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War in the air . By Liam Sproule. War in the air. Started when pilots began carrying weapons Before this planes were used for reconnaissance . A Nieuport 17. The first kill. The first aerial kill was achieved by French air force pilot Joseph Frantz and his observer Louis Quenault .
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War in the air By Liam Sproule
War in the air • Started when pilots began carrying weapons • Before this planes were used for reconnaissance A Nieuport 17
The first kill • The first aerial kill was achieved by French air force pilot Joseph Frantz and his observer Louis Quenault • He was using a rear-mounted Hotchkiss machine gun
New advancements • Since the start of WWI aeroplanes had been fitted with rear mounted machine guns A Morane-Saulnier with an armoured propeller • A new way to mount the guns was needed • The solution came in placing a forward firing gun above the engine
Forward firing guns • The first solution for firing a gun the propeller arc was thought of by Roland Garros In early 1915 • This was to armour the propellers
Interrupter gear • A better solution was needed however • The interrupter gear or ‘synchronization gear’ was invented by the Germans • The interrupter gear stopped the gun from firing when the propeller was in the way. • Led to the design of the Fokker Eindecker
Fokker Eindecker • Based on the unarmed A.III scout • First aircraft to incorporate the interrupter gear Fokker Eindecker • It used a single Parabellum MG14 • Designed by Anthony Fokker
Fokker Eindecker • German authorities didn’t allow it to fly over enemy lines • An estimated one hundred made • Also estimated that it shot down one thousand planes between 1915 and 1918
Fokker Eindecker • Deemed to ‘finicky’ and overly sensitive • It used wing warping • Lack of tail ailerons • Its engine was gravity fed
Sopwith 1 ½ strutter • Designed as an escort plane • Was used as a light bomber • Had a rear mounted machine gun • Favoured for its long range and handling Sopwith ½ strutter
Sopwith 1 ½ strutter • Introduced in January 1916 • Powered by a 130hp motor • Built in many variants • British produced 1,280 Sopwiths • France produced more than 4,500
Short Bomber • Designed by the Short brothers • Long range two seat multipurpose plane • Based on the successful Short Type 184 A Short Bomber
Short Bomber • Came into service in late 1916 • Had a rear mounted Lewis gun • Had the ability to carry 420kg of bombs • During testing both its wingspan and overall length were increased several times Short Bomber Technical drawings
Short Bomber • Its first bombing mission was to attack targets in Belgium • The Short proved to be to underpowered and was pulled out of the war in early 1917 Short Bomber Amphibious variant
Friedrichshafen G.III • Designed by Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen, a German aviation company • Used for tactical bombing • Powered by twin six-cylinder 260hp Mercedes D. Iva engines Friedrichshafen G.III
Friedrichshafen G.III • Payload of 1000kg • Carried streamlined P.u.W bombs • Could also carry an air mine • 330 were produced
Friedrichshafen G.III • The G.III was a very stable aircraft • Had a very considerable range
Pilots behind the planes • At the beginning of the war life expectancy was 5 week • During ‘Bloody April’ a pilots life expectancy was just 17.5 minutes
Red Baron • Born 2 May 1892 to a Prussian Noble Family • He loved hunting from an early age • At the age of 11 he enrolled in the Prussian Cadet Corps
Red Baron • In 1911 he entered the Uhlan Regiment Number 1, a cavalry regiment • In early 1914 his regiment transferred to the western front • In May 1915 he requested that he be transferred to the flying corps
Red Baron • In June 1915 he joined the 69th flying squadron • Started his career as a spotter • He started pilot training in October 1915 • On Christmas day he passed his exam
Red Baron • He was assigned a two seat albatross B.II • He scored his first victory over the Verdun in April, 1916, a French Nieuport • His regiment transferred back to the Eastern front several months later
Red Baron • While in the Eastern front he carried out bombing missions • His most notable success was the bombing of the Manjewicze railway station • In August 1916 he met the Great ace of the time Oswald Boelcke
Red Baron • In 1916 Manfred formed his own flying sqaud • He required that all of his pupils study his tactics • By March 26, 1917 he had downed 31 planes
Red Baron • On April 5, 1917 the British planned a massive bombing raid on Manfred's aerodrome • He was having a feast at the time • The aerodrome was extensively damaged
Red Baron • On July 2 he encountered pilot D C Cunnell • Cunnell proved to be a worthy opponent
Red Baron • After coming back from leave he shot down 2nd Lt. H. J. Sparks • He achieved 17 kills in march and April of 1918
The Final Dogfight • On the morning of April 21, 1918 • Capt. Brown shot down the Red Baron • The aircraft went down in Australian occupied territory
The Final Dogfight • Capt. Brown never claimed the kill • Some Australian gunners did however • The British held a grand funeral for the Ace • He died age 25 having downed 80 aircraft
Bibleography 9, Nov. "The Red Baron, Manfred Von Richthofen - Top WW1 German Ace." WW1 and Aviation - Facts, History, and Pictures. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.acepilots.com/wwi/ger_richthofen.html>. "Aerospaceweb.org | Ask Us - Fighter Guns & Synchronization Gear." Aerospaceweb.org | Reference for Aviation, Space, Design, and Engineering. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/weapons/q0303.shtml Bishop, William Avery, and Stanley M. Ulanoff. Winged Warfare. New York: Arco Pub., 1981. Print. "Fokker Eindecker." Fokker Eindecker. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.aviationtrivia.info/Fokker-Eindecker.php>. "Friedrichshafen G.III - Bomber." All the World's Helicopters and Rotorcraft - the Most Complete Helicopter Collection in the World. Helicopters, Autogyros, Tilt-rotors, Tilt-wings Etc. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.aviastar.org/air/germany/friedrichshafen_g-3.php>. "A History of Fighter Aircraft." United States Air Service - USAS. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://usaww1.com/World_War_1_Fighter_Planes.php4>. Imperial War Museum. London: Imperial War Museum, 2001. Print. "Manfred Von Richthofen - New World Encyclopedia." Info:Main Page - New World Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Manfred_von_Richthofen>.