Ever since the Wright brothers successfully flew their contraption in the air for the first time in 1903, airplanes have been part of armed forces throughout the world. But airplanes were not the first airships to be used by the military. Balloons were used at the end of the 1700s during the French Revolution and in Napoleon's campaigns to perform reconnaissance missions, a role reprised during the civil war. Large lighter than air airships build by Count Zeppelin provided civilian transport, and these were then used during World War I to drop bombs on England.
The airplane changed all of that. Mobile and agile, airplanes became offensive weapons in their own right, capable of delivering heavy weapons on foreign targets. European countries assembled large air forces. The interwar saw improvements on engine and guns, and the deployment of aircraft carriers. During World War II large bombers dropped massive payloads on targets, and two atomic bombs on Japan. Jet engines replaced propellers, and planes continued to grow in sophistication, at the same time as remote controlled drones changed how air forces operate and the kind of intelligence that can be gathered.
Most military organizations now possess some aircraft, and air forces continue to be a vital component of a strong military capability. Fans of military history will appreciate the information provided in this book and will enjoy seeing air power develop over the centuries.
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