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Planes were just invented before the outbreak of World War 1. Since the war broke out, the planes did not have internal weapons. There were two seats in the plane; one for a pilot and the other was a gunner. The gunners could only fire in a small radius around the back of the plane rather than the front or top. A pilot in the British Royal Air Force named Louis Strange created a safety strap that could allow gunners to stand and shoot at planes without fear of falling out of the plane.
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A man named (Frenchman) Rolland Garros created deflective armor for a plane but Anthony Fokker (a German man) brought the armor and weapons together to make the known propeller fighter used in World War 2.
Citations:
J., & R. (n.d.). World War I - Air War. World War I - Air War. Retrieved October 2, 2012, from http://techcenter.davidson.k12.nc.us/group9/airwar.htm -
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During World War 2, balloons had stopped being manufactured for war. Bombers (like the B-25) were invented to take their place. Weapons were now engineered into the aircrafts both on the bodies and wings of the planes and inside the propellers (timing system that kept bullets from potentially hitting the propeller).
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What the allies did not know was that Hitler was building up the Luftwaffe divison- the first fighter jets the world had ever seen (most famous for the attack on the American Tuskege Airmen). Also, missiles were made and were crafted to use for the air force in air-to-sea combat (Pacific mostly). Helicopters were also invented at the end of World War 2.
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Famous Aircrafts:Allied: P-51 Mustang, B-29 “Super Fortress”Axis: Zeros, LuftwaffeAPA Citation: American World War 2 planes. (2004). American World War 2 Planes. Retrieved October 2, 201, from http://www.world-war-2-planes.com/american-world-war-2-planes.html
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During the Korean War, the propeller-run plane was no longer in service. They were being replaced by jet planes and using technology for the planes at the end of World War 2. Helicopters were also used for this time but were not of significant help here as they were still a newly developed technology. Also, bombers were beginning to be developed further so they were more accurate and could carry more bombs and fuel.
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American fighters were developing as fast as they could with the rise of the U.S.S.R after World War 2. Missiles were being developed for air-to-air combat. APA Citation:Armed Forces Military Museum. "Top US Aircraft in the Korean War." The Armed Forces Military Museum. 2012. Accessed October 03, 2012. http://www.armedforcesmuseum.com/top-us-aircraft-in-the-korean-war/.
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The Vietnam war proved that technology for military planes still had a ways to go. The American air force during this time had managed to break the sound barrier. America had developed a new form of bombing called carpet-bombing. With it, they made a new bomber that could carry tons of bombs and drop them over the targets and inflict major amounts of damage.
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Also, America had created the stealth bomber; which was able to blend in with the sky at night. Helicopters were also being used in warfare rather than just ex-fills and supply drops.
APA Citation:Northrup, AJ, and Secret Vietnam War. "GoogleImages." Google Images. Accessed October 03, 2012. http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en. -
Again, most planes and helicopters were larger than what they are today. The Drone during Desert Storm looks like a C11 troop transporter except with a bomb bay rather than a troop holder.
APA Citation:PBS. "Weapons- Drones(rpvs)." PBS. 1995. Accessed October 03, 2012. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/weapons/drones.html. -
Most of the modern day aircrafts and aircraft weapons were all created or being invented. During Desert Storm, helicopters were what they are today except in a larger form. The Drone airplane was created and sent to fight in Desert Storm. During Operation Desert Storm, there was always at least one Drone in the air at one time.
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Drones and planes decreased in size by the time Afghanistan and Iraq wars broke out. A newer version of a drone was started; a pilot could fly an Apache helicopter near the battle zone and detach a “Killer Egg” helicopter to fight for it. This requires a Keller Egg controller along with the Apache pilot.
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In the future, the USAF plans to build planes with laser technology. In the beginning, the USAF will use them to hopefully destroy incoming missiles. The first plane will be as big as a jet liner because it will need a massive generator to fire the laser.
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APA Citations:
Robson, Seth. "Faster, Meaner Apaches Allow Pilots to Control Drones during Battle." Stars and Stripes. November 2, 2011. Accessed October 03, 2012. http://www.stripes.com/news/army/faster-meaner-apaches-allow-pilots-to-control-drones-during-battle-1.159498.
