What were problems with airplanes in ww1?

Early pilots sometimes carried basic weapons, like guns and hand grenades, and some even dropped bombs and missiles. This was dangerous and it was hard to hit targets on the ground unless the pilot flew very near to the ground. At the same time, aircraft were also fired on by enemy troops and sometimes shot down.

What was the best way to shoot down a plane in ww1?

Machine Guns and Dogfights Pilots soon found that the best way to shoot down an enemy plane was with a mounted machine gun. However, if the machine gun was mounted at the front of the plane, the propeller would get in the way of the bullets.

What advantages did airplanes offer during WWI?

The pros of using World War I aircraft were that they were very helpful in reconnaissance. They could fly over enemy lines and see the enemy’s troop movements, and, after they were eventually armed with machine guns, they could provide an offensive advantage.

What was the purpose of heavy planes in WW1?

At the outbreak of World War I, heavier-than-air craft were used only for visual reconnaissance, since their feeble engines could carry little more than a pilot and, in some cases, an observer aloft.

How dangerous was reconnaissance flying in WW1?

Reconnaissance flying, like all kinds, was a hazardous business. In April 1917, the worst month for the entire war for the RFC (Royal Flying Corps), the average life expectancy of a British pilot on the Western Front was 69 flying hours.

How many people died from airships in WW1?

By the end of the war, 54 airship raids had been undertaken, in which 557 people were killed and 1,358 injured. Of the 80 airships used by the Germans in World War I, 34 were shot down and further 33 were destroyed by accidents. 389 crewmen died.

What was the purpose of airships in WW1?

Smaller, nonrigid airships were used throughout World War I by the British for antisubmarine patrol, convoy escort, and coastal reconnaissance, achieving a remarkable record of protecting coastal convoys from German submarines. They were revived by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the same use.