US Air Force Military Training - Yearbook (Lackland, TX)

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,,,,,,,,,.7,..f-.- il-Inu-.-f 99TH AERO SOUADRON OFF!CERS IN FRONT OF PLANES SALINSEN PLANE, 9lST SOUADRON

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in , ,:,, , 1 1 1 no an j 'U X 'lhoie viiiolioid ifhafiif wiil be air power fhai- will decide ll!! war. if seeirrsflikeliekowever, +ha+ 'rhis fheory will be given 6 'lhorough fesf before fhe war is done. Cerfainly if is frue fhaijfhe concepfion of +he airplane has already undergone a remarkable series of changes since 'lhe beginning of fhe World War, when if was regarded noi' in ihe lighi' of a combai' weapon ai' all. lndeed fhe firsi' airplanes used in fhe World War were almosf always of one fype, a 'l'wo-seafer designed for reconnaissance work. As fhe war progressed specializafion appeared and a class of airplanes designed firsf for air fighfing, fhen for bombing, appeared. Several nafions, prior fo fhe war, had experi- menfed wifh 'rhe arming of aircrafi' wifh machine guns, buf on fhe oufbreak of 'lhe war no plane on fhe fronf was so armed. Rifles, carbines, pisfols, and hand grenades were carried by fhe pilof and observer. The facfics of air fighfing were rudimenfary. The pilofs simply flew close fo fhe enemy and when wifhin range fhe pilof and fhe observer blazed away wifh any weapon fhey happened fo have handy. In fhe summer of l9l5, belligeranfs began fo mouni' machine guns in 'lhe planes, usually on a swivel bar af fhe back of 'rhe observer's seaf. The observer could only fire fhe gun backwards foward fhe fail of fhe plane, firing over fhe pilo+'s head, which made for a very resfricfed zone of fire. This necessifafed fhaf in order fo fire on an opponenf, 'rhe plane had 'ro fly away from +he enemy, 'rhus making ii' very difficuli' fo be effecfive. The Brifish experimenfed wifh a 'rype of plane in which fhe gun was mounfed in fhe froni' and fhe mofors faced fhe rear. This fype gave fhe advanfage of fronfal firing, buf was so slow on climbing and flighi' 'lhai' ii' was abandoned wifhin a shorf fime. The firsi' real fighfing aircrafi +o make ifs appearance was fhe German Fokker monoplane. Fasf, maneuverable, and of fhe 'rracfor fype, fhe plane had a machine gun mounfed in such a fashion as fo synchronize wifh fhe revolufions Q 1 Q on i Q cu Q we of fhe propeller, fhus allowing ii' fo be fired sfraighf ahead. -The piloi' aimed fhe gun by aiming fhe airplane. This plane was so obviously superior fo fhose of fhe Allies 'rhai' com- mand of 'lhe air passed 'ro fhe Germans 'lhroughouf fhe resf of 'rhe year. ln I9I6, however, +he Brifish were able fo challenge The Germans by producing 'rheir own fype of fronf-firing plane, alfhough if was noi' unfil near fhe end of l9l6 +ha+ fhe Allies were able fo produce machine gun mounfed planes of 'lhe Fokker fype. The success of fhe Fokker airplane was responsible for fhe advenf of formafion flying. Casualfies among fhe French and Brifish had grown so heavily fhai' individual flighfs were disconfinued and flighfs of fhree or more planes 'look fheir place. The Germans refaliafed, and by fhe end of fhe war pafrols were 'rhe accepfed form of air facfics. I+ early became apparenf fo air-minded officers fhaf greaf damage could be inflicfed upon 'lhe enemy by drop- ping bombs from aircraff on his froops, ammunifion dumps, facfories and ofher milifary insfallafions. Indeed, many of fhe early fighfers affempfed some rudimenfary bombing flighfs, using hand grenades. These were usually ineffecfive excepi' in rare insfances. Bombs were fhen devised which could be dropped from 'lhe plane. ln early bombing raids fhe bombs were carried in fhe cockpif of ordinary fighfer planes and heaved over fhe side by fhe observer whenever he iudged himself fo be in a posifion fo hii' his +arge+. This was a clumsy, inaccurafe sysfem, however, fhai' soon led +o fhe design of an enfirely differenf craff made for bombing alone, and equipped wifh machine guns for pro- fecfion. These planes, which were growing larger and larger as fhe war progressed, were equipped wifh bomb racks confrolled by meohanisms wifhin fhe bomber, and carried crews of from fhree fo six men. They were ufilized a+ firsi' as lone raiders, depending on sfealfh and surprise fo accomplish fheir fasks, buf by l9l7 'rhere had evolved

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96+h Aero Squadron officers lLieulenanl Samuel Lunl, lourlh from righll. Wrighl machine: wilh P. Parmalee and Lieulenanl M. S. Crissy wilh lirsl explosive aerial bomb. lhe syslem ol 'Formalion allaclcs by squadrons ol bombers escorled by lighler planes as a proleclive screen. The Germans used lhis syslem lirsl lo greal advanlage, and by concenlraling very large llighls were able nol only lo con- cenlrale lhe power ol lhe bombing assaull, bul have enough lighlers lo sweep lhe skies ol lhe opposilion. ln addilion lo lhe dulies ol Reconnaissance, lhe original role ol lhe airplane, had been added lhe duly ol palrol, slralling and bombing, wilh lhe Bombardmenl arm always lending lo become more and more imporlanl. Aller lhe war lhe Air Services ol all counlries began lo experimenl more and more wilh lhe developmenl ol bombing planes ol increased power and deslruclive abilily. ll was realized lhal il was increasingly possible lor planes lo inllicl very heavy damage on lhe enemy lrom lhe air. The developmenl ol bombsighls by all lhe maior powers was lo a large degree re- sponsible lor lhis. The American bombsighl was recognized as being probably lhe mosl accurale ol any developed in lhis period. Accuracy in hilling a predelermined largel was coupled wilh increased allilude which made lhe planes more sale lrom enemy lighlers and anliaircrall allaclc. Increased speed and range ol lhe planes has developed down unlil lhe presenl lime, when every bel- ligerenl possesses bombers capable ol 'Flying immense dislances wilh heavy bomb loads. The Uniled Slales was among lhe lirsl lo develop lhe arl ol dive bombing, wherein lhe plane is poinled downward al lhe largel and releases ils bomb very low, depending upon +he lremendous speed ol lhe dive lor proleclion. The dive bomber is very accurale inasmuch as lhe pilol has lhe largel belore him on lhe way down and does nol release his bombs unlil iusl above il. ll remained lor lhe Germans lo develop lhis lo lhe highesl, and il was employed wilh greal success in lhe ballle ol France. Many mililary experls say lhal lhe Slulca dive bomber is lhe grealesl single con- lribulion ol lhe war lo air combal. The Germans also experimenled wilh and developed lhe use ol air-borne soldiers, ulilizing lhe parachule, originally a salely device, as an inslrumenl lor lhe dropping ol ollensive men behind lhe enemy lines. The Russians also have used lhis exlensively, and paralroops are now a parl ol every belligerenl Army.