British Air Forces 1914 - 1918, Images of War

[Dover]

Amazing thread here. I had no idea of the utterly terrifying nature of aerial warfare on the Western Front during the First World War.
Very violent and quite personal. Quite a different story than the fictional "knights of the air" version that I was raised on.
Thanks to Tim, Dino and others for the history lesson.

 

[Smithy]

Amazing thread here. I had no idea of the utterly terrifying nature of aerial warfare on the Western Front during the First World War.
Very violent and quite personal. Quite a different story than the fictional "knights of the air" version that I was raised on.
Thanks to Tim, Dino and others for the history lesson.

Like most young boys of my generation from the Commonwealth I was brought up on Biggles and had this rather romanticised idea about the war in the air in the First World War. When I was older and started reading more about the WWI air war I was shocked by how different the reality was from my Biggles inspired idea of what it was like. Unfortunately most people have this rather quaint idea of the first air war which is so utterly removed from what it was actually like.

The saddest thing with these sanitised ideas of WWI in the air is that it takes away from the sheer bravery of the men who fought it on both sides. This was the most violent, savage and dangerous air war ever fought. If you were a combat flyer in WWI you were far, far, far more likely to die than in any other aviation conflict, including WWII. It was also as you have pointed out Dover, a far more personal war. Flying and fighting in WWI was done in very close proximity to your enemy, there was no sense of being separate and shooting at machines, you were very close to who you were trying to kill. It's not surprising that many survivors were haunted for the rest of their lives by horrific images that they had seen.

One of the most eye opening things was when I was having a chat with a mate of my Dad who had flown Spits in WWII. For some reason WWI came up, and he, a veteran of 4 years of combat in WWII, said to me "what we went through was nothing compared to those blokes in the first show, that was Hell".

 

[Smithy]

I love this photo.

This chap looks like a tough nut, an observer from 7 Sqn. The photo is undated but as there's a Harry Tate in the background and 7 Sqn converted to the type in July 1917 and continued to use it until war's end, this is sometime from summer '17 until November '18. 7 Sqn has quite an illustrious history and is still going to this day. Note the ubiquitous Triplex goggles.

 

[dinomartino1]

Officers of C Flight, No. 4 Squadron, AFC in full flying gear, about to take to the air.
France 1918

 

[dinomartino1]

I forgot about this thread and stared a new one by mistake, some nice pics there. I will be continuing to post here.

https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/the-rfc-raf-ww1.22942/

 

[dinomartino1]

Air Mechanic of the Royal Flying Corps in marching order.

'Pancaking'. Air technical diagram of a Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 biplane making a pancake landing.

Air technical diagram of an Avro 504 biplane landing across wind, showing the consequent result.

Air technical diagram of an Airco DH.4 bomber making a bad approach and landing.

A Royal Air Force training photograph demonstrates how not to return a salute.

 

[dinomartino1]

Air technical diagram of a Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 biplane trying to avoid collission after turning into the path of a Britstol Fighter.

'Position of Control Stick When Running Engine on the Ground'. Air technical diagram of a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 fighter.

 

[dinomartino1]

'Low Flying - Avoiding Barrage'. Air technical diagram of a Sopwith Salamander flying low over the enemy lines.

Air mechanics fixing small and large bombs to an Airco DH.4 day bomber at Serny Aerodrome, 17 February 1918.

'A Sitter'. Air technical diagram of a Nieuport Scout aircraft shooting at the enemy aircraft from below.

'Decoyed'. Air technical diagram of RFC aircraft being lured into a trap by German fighters.

'Good and bad looping'. Air technical diagram of aircraft performing good and bad loops.

 

[B-Man2]

Cool posts Dino

 

[dinomartino1]

Mechanics of the Royal Flying Corps, overhauling a B. E. 2c. plane fitted with 80 HP Renault engine at Farnborough, November 1915.

'The Last Loop'. Air technical diagram of a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 fighter shooting down an Albatros D.III.

'Rules of the air - meeting another machine'. Air technical diagram of a Sopwith Dolphin and two Sopwith Camel biplanes meeting in the air and turn to the right.

 

[dinomartino1]

'Night Flying - Holt Flares and Mist'. Air technical diagram of Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b bomber trying to land in misty conditions at night.

1917 Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 biplane, named "Destiny II", of No. 52 Squadron RFC about to take off. Bray-Dunes - the air station to intercept raiders to and from England.

Telegraphists of the Royal Flying Corps leap-frogging over each other during a training exercise at Farnborough, 1915.



I could not help myself, Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE displays his leap frogging prowess

 

[B-Man2]

Yeh.........I'm a little lost on this one....

 

[dinomartino1]

'Getting Off - The Last Look around'. Air technical diagram of an Airco DH.9 getting off while a Sopwith Camel coming to land.

