History of Military Aviation

Genesis of Military Aviation

The first practical air-war mechanism was the balloon. The first use of a balloon for aerial observation was performed by the aerostat Entreprenant (the Enterprising one) at the Battle of Fleurus in 1794. Later it was also used in 1859 by the French forces as observation points in Italy.

The same tactic was also used during the U.S. Civil War. With the outbreak of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln did consider the possibility of an air-war mechanism. Eventually it was Prof. Thaddeus S. C. Lowe who was awarded the title Chief Aeronaut of the Union Army Balloon Corps. The first assignment in military balloons was given to the topographical engineers, to work on improving map making. But General Irvin McDowell, commander of the Army of the Potomac called on the balloon to perform aerial observation of enemy encampments and movements in the Battle of First Bull Run.

The balloon was also used to direct artillery fire from an unseen location onto a enemy encampment. This first-used concept was a predecessor to the Forward Artillery Observer (FAO) and revolutionized the use of artillery.

The strategic use of the Air Force for offensive tactics however evolved during the First World War. Using air planes to scout evolved into using small fleets that engaged in aerial combat and bombing raids. While it was Germany who pioneered the strategic importance of aerial warfare, the allies quickly realized the significance and developed their own fleet of air planes to combat the threat. The constant innovation to find better and swifter modes of combat aerial warfare resulted in the rapid development of military aerodynamics. The significance of controlling the skies soon led to the development of combat techniques like formation flying, dogfights, bombing of strategic locations like transportation lines, communication lines and armaments depot etc.

Evolution of the Air Force

One of the main concepts that evolved during World War I is that of Total War. This concept was also used by Sun Tzu and means complete ruthlessness while waging wars. This also meant destroying a country’s industrial infrastructure and mobilizing all resources available for total tactical capability.

In this context the effectiveness of an aircraft as a tactical weapon increased, and gave way to establishing air force as an independent entity from the ground force. It was soon conceded that wars in the future would be won by strategic bombardment of an enemy's industrial centres, thereby crippling the economic means of a nation. During the early 19th century air planes were used for spying and strategic bombing. Over the following years, rapid technological advances in aeronautical engineering led to a broader and yet specialised use of air strategy during World War II.

Evolution of Military Aviation

The 1930s were the most dynamic years for the development of strategic aerial warfare. Germany’s concentrated efforts regarding its air armament (Luftwaffe) proved to be an effective independent war mechanism, which also supported its ground forces (Blitzkrieg). The allied forces were not far behind in gearing up to the challenge and proved it in the first great air battle in history, the Battle of Britain in which the British Royal Air Force defeated the German Luftwaffe (1940). The attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbour further reiterated the strategic importance of aerial combat as an offensive force with the use of aircraft carriers. By 1944, the Japanese air force was itself destroyed by U.S. carrier-based aircraft.

Along with the increase in the importance of air force, flying technique and aircraft design underwent a tremendous change. Aeronautical engineering and factors affecting aviation were extensively studied and charted.