World War 1 Aviation
Aviation was still in its 'pioneer years' at the outbreak of WW1 in 1914 and there was no concept of an individual 'Airforce' as a third Service alongside the British Army and Navy. The Army had the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) of around 200 aeroplanes as its own Air arm and the Navy had the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) of around 100 aeroplanes as its own Air arm. No Aircraft were armed at this time due to weight restrictions and the Military 'Top Brass' were unsure of the role aeroplanes would play in the conflict. Reconnaissance duties along the Western Front quickly proved the benefits of aerial observation of enemy positions.
Before long, British and German pilots were shooting at each other with pistols and shotguns.
The aerial War had begun.
Aeroplane and weapons technology increased rapidly, leading to the breakthrough moment of machine guns firing forward through the spinning propeller.
A war of attrition began and thousands of pilots from both sides lost their lives over the course of the War.
The importance that aeroplanes had played during WW1 was officially recognised in the last months of the War. With over 20,000 aircraft between them, the RFC and the RNAS were amalgamated to create the 3rd Service, the Royal Air Force (RAF) on April 1st 1918.