WW1 In The Air: The Development Of The RFC As A Fighting Force Flashcards
When was the RFC established?
1912
Where did military pilots train, and how many planes did it initially have?
The central flying school at Upavon Wiltshire
Began with 8 planes
How many squadrons did the RFC have in august 1914?
How many went with the BEF to the western front?
They had 5, only 4 went to France
How many aircraft and pilots were in a squadron?
Each had 12 aircraft with spares
So a total of 63 aircraft and 900 men went with the BEF
Role of the RFC on the western front initially
Reconnaissance
What was the role of the RNAS initially?
To look after home defence
How did Jackie fisher change the role of the RNAS?
He saw the potential threat to the fleet from german zeppelins so in 1913, the RNAS had the responsibility for coastal patrols, scouting for the navy and attacking german airship bases
RNAS action on the 22nd September 1914
4 planes sent to bomb zeppelin bases in Düsseldorf
It was unsuccessful
Only one plane reached the target, dropping 3 bombs, 2 failed to explode and one missed
RNAS attack on zeppelin sheds
On the 21st Nov 1914
4 Avro 504 aircraft raided zeppelin sheds at Lake Constance in germany
They had to be transported in crates to belfort because they couldn’t fly that far
But they dropped 11 bombs in the attack, 2 hit the airship base, damaging one zeppelin and blowing up the gas works
One British plane was hit by German gunfire and forced to land, the pilot was attacked by civilians but later well treated as a pow
How and why did the RFC role on the western front change?
It adopted more activities other than reconnaissance in an attempt to ‘unlock’ the stalemate
Pilots tried airbombing with grenades and hand made petrol bombs
By 1915, all aircraft were being fitted with wing racks to drop bombs
Who was Hugh Trenchard?
Commanded the RFC on the western front
He was a career soldier who had learnt to fly in 1912
Trenchard policy for aviation in the army
To attack whenever possible
To co-operate with the army through reconnaissance and low level bombing
To maintain British morale and weaken german
How did Haig impact the development of aircraft on the western front?
He saw the value of aircraft in sustaining an offensive
He supported trenchard with little idea of aerial technology
He and trenchard were criticised for being wasteful of life and ,arterials
How many planes and pilots did the RFC lose in the spring of 1917?
More than 700 planes and 473 pilots
Aircraft on the western front in 1914
British: 113
French:160
German: 246
