How the airplane changed the nature of warfare? how and why airplanes were usedin World War I?

Question

Thank you;)

Answer 1

First, if this is more than a passing interest, please find the book: "Air Power, The Men, Machines, and Ideas that Revolutionized War, from Kitty Hawk to Gulf War II"

by Stephen Budiansky-- ISBN 0-670-03285-9

This book is the best text in print on the history of aerial warfare. Any person interested in aviation should read it. It can answer this question and practically any other you might have far better than I can here in a few paragraphs, but I'll give a brief summary.

The first big change was intelligence and cartography. Before the advent of ballons and especially airplanes, it was possible to move entire armies in relative secrecy. A lot of strategy was guesswork assisted by quick strikes and recon performed by cavalry. Once we were able to send men up in aircraft, the game completely changed. Commanders had acquired the ability to track forces effectively and effectively update maps. Fighters were developed initially to protect these reconnaisance planes from attack and destroy the enemies abilty to track you. Bombers were used, as were airships for long range attack, but this was largely innefective. For decades, even into WWII, this was as far as things went. During WWII, there grew a focus on strategic bombing that, arguably, was still inefective but underscored the relatively new ability to strike an enemy far behind any static front line. The ability to quickly move long distances is vital. Since Hitler's blitzkreig, movement has been the way war is fought. Air power is absolutely neccessary in a high-mobility war. Close air support for ground troops and tactical strike by smaller aircraft making quick, accurate attacks slowly became preferable. This developed into the technique of fast strike with precise weapons used today. All of these ideas, including dogfighting were present in WWI. They've been developed greatly, but are still fundamentally the same. I'm sorry that this is such a long answer, but there's a lot to cover. Again, if you want more info, the aforementioned book will cover it all. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

At first, they were used for recon/observation (much like the hot air balloon corps of the American Civil War)

Then one day, some pilot took a pot shot at an enemy plane with his side arm. After that, the Genie was outta the bottle.

Pilots (or rear seaters too) would hand drop bombs on enemy lines.

Side arms were modified (Colt .45 auto, model 1911, had an extended magazine, and a wire basket arrangement to catch empty brass as it ejected), rifles were impractical for the pilot to use, though a second crew member could use them.

Soon, machine guns (most modified from what the ground forces were using, i.e., the Vickers machine gun) were mounted atop the upper wing, to clear the prop.

The French tried mounting one atop the engine hood. They attached metal plates to the back of the prop, to try to keep the gun from shooting off the prop. The problem was the pilot had to dodge his own bullets ricocheting around.

The Germans came up with a synchronizing mechanism to interrupt the gun from firing when the prop was in the way, until it passed, allowing the gun to continue shooting, until the prop rotated in the way again.

Answer 3

Is this Answers Thing making homework easier?

Answer 4

In WW1 plane were for recon.  One day a pilot dropped a bomb from the side of the plane and history was made.  Soon guns were mounted to destroy weather balloons which had men in them for observation.  As time progressed things became faster and more accurate.  WWII had more of a dog fighting approach than say Viet Nam for the us Americans.  Viet Nam War relied on newer air to air missiles, and bombs.  That let to Top Gun (yes like the movie) for more dog fighting skills.  To day planes shoot missiles from miles away, never seeing there target with pin point accuracy.  Stealth capabilities and hover flying is the norm.

Answer 5

ahaha we just did this in history. and i am new to this but lovinh how everybody uses it for homework.

basically, it helped put an end to Trench Warfare, and the first people to have airplanes were the Germans with the German Fokker Idenbaucker (check spelling on that). Thats all i can think of for now... i am drawing blanks but that shuld be enough to answer a question.

Answer 6

Italian "Regio Esercito"(royal army) begun using airplanes in the War of Lybia in 1911(October the 23rd) at the beginning only for recon, but then they started launching hand granades, then modified hand granades(multiple granade with a wooden handgrip) and then Italian pilots and tecnicians developped the first mechanical dropping systems(few bombs not much bigger than handgranades stored under the airplane and released pulling a wire).

During that war they also dropped propaganda papers for enemies(something like "surrender!!! and we will...."), a Regia Marina(royal navy) airship performed the first target pulling mission(wooden shape similar to a plane to train infantry in anti-aircraft shooting ) .