World War One fighters

Adding guns required the planes to be beefed up even more; not only to carry the weight, but to withstand the recoil of firing, and to survive the violent maneuvers that occurred when an aircraft tried to evade an attack. Early scouts had a distressing tendency to shed parts of themselves during combat maneuvers. Some of the fixes were simple, like relocating the seam in the fabric of the Neuiport's upper wing away from the leading edge, to prevent the entire wing covering from tearing off in a steep dive. Other problems were simply a result of the aircraft not being strong enough to survive the G forces involved in combat. New aircraft were designed and put into service as fast as each side could accomplish it.

Maneuverability became one of the most important aspects of fighters. At that time, it was not possible to outrun a bullet, and contrary to popular belief, it still isn't possible to dodge them. What is possible, is to dodge the opposing pilot's aim, so that he's not able to shoot in the first place. If you're able to spoil his aim, he may spray bullets to his heart's content, but he'll only hit you accidentally. Again, strength was important, because maneuverability means sudden changes in direction which build up severe G loads. Before experience taught what was adequate, violent maneuvers would fold the wings and kill the pilot faster than the enemy could.

The combat aircraft that finished the war were a far cry from those that had begun it. Fast, maneuverable, tough and heavily armed, they were the first step in the progression that has come down to us today.

Some good aircraft sites, that allow you to see some of this progression are:

http://www.theaerodrome.com has a variety of pictures and specifications of aircraft

http://www.overthefront.com is the homepage of the League of WWI aviation historians. Not a lot on the web, but they do publish a quarterly journal devoted to the air war.

http://www.flying-machines.com sells books dedicated to WWI aviation.

http://www.wtj.com The War Times Journal has articles on line devoted to several conflicts, but including Manfred Von Richtofen's memoirs, a book by Eddie Rickenbacker, and other WWI items.

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