Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-02
BY LIEUT.. r. w. DICHMaN,
Air Cnlps United States Army


BY LIEUT.. r.. w. DICHMAN.
Air C,lps United States Army
The years of the war from 1914 tc
1918 we're four years of astonishing
activity in airpIaue development Every
thing was Subordnaled to military ne
rrSsjtv. As the outbreak of the war the
airplanc was considered an interesting
toy, but never was considered Tor the
important role it was finally deStneo
10 play.
the first airplanes used in the war
ware curnloved exclusively in obserVa-
ton and reconnaissance. Slow, cum
bersome puSherS. they carried no arna-
n1ent and merely lowered about out OF
range of rife fire from the ground The
crew usually consisted OF two men, pltot
and observer, seated in tandem. the OBJ
server in front. Their mission was
mainly to aid the cavalry in reconnais-
sance and often their reports were no1
taken seriously until confirmed by the
cavalry. The British RES and French
voison pusher Of 1914 are ootn e>Gm-
nIes of this style. The high speed was
not over IS miles per hour ana cclllng
approximately 10000 feet.
Rapidly Improved.
Changes and improvements came
rapi1lv. Some one with perverted
sense Of hunor carried rifle on an OBJ
sevvation mission and instead Of waving
a greeting 10 an enemy pilot took a shot
nj him Thus air tactics were born.
The pusher gave way to the tractor,
the Sincle-seater fighter was developed
Machine guns fastened to the airplane
we're employed. Later means OF syn
tYrac
enabled them to fire through the ro-
fating propeller without striking 1t.
Engines OF greater horsepower were ue-
veioped. Bombs we're carried and drop
ned on favorable objectiveS and POM
bardment aviation was uShered In.
The pace was rapid. the casualties
heavy. as each side realized that SUI
pramacy Of the air was vital TO eventual
success on the ground. Thus with the
cumbersome pusher an-purpoSe. no
purpose. exhibition airplane OF 1914 as
8 starting point different types OF air.
planes were developed to meet the Spe-
cjafized needs of. military aviation. BY
1917 there were three distinct kinds OF
military aviation. the pursuit, ooserva-
ton and boinbardment, each requiring
an airnlane OF distinct special charac-
teristics.
The pursuit is popularity considered
the most exciting and adventureSome
branch OF aviation and young men we're
usually selected for this work. This
depends upon ones temperament. Is
1t more exciting = engage IN aerial
combat when YOU are shooting at each
other. or to know that some one is
shooting at you while you are attempt
ing 70 accurately drop bombs or take
o photograph? You can take your
choice. To say that any branch of
aviation is more important than any
other is wrong They are each necessary
for their particular work One might
as well discuss which is the most i'm
portant part Of an airplane, the wings
or the engine.
Job to Clear Air.
The mission of pursuit is mainly
against enemy aircraft. though occa-
sionally they operate against ground
forces. Their Job is TO clear the air OF
enemy aircraft, particularly hostile pur-
suit. and allow the observation and
bombardment airplanes to do their
work. For this purpose single-seater
airrlanes are usually employed. though
q few two-seater pursuit airplanes were
used to good advantage. The pursuit
planes Of 1917 had a high speed of
between 100 and 40 miles per hour at
the ground. the absolute ceiling be-
tween $4,000 and 10000 feet and the
rate of climb at the ground between
1000 and / 500 feet per minute
The observation mission is self-eVi-
dent II is 70 secure information. Two
scatter airplanes are almost invariably
EMPLOYED and it is often necessary to
carry camera and radio equipment.
The observation airplane is only sup
posed TO put UP defensive battle: its
main mission is 10 get back with the
information. The observation plane
performances of 1917 were between
limits of lis to 100 miles per hour at
the ground, 1900 to 10000 feet abso-
lutte ceiling. and TOO to 1000 feet per
minute rate of climb at the ground.
The purpose of the bombardment Is.
OF course. 10 drop bombs on prede-
termined detectives and get home in
order to drop more bombs. often OBJ
seryation airplanes were used for day
bonabardment, but the larger share of
bombing was carried out by large air.
planes at night The bombardment
airplanes Of 1917 were usually four or
five scatter airpIancs carrying 1000
pounds of bombs and six or seven hours
fuel supply The high speeds ranged
from IS 10 100 miles per hour al the
ground. the absolute ceiling between
1000 and 5000 feet and the rate Of
climb at the ground between 300 and
500 feet per minute.
Engine Power Increased.
The years 1917 TO 1923 present
rather peculiar picture Of airplane de-
vel0pment In 1918 the performances
acre considerably bettered over 1917.
The point 10 be noted about this data
is not only the increase in perform
snce, but also the increase in the power
Of the engines used While the high
speed Of pursuit airplanes had increased
approximately 20 miles per hour the
engines employed were OF 100 horse
power greater capacity.
Similarly the observation high speed
had been increased some 20 miles per
hour with l25 horsepower increase In
the power plant. while bombardment
aigplanes had also increased in high
speed an average Of 20 miles per hour
with increase in power from 300 To 500
horsepower Ceiling and climb we're
increased a proportionate amount. From
this IL should not be concluded that he
increase IN performance vas entirely due
70 increase In horsepower. Refinements
a design played their part but the
larger engines we're very important
factor.
tFE E+EAN wv yfo4o, S7<e anu s0~os
were years Of stagnafiOn rs far as TECH
ulcai progress in aeronauticS WAS con-
ceFned Several alTplanes were built.
bat very few Of them we're ever flown.
II Is interesting TO note that IN the
Paris salon held In 1922 less than 5
per cent IF the ajrplanes exhibited had
beer flown compared with the present
seYJal SHOW. where all of the airplanes
have flown before being exhibited.
The Intervening years from 1921 u
1923 we're ones of steady progress until
al the present time We have pursuit
speeds ~ 100 miles per hour, obsefga-
tiou speeds Of $50 miles per hour and
bonnnafdnlent speeds u 100 miles per