ABSTRACT
In the nineteenth century, balloons and airships had been used in wars, mostly for observation and for evacuation of civilians. The military had yet to find uses for the airplane. In 1912, Britain had set up a Royal Flying Corps, but it had very few aircraft. Germany had the largest air force, with more than 200 airplanes plus Zeppelin airships. The U.S. Army had purchased its first airplanes in 1913. No nation had assembled a large air force.
