Has anyone seen this program?
NOVA - First Air War
Program Description:
When World War I began in 1914, the air forces of the opposing nations consisted of handfuls of rickety biplanes from which pilots occasionally took pot shots at one another with rifles. By the war’s end, the essential blueprint of the modern fighter had emerged: it was now an efficient killing machine that limited the average life expectancy of a front line pilot to just a few weeks. To trace the story of this astonishingly rapid technological revolution, NOVA takes viewers inside The Vintage Aviator, a New Zealand-based outfit of aviation buffs dedicated to bringing back classic World War I fighters such as the SE5A and Albatros DV. NOVA joins the team as they discover the secrets of some of aviation’s most colorful and deadly early flying machines and explores how their impact played a key role in the nightmare slaughter on the Western Front.
My Synopsis:
A very brief history, touching lightly on the critical steps in the evolution of the airplane in WWI. It is not, by any stretch, complete, nor definitive. However, it is an excellent glimpse at reverse-engineering of WWI planes, and the relearning of all the skills of the period. There are some interesting experiments in the difficulties of aerial photography, dogfighting and technological imbalances in aviation through the First World War.
Very worth a watch.
Addtionally, a slideshow of technological advancements in aviation is offered here: NOVA - Aerial Arms Race
Another light touch on specific planes that advanced aviation during WWI.
Enjoy.
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