This is for all of my summary notes about “The war in the air, 1914–18”. This is from the Edexcel specification for A-Level History.
This document includes information from my own research, books I have read, the main textbook, my teacher and revision guides – it is detailed and has allowe...
Impact of aerial reconnaissance
Reconnaissance, observation, communication
- Reconnaissance = gaining intelligence by surveying territory held by the enemy.
- traditionally, intelligence about an enemy army was gathered by scouts (cavalry) and spies.
- There are 3 key aspects: reconnaissance (the ability to survey territory):
observation (accurate recording of what was surveyed);
communication (relaying info as quickly as possible)
On land, a high point made a good observation post and the British had an army balloon section by the 1890s and
used reconnaissance balloons during the Boer War in South Africa.
Airships and balloons
- Airships = invented in the 1850s, + seemed a more viable option for commercial flight than the aeroplane.
- in Germany, Ferdinand von Zeppelin flew his first airship in 1900 + 1906, the German army acquired its first
Zeppelin.
- The Royal Navy used airships before WW1 for reconnaissance + anti-submarine patrols.
- 1910: the British army had its first reconnaissance airship (Beta 1) BUT found kite balloons more useful.
- balloons = useful on the Western Front for observation + artillery spotting.
- the balloon = tethered by a long cable to the ground with a ‘gondola' beneath the balloon,
- observers could go as high as 4,000 feet + see up to 15 miles.
- balloon observers took photos, checked maps, identified targets, reported on artillery accuracy by
telephone.
- observation balloons = usually defended by anti-aircraft guns = NOT easy to shoot down. Bullets could pass
through the balloon fabric WITHOUT igniting the gas (hydrogen or coal gas) inside.
- not until incendiary ammunition was developed did balloons/ airships suffer losses through catching fire.
- 1916: German soldiers thought the British enjoyed a balloon superiority of 15 to 1 + complained that British
balloon observers could pick out soldiers/ machine guns to direct artillery fire on them.
First reconnaissance by aeroplane
- August 1914: 4 RFC squadrons were sent to France. The RFC was to support the army by ‘scouting’ and
artillery spotting.
- The RNAS could attack the enemy as well as carry out reconnaissance, but when its Eastchurch Squadron
arrived in Belgium, NONE of its aeroplanes had weapons - the only RNAS aircraft with a gun was an airship.
- August 1914: Mapplebeck + Joubert de la Ferté flew the first RFC reconnaissance mission.
- Captain Mapplebeck got lost + had to land near Cambrai to ask directions.
- such adventures did NOT impress sceptics about aeroplanes.
- Henderson = commander of the RFC from August 1914 to August 1915 (with a brief break) then director-
general of military aeronautics in London.
- he become a pilot in 1911 (advanced age of 49) so was an ADVOCATE of air power.
- Mapplebeck = KILLED testing an aircraft in England in 1915 (aged 23).
- Joubert de la Ferté = SURVIVED the war + rose to high rank as an air chief marshal.
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