At the start of WWI, airplanes were fragile scouts used mainly for observation. Pilots from opposing sides would initially wave at each other, but this "camaraderie of the sky" vanished as they began firing handheld pistols and rifles. The true revolution came with the , an invention that allowed machine guns to fire through the propeller blades without hitting them, turning the aircraft into a flying weapon. Key Aircraft in the Collection
Widely considered the finest all-around fighter of the day; it was so effective that the Treaty of Versailles specifically required all D.VIIs to be handed over to the Allies. warplanes__ww1_fighters.rar
Arguably the most famous fighter of the war, credited with downing nearly 1,300 enemy aircraft. At the start of WWI, airplanes were fragile
The war produced the first "Aces"—pilots with five or more confirmed victories. Key Aircraft in the Collection Widely considered the
Known for its extreme speed and rugged construction, it was a favorite among Allied aces like Eddie Rickenbacker.
A highly maneuverable biplane that helped end the "Fokker Scourge" in 1916. Legends of the Air