World War 1

i am doing a term paper on the signifigance of fighter planes in world war 1 and all the information i find is too in depth i just need some basic information on the role fighterplanes played in WW1 if you know any websites could you please email me

Looking for info on my grandfather
JOSEPH S.T.FALL he was a aces fighter in WW1
for the british

[Vigilant]

Phil,

The only reason fighter planes were important in WW1, and in any other war subsequently is becuase they stop the other planes - the two seaters and the bombers - from doing their job. They stop them by killing their pilots.

This may sound like stating the obvious, but what I am getting at is that you should try to find out what those other planes were up to and why they were important if you want to write about the significance of fighters. If you think about reconnaissance in a war where entry into the enemy's territory on the ground was near impossible you will have the key to importance of aerial photography. Similarly if you think how complicated trench lines were. How can you plan an attack when you don't know what's there? What happens if you don't plan properly? - 1000's of unnecessary casualties. Artillery was crucial to everything that happened on the Western Front. How could the gunners hit targets hidden in woods or behind hills without an eye in the sky?

The other thing I would say about fighters is that they gave every country a potent propaganda tool - their "flying aces". Where else in WW1 could individuals fight as individuals? That was the way the public thought wars _should_ be fought; not in a sea of mud and guts and barbed wire. I don't think you can underestimate the importance of a Richthofen, or a Guynemer, or a Bishop, or a Richenbacker to their countries.

I hope this helps and you stay interested in WW1 flying,

Vigilant.

Phillip: The value of air power in WWI can be found in Richard Hallion's book: "The Rise of the Fighter Aircraft". It is a small book and you will find all of your answers therein.
One of the greatest achievewents of airpower in that war was the recon mission of the English squadron that located the the open or unanchored flank of the German army driving on Paris: the French attack on this open flank stopped the German drive and forced a retreat, saving France from defeat.