Russian aviation in the First World War: the organisational and technical situation, problems and combat role

The article is devoted to a general overview of the state of Russian aviation in the World War I, its organizational and technical state, and the specifics of combat use. At the beginning of the war, the technical capabilities (both of aircraft and their armament) severely limited the combat capabilities of the nascent branch of the armed forces. In many respects, therefore, aviation on the Russian front at this time was mainly used for reconnaissance and corrective tasks. However, after only 2 years, the most diverse combat tasks were solved. The most important functions of aviation were: 1) surveillance, reconnaissance and aerial photography; 2) providing assistance to artillery; 3) fight against enemy aircraft; 4) work on ground targets; 4) maintaining communication; 5) execution of special assignments. Russian military aviation, despite the exceptional difficulties that accompanied its life from its very birth, throughout the First World War, sacrificially and honorably carried its battle flag until the last days of participation in the war - facilitating the hard military work of ground troops and contributing to their victories. From a reconnaissance tool at the beginning of the war, aviation turned into a full-fledged weapon. Types of aviation appeared (reconnaissance, fighter bomber). A special type of attack aircraft did not appear during this war; existing types of aircraft were used for assault operations. Aviation prepared a breakthrough of positional defenses, adjusted artillery fire, bombed troops, supply bases and enemy headquarters - making a more than significant contribution to the effectiveness of the actions of ground forces during the World War I.

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