A woefully underpowered machine, the H.F. 20 Series planes could only be used on observation flights in France. It also served as a trainer, and in secondary theaters, notably in German East Africa where an H.F.22 variant participated in the hunt for the Konigsberg. Top Speed: 65 m.p.h. Manufacturer: Farman Freres Year: 1914 Engine: 80 [...]
The first non-stop flight from America to Europe was accomplished in 1919 by the Vickers “Vimy” Bomber, a bi-motored Rolls-Royce airplane, piloted by Captain John Alcock and navigated by Lieut. Arthur W. Brown. The trip started at St. Johns, Newfoundland, at 12.13 P.M., New York time, on Saturday, June 14, 1919 and 16 hours and [...]
This was the last of the B.E. (Bleriot Experimental, and then British Experimental) series built by the Royal Aircraft Factory. Compared to the B.E.2, it had a more powerful rotary engine, but otherwise was quite similar. It could only carry a 100 lb. (45 kg.) bombload, even less with a two-man crew. A few were [...]
In 1915, when the British Empire forces (mostly Indians and Australians) attacked the Turks in Mesopotamia, they needed aircraft. Or wanted them; perhaps it was a matter of national pride, that every modern army ought to have air support. At any rate, the Rajah of Gwalior underwrote the expense of the air contingent – a [...]
On the morning of October, 5, 1914, French Sergeant pilot Joseph Frantz and mechanic Corporal Quenault in their Voisin biplane spotted a German Aviatik flying at about 3500 ft. He closed on until Quenault found the range and opened fire with a light machine gun. The Aviatik dove away, but Frantz followed, Quenault firing intermittently. [...]
Some of the largest machines thus far built are of the Caproni Ca.4 type, fitted with three powerful motors, two of which drive tractor propellers while the third is a pusher and is located between the other two. Two cars are fitted and, on some of the trial flights made in this country, a large [...]
Introduced in mid-1916. Designed along very similar lines to the Gotha, the Friedrichshafen bomber, is one of the principal heavy bombing machines turned out by the Germans. Its makers have long specialized in the manufacture of seaplanes of the single and the twin-engine type, and the bombing machine resembles the latter, except for the sweep [...]
The Aviatik is one type of machine which has been used to a large extent by the Germans for their bombing raids. It is equipped with two bomb-launching tubes having a diameter of 8 1/2 inches and placed at either side of the body forward of the pilot’s seat. The bombs are released from these [...]
With a few differences, such as the fact that the Gotha is a pusher type, whereas the A.E.G. twin-motored bombing plane is a tractor, the latter machine is designed along essentially the same lines as the Gotha, which has been developed by the Germans especially for bombing service. Doubtless, machines of both these types have [...]
Italian single-seater biplane of World War One Across the Carnic Alps, the self-styled warrior-poet Gabriele d’Annunzio, flew with eleven Ansaldo biplanes of the 87a Squadriglia, in a dramatic long-distance bombing raid on Vienna, August 9, 1918. They arrived over the ancient capital of the Hapsburgs and rained down a lethal storm of … leaflets … [...]