Air mechanic about to fix a large bomb to an Airco DH.4 day bomber at Serny Aerodrome, 17 February 1918

Cadets at work at rigging and instruction shop at No. 1 School of Military Aeronautics in Reading, at the time part of the Oxford University. Later it became the University of Reading. The aeroplane in the middle distance is a Sopwith Camel

A group of pilots and Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5As of No. 32 Squadron at Humieres aerodrome, 6 April 1918.

Cadets taxiing on a De Havilland fuselage at No. 1 School of Military Aeronautics in Reading, at the time part of the Oxford University. Later it became the University of Reading.

 

[dinomartino1]

Officers of No. 207 Squadron RAF, at Ligescourt, 29 August 1918. In front of them, on a trolley, are the largest and smallest aerial bombs and behind them the long fuselage and two swivel gun mountings in the rear gunner's cockpit of a Handley-Page Bomber.

The observer and pilot in the nose of a Handley Page Bomber, showing a Lewis gun on a Scarff ring and the bomb-sight of the former. Near Cressy, 25 September 1918

The observer and pilot in a Handley Page bomber: the former in the nose, equipped with a Lewis gun on a Scarff ring and the latter in his cockpit just in rear of front observer, it is fitted with two sets of controls. Near Cressy, 25 September 1918.

Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a aircraft of No. 85 Squadron at St Omer aerodrome, 21 June 1918. The serial numbers shown on the planes are from the front: C 1904, D 6851, C 1931, B 7870, C 1928, C 6486.

Pilot of a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a of No. 1 Squadron RAF firing a Very Light Pistol. Note Lewis gun on upper wing. Clairmarais, 3 July 1918.

 

[B-Man2]

Thanks Dino!

 

[dinomartino1]

Officers of No. 207 Squadron, a unit of the Independent Air Force, at Ligescourt Aerodrome, 25 August 1918. This group shows the mixture of naval, military and RAF uniforms in vogue on active service. Behind the group is one of the Squadron's Handley Page 0/400 bombers.

The Observer of a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b night bomber checking his Lewis gun. Aire Aerodrome, 19th January 1918.

The Pilot and Observer of a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b night bomber putting on their flying kit. Aire Aerodrome, 19 January 1918

Pilot of a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b night bomber examining a 25lb bomb about to be attached to his machine. Aire Aerodrome, 19 January 1918.

French female air mechanics looking at an Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 under the guidance of two RAF air mechanics at Le Crotoy aerodrome, 9 July 1918

Officers of a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b night bombing squadron putting on their electrically heated suits, boots and gloves at Aire Aerodrome, 19 January 1918.

A Clayton tractor towing a Handley Page O/400 bomber of No. 207 Squadron at Ligescourt Aerodrome, 29 August 1918

 

[dinomartino1]

1918 Officers and S.E.5a Scouts of No. 1 Squadron, RAF at Clairmarais aerodrome near Ypres. The group includes two Americans serving with the Royal Air Force, Lieutenants D. Knight (extreme left) and H. A. Kuhlberg (extreme right).

Morane parasol biplanes of No. 3 Squadron RFC at La Houssoye, September 1917.

Fuselage of a German AEG G.IV (G.105) bomber, brought down by anti-aircraft gun fire at Achiet-le-Grand on 23 December 1917, being removed by RFC tender, 27th December 1917. Near Bapaume.

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 being towed away for repairs, Flanders.

 

[B-Man2]

Its almost 2 am here and I cant stop looking at this stuff!

 

[dinomartino1]

Repairing and re-assembling Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 biplane at No. 1 Aircraft Depot at St. Omer, 19 December 1917.

Female despatch riders of the Royal Flying Corps in Christ Church College, University of Oxford. November 1917

A mobile repair lorry of the Royal Flying School at Farnborough, 1917.

1918 Officers of the No. 54 Squadron RAF. Behind them is a Sopwith Camel

Hispano Suiza engine, 200 hp, type V90.

Football team of No. 54 Squadron RAF. Behind them is a Sopwith Camel aircraft

A Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b two-seat reconnaissance biplane flying over the American Red Cross recreation camp.

 

[dinomartino1]

An observer testing the wireless transmitter of his Armstrong-Whitworth F.K.8. Poperinghe aerodrome, 1918

Gnome Monosoupape engine, 100 hp, type B2.

Wolseley Hispano "Viper" engine.

Hispano Suiza engine, 200 hp, type V90.

Wolseley Hispano "Viper" engine.

Gnome Monosoupape engine, 100 hp, type B2.

Two artillery officers acting as observers in RAF kite balloons, fixing on their parachute harnesses.

1917 A squadron of Nieuport Scout biplanes lined up in the snow at Bailleul Aerodrome, 27 December 1917. It's possibly No. 1 Squadron RFC

Two Handley Page O/400 heavy bombers on the RNAS Aerodrome, near Dunkirk, 20 April 1918.