The First War in the Air
              Before World War I many armies used hot air balloons or gas filled balloons.  In 1794, the French Army sent up soldiers in balloons to watch enemy troops.  During the 1800's, most major armies set up balloons.
              Proper aircraft gained military importance after 1903, when the Wright brothers made the first successful plane flight. This was mainly because of the invention of more powerful engines.  Early planes were made of cloth, wood, and wire and had a low-powered engine.  Most of these aircraft were called biplanes because they had two pairs of wings.  By 1914, biplanes could fly at an average of 75-mph (121 kph) and reach an altitude of about 10,000 feet (3,000 meters).  The armies used the planes mainly for looking at the enemy’s troops and their positions. (Reconnaissance)
              World War I (1914-1918) brought great changes in the design and performance of military aircraft.  For example, the German Army used the engine-powered airship, for reconnaissance and bombing missions. Both sides recognised the usefulness of using aeroplanes for attack as well as for reconnaissance.  Engineers designed larger, more powerful planes that could carry bombs over long distances.  The introduction of these bombers created a need for fighter aircraft to intercept them. As the war continued, fighters were armed with more effective weapons and became faster and easier to manoeuvre.
          A  typical  British World War 1 fighter, the Sopwith Camel              It’s German competitor the Fokker Dr-1

           World War I (1914-1918) greatly advanced aeroplane development.  Early in the war, both sides discovered the usefulness of the aeroplane for locating enemy forces and military bases.  Engineers designed more powerful engines to put swift fighter planes and heavy bombers into the skies.  Germany, the United States, France, and England began to turn out thou-sands of these planes.  Dogfights (air battles between fighters) became common.  Seaplanes were used for taking pictures of enemy naval forces and for bombing enemy submarines. At the beginning of the war, most planes could fly 60 to 70 mph (97 to 110 kph).  By the war's end, many could go 130 mph (209 kph) or faster.  Hugo Junkers, a German inventor and manufacturer, created one of the most influential aeroplane designs of the war.  His plane, called the Junkers J 1, made its first flight in 1915.  The plane was the first to be made entirely of metal and the first to have cantilever wings.  Earlier aeroplane wings were supported by struts (braces) between the body and wings, which slowed it down.  Cantilever wings are completely supported by an internal framework.
 
The outstanding early British fighters included the 
Sopwith Pup (1916) and the Sopwith Camel (1917), 
which flew as high as 5800 m (19,000 ft) and had a 
top speed of 190 km/h (120 mph). Notable French 
fighters included the Spad (1916) and the Nieuport 
28 (1918). By the end of World War I, both sides 
had fighters that could fly at altitudes of 7600 m 
(25,000 ft) and speeds up to 250 km/h (155 mph).

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