French military aviation, 1914. A Deperdussin monoplane in the foreground which has just landed, and a Farman biplane in the background. The Farman was a pusher, with the propeller positioned behind the pilot. In 1914 planes were used primarily for observation and artillery registration.
Camp de Sissonne (Aisne) - Aviation Militaire - Biplan Farman - Monoplan Deperdussin venant d'atterrirCamp Sissonne (Aisne) - Military Aviation - a Farman Biplane - a Deperdussin Monoplane having just landedPottelam-Parmite, éditeur, Sissonne (Aisne) - DéposéPottelam-Parmite, publisher, Sissonne (Aisne) - FiledReverse:Message in German dated November 2, 1914 and postmarked the next day.
"On the 18th September [1914], however, the redistribution of the British aeroplanes and their equipment with wireless enabled the British batteries to reply more effectively to the German. . . . In every division an aeroplane with an artillery officer as an observer, went up early each day. The observer noted down the positions of German batteries on a squared map, and sent this map to the divisional artillery commander who settled which objectives his batteries could best engage. When any part of our infantry line was shelled, the batteries most capable of bringing fire to bear on the hostile guns were immediately ordered to search their position. . . . our aeroplanes observed this fire, and sent corrections to each group."
Early in World War I, planes were used primarily for reconnaissance, observation, and artillery registration. The addition of wireless communications allowed the immediate transmission of current information on troop movements and gun emplacements. Many of the planes were two-seaters manned by a pilot and an observer, both of whom might be armed with revolvers or rifle, although the planes were typically unarmed. Bombs, if used, were initially hand held and had modest destructive capability.
Military Operations France and Belgium, 1914, Vol. I, August to October by J. E. Edmonds, pp. 380, 381, copyright © Second Edition 1925, publisher: MacMillan and Co., Limited, publication date: 1925
wireless, airplane, aeroplane, registration, artillery, Deperdussin, Farman, 1914, September, 1914-09-18
