The first organised British bombing raids were made in the autumn of 1914 — just a few weeks after the outbreak of World War I - by aircraft of the Royal Naval Air Service operating from Antwerp on the Belgian coast. Their weapons were 2olb Hales bombs aimed by eye from low level and their targets were German airships. Bad weather in the target areas rendered the first raids, on September 22, abortive, but in the next attack, on October 8, an airship was destroyed in its hangar at Dusseldorf.
These were the first strategic bombing attacks ever made, and thereafter the bomber element of the RNAS mainly continued in this role, a notable event during this period being the introduction, in late 1916, of the first true British heavy bomber, the famous twin-engined 0/100 biplane developed by Handley Page for the Admiralty and able to carry three quarters of a ton of bombs. The bomber element of the Royal Flying Corps confined itself, in the main, to tactical targets, one of its squadrons (No 100, formed in February 1917 and equipped with FE2B single engined 'pusher' biplanes) gaining the distinction of being the first British squadron formed specifically for night bombing.
Название: RAF Bomber Command and Its Aircraft 1936-1940
Автор: J.Goulding & P.Moyes
Издательство: Ian Allan Ltd.
Год: 1975
ISBN: 0-7110-0627-X-92/74
Язык: english
Страниц: 155
Формат: pdf
Размер: 23.2 MB
