From one who was there on the night. ‘I attended the first session of the WW1 AHT Winter Chats Programme 2022, and it was a fascinating insight into the development of the scout (fighter) aircraft of WW1 during 1914-1915. The panel presentation involved a range of pilots with current experience of flying some of these […]
Some amazing aeroplanes made it to Northern France at the start of WW1. None of them were armed. The idea of air combat grew as they found themselves in the same air space wishing to deny the other side uninterrupted reconnaissance. Pistols, rifles, even grappling hooks lowered on a rope were the first attempts to […]
Almost everyone has heard of the Fokker Scourge and the impact that the Eindecker had on the battle for control of the air over N France for the 12 months from mid-1915. By the middle of 1916 the Allies had stepped through the next technical evolution with the Nieuport 11 and the DH2. However, their […]
One of the more bizarre early Scout aircraft was the massive (48ft wingspan) pusher FE2b. Its design reflects the early quandary about forward firing and rearward protection. The pilot sat in the rear cockpit and the observer gunner moved his heavy MG to fire from a mount on the front of the cockpit or on […]
To understand the development of the Scout (Fighter) aeroplanes in WW1, you have to understand the air concepts of the day and the fragility of their craft at the onset of the War. Aeroplane v aeroplane was far from their thoughts. The early designers were merely trying to elevate a cavalry reconnaissance officer to a […]
