What were the dangers of flying during WWI?

What were the dangers of flying during WWI?

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 code of the pilot in ww1?

Any chivalric code among WWI aviators was rapidly outstripped by lists like this and the ideals they propose: kill your enemy as efficiently as possible and try to stay alive. In some ways however, it was actually more personal than the other forms of combat in WWI.

How did World war 1 affected the aviation industry?

Most important was the development of more powerful motors, allowing aircraft to reach speeds of up to 130 miles per hour, more than twice the speed of pre-war aircraft. Improved power also made bigger aircraft possible. Development of the aircraft did not immediately affect the development of commercial flights.

Which pilot shot down the most planes in ww1?

Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen He scored his first kill in September 1916, and went on to down an astonishing 79 more aircraft by April 1918—more than any other pilot during World War I.

How many pilots lost their lives in ww1?

How many pilots lost their lives in ww1? In all the various nations’ fledgling air forces ‘only’ 50 000 or so aircrew died during World War I a tiny fraction of the nine million lives lost in the fighting overall.

Why did war planes have targets on them?

Both the roundels and bright uniforms of the black powder era had a visibility problem to overcome. For musketmen it was smoky battlefields, for planes it was the fact that you were moving at a high altitude. This meant that they needed a large, easily visible way to show whose side they were on.

What was the life expectancy of a World War 1 pilot?

The Germans generally had better aircraft and more experienced airmen, but the Canadian and Imperial fliers persevered. Historians have calculated that the life span of a pilot in action was about ten weeks.

What was it like to be a pilot in ww1?

World War I fighter pilots had a typical life expectancy of several weeks while flying in combat. Several weeks. Not much at all. In terms of flying hours, a combat pilot could count on 40 to 60 hours before being killed, at least in the early part of the war.

Why did they put bullseyes on planes?

Do fighter pilots get PTSD?

Aviators who were in a near missile strike may develop PTSD due to the incident. Coming so close to a near death experience is sufficient trauma to cause mental health problems in the future. Another common occurrence for aviators that could lead to PTSD is being fired upon by ground fire.

What is a 1 day ace?

The term “ace in a day” is used to designate a pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day, based on usual definition of an “ace” as one with five or more aerial victories.