[caption id="attachment_14269" align="alignleft" width="400"] Two German spherical balloons in 1896. These balloons could only be used in good wind conditions, any rough weather would jostle the balloon around. [Waffen Arsenal 149][/caption]The idea of using balloons as a means of observation in war dates back nearly to their initial conception in the late 1700s. An aerial…

In times of emergent technology, it goes without saying that many new endeavors are tested out. Many of these may seem strange to us now, but something odd looking to us could have been revolutionary for the time. This was no exception for aircraft in the First World War. Many different ideas were tested in…

[caption id="attachment_13681" align="alignnone" width="800"] A drawing of the R.I done by Linke-Hoffman. Notice the 3 gun positions. [German Aircraft of Minor Manufacturers Volume II][/caption]During times of war, it is not too uncommon for companies, factories and other industrial firms to be drawn into the war effort and end up producing materials that are as far…

Towards the end of the Second World War, Germany found itself at odds on an almost daily basis against the threat of Allied bombers. While pre-existing aircraft were used to defend Germany from this threat, more and more proposals for aircraft designed to deal with enemy bombers began to emerge. A number of these projects…

In early 1915, the Luftfahrzeug Gesellschaft (L.F.G.), also known as Roland to avoid confusion with a similar sounding design firm, began building several Albatros aircraft under license. These aircraft were the Albatros B.I, B.II and the C.I, which were considered some of the most advanced in terms of aerodynamics for the current times. Around the…

[caption id="attachment_12601" align="alignleft" width="400"] Photo of the mockup XOSE-1.[/caption] Before America had entered the Second World War, it was realized that many assets in the United States arsenal were outdated to some degree. Many aircraft were unable to compete with their contemporaries around the world. One such piece of equipment would be the ship launched…

At the start of the Cold War, it was realized that if a Third World War would ever happen, defending the mainland United States from airborne threats would be a top priority. ICBMs and nuclear missiles are the go-to threat everyone imagines when they think of the Cold War, but these wouldn’t be operational until…

Late in the Second World War, the Royal Naval Air Arm began seeking out an aircraft design that would be able to fill both the fighter and bomber roles. Having one aircraft perform multiple roles would eliminate the specialization of carrier-borne aircraft needed to fill the fighter, dive bomber, and torpedo bomber roles. No official…

World War I showcased the first widespread use of combat airplanes and the subsequent specialization of aircraft to fit certain roles. Bombers proved their effectiveness and most countries involved developed some sort of bomber for their early air forces. One shining example is the Gotha series of bombers, which were able to bomb London and…

The arrival of the Zeppelin in 1915 as a new type of weapon was an unwelcome one. It offered a new way of strategic bombing, as Zeppelins were faster and able to ascend higher than aircraft at the time. Zeppelins also served as a weapon of terror, as the civilians of England had never been…