War in the Air Evolves

The United States entered World War I in April 1917 with hardly any airplanes. U. S. pilots, some of whom trained in Europe, flew mostly French planes, although DH-4s were built in the United States. Flying schools were set up to train American pilots, and in February 1918 the 95 th Pursuit Squadron was the first U. S. Army fighter squadron to arrive in France. The 94th Pursuit Squadron scored the Americans’ first victories, in April 1918, when two of its pilots flying French Nieuport 28 fighters shot down two German planes. The 96 th Aero Squadron, formed in France in May 1918, was the first U. S. bomber squadron.

Air commanders such as Britain’s Hugh Trenchard wanted to use air power independently of the armies and navies, but they were restricted by lack of air­planes and by orders to support Allied army offensives. Trenchard got his wish in April 1918 with the formation of the British Royal Air Force (RAF). By the end of the war, the RAF had 22,000 air­craft and had destroyed more than 8,000 enemy airplanes and airships.

Even at this late stage of the war, most air battles were small. Just two British 0/400 bombers, for example, flew to attack the Badische industrial plant in Germany in August 1918. On a rare occasion, large numbers of airplanes were used together. In September 1918, U. S. Brigadier General Billy Mitchell massed 1,500 Allied aircraft for an attack on German positions during the Battle of Saint Mihiel in France.