William "Billy" Mitchell was ready to turn America into one of the aviation elites. Mitchell was a capable, but controversial officer in the military and was a firm believer in that aircraft would change warfare forever. At the Battle of St. Mihiel he would show the world that the aircraft indeed would be the weapon of the future. Billy Mitchell is also considered the father of the U.S. air force, so this made me want to do some more research on him and the beginning of U.S. air force.
o For more information about the Battle of Verdun, go to and read Tanner’s and Lee’s projects. They both focused of the Battle of Verdun in two different aspects.
The Royal Flying Corps
o At the beginning of the Great War, the British only had 113 aircraft in military service, but by the end of the war the British had over 22,000 in their inventory (http://www.airwar1.org.uk, 2004). The British by the end of the war had and could boast of having the world’s largest air force at the time. Aviation in Great Britain started was mainly formed by aviation clubs. As they were drawn into World War one they soon realized their air force was severely lacking and need to be built up. As the numbers show they were able to build up and the Royal Flying Corps was deployed all over the world during the first world war, to include the Middle East.
o At the beginning of the Great War, the British only had 113 aircraft in military service, but by the end of the war the British had over 22,000 in their inventory (http://www.airwar1.org.uk, 2004). The British by the end of the war had and could boast of having the world’s largest air force at the time. Aviation in Great Britain started was mainly formed by aviation clubs. As they were drawn into World War one they soon realized their air force was severely lacking and need to be built up. As the numbers show they were able to build up and the Royal Flying Corps was deployed all over the world during the first world war, to include the Middle East.
Imperial German Flying Corps
o This is a brief history on the Imperial German Flying Corps or Air Service in 1918. The Germans were able to produce some of the best aircraft of the War. After the Treaty of Versailles, German was not permitted to have any military aircraft if that tells you anything of the greatness of their air force.
o This is a brief history on the Imperial German Flying Corps or Air Service in 1918. The Germans were able to produce some of the best aircraft of the War. After the Treaty of Versailles, German was not permitted to have any military aircraft if that tells you anything of the greatness of their air force.
René Paul Fonck
o Before World War I started, the French were leading in aircraft design and production. The French air force was founded in 1909 and is the oldest air force in the world. While producing fine aircraft, the French also had some of the most successful Allied pilots. The most notable of the French pilots is ace René Fonck. He recorded 75 confirmed kills making him the best allied ace, but also the most successful fighter pilot to survive the war.
o Before World War I started, the French were leading in aircraft design and production. The French air force was founded in 1909 and is the oldest air force in the world. While producing fine aircraft, the French also had some of the most successful Allied pilots. The most notable of the French pilots is ace René Fonck. He recorded 75 confirmed kills making him the best allied ace, but also the most successful fighter pilot to survive the war.
Research
With the topic of World War I air forces, I could do a number of things for my project. I decided to do a series of small projects for my “final class project”, instead of only focusing on one side of the war or one nation. For my research I used books from my campus library as well as many online sources. The books in the library I noticed only focused mainly on one side of the war or only on one nation, so this made me realize that I would have to pull most of my information from the internet. The books though helped in narrowing down and finding topics for my small projects. On doing research on the internet for my topics, all I did was focus on a topic that interested myself and narrowed down from the books. As I started to research I ended up getting more and more interested in the topics I was doing, but realized that I was sometimes straying away from the topic or getting too bogged down in one topic.
I was able to research on a number of different nation’s air forces and how they were born. I focused on the major powers of World War I who had any air power. I did run into a few problems well researching, for example, I did not find much information on the Russian air force and was not able to make a tour for it. I found out that they had an air force, but it was small and after the Bolsheviks Revolution the Russian air force was dismantled.
My goal for my project was to give people an over view of the topics I researched and try to interest people in World War I because the hundred year anniversary of the start of World War I is coming in the spring of 2014. I also gave people links to my sources in case they wanted to educate themselves more on the topic. For my projects I used tourbuilder with Google to make small tours for my topics. Tourbuilder is an easy program to use and anyone can use it. Here are my topics and you can click on them to get a tour of that topic.
With the topic of World War I air forces, I could do a number of things for my project. I decided to do a series of small projects for my “final class project”, instead of only focusing on one side of the war or one nation. For my research I used books from my campus library as well as many online sources. The books in the library I noticed only focused mainly on one side of the war or only on one nation, so this made me realize that I would have to pull most of my information from the internet. The books though helped in narrowing down and finding topics for my small projects. On doing research on the internet for my topics, all I did was focus on a topic that interested myself and narrowed down from the books. As I started to research I ended up getting more and more interested in the topics I was doing, but realized that I was sometimes straying away from the topic or getting too bogged down in one topic.
I was able to research on a number of different nation’s air forces and how they were born. I focused on the major powers of World War I who had any air power. I did run into a few problems well researching, for example, I did not find much information on the Russian air force and was not able to make a tour for it. I found out that they had an air force, but it was small and after the Bolsheviks Revolution the Russian air force was dismantled.
My goal for my project was to give people an over view of the topics I researched and try to interest people in World War I because the hundred year anniversary of the start of World War I is coming in the spring of 2014. I also gave people links to my sources in case they wanted to educate themselves more on the topic. For my projects I used tourbuilder with Google to make small tours for my topics. Tourbuilder is an easy program to use and anyone can use it. Here are my topics and you can click on them to get a tour of that topic.
I will be posting on my blog two more tours of the French and German Air Services or air forces. You can view my blog by clicking here, and also see more of the process involved in creating these story maps in the Google Tour Builder beta.
Image Credits -
Line of German Albatrosen: "Baron Mannfred von Richthofen, First World War Ace." Created by unknown official German Photographer. March 1917. Imperial War Museum, ID: Q 50328.
Russian Nieuwports: retrieved from "Russian Aviation and Civilian War" Ret. December 2013. "Nieuport Aircrafts."
Balloon: Prof. Thaddeus Lowe observing the battle of Fair Oaks from his balloon "Intrepid". 1862. Retrieved from Wikimedia.
Plane Crash: "Pilot of no. 49 Squadron RFC climbing out..." 1914-1918. Imperial War Museum, ID: Q 72914.
Header: Cuville, Ferdinand. "Avion biplan Nieuport, au sol." "Reunion des Musées, " Autochromes de la guerre 1914-1918" collection. 1887-1927. CVL00085.
Line of German Albatrosen: "Baron Mannfred von Richthofen, First World War Ace." Created by unknown official German Photographer. March 1917. Imperial War Museum, ID: Q 50328.
Russian Nieuwports: retrieved from "Russian Aviation and Civilian War" Ret. December 2013. "Nieuport Aircrafts."
Balloon: Prof. Thaddeus Lowe observing the battle of Fair Oaks from his balloon "Intrepid". 1862. Retrieved from Wikimedia.
Plane Crash: "Pilot of no. 49 Squadron RFC climbing out..." 1914-1918. Imperial War Museum, ID: Q 72914.
Header: Cuville, Ferdinand. "Avion biplan Nieuport, au sol." "Reunion des Musées, " Autochromes de la guerre 1914-1918" collection. 1887-1927. CVL00085.