Eyes All Over the Sky
Eyes All Over the Sky

Author: James Streckfuss

Publisher: Casemate

Published: 2016-05-19

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 1612003680

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The impact of the unsung heroes of WWI—“a must for any aviation enthusiast to further complement work on aerial reconnaissance in modern warfare” (Roads to the Great War), Beyond the heroic deeds of the fighter pilots and bombers of World War I, the real value of military aviation lay elsewhere; aerial reconnaissance, observation, and photography impacted the fighting in many ways, but little has been written about it. Balloons and airplanes regulated artillery fire, infantry liaison aircraft followed attacking troops and the retreats of defenders, aerial photographers aided operational planners and provided the data for perpetually updated maps, and naval airplanes, airships, and balloons acted as aerial sentinels in a complex anti-submarine warfare organization. Reconnaissance crews at the Battles of the Marne and Tannenberg averted disaster. Eyes All Over the Sky fully explores all the aspects of aerial reconnaissance and its previously under-appreciated significance. Also included are the individual experiences of British, American, and German airmen—true pioneers of aviation warfare. “With an interesting selection of photos, the book is not only an excellent reference—it is historically important.” —Classic Wings “This well-researched history belongs on the shelf of anyone with a serious interest in the air war or the ground war of 1914-1918.” —Steve Suddaby, former president of the World War One Historical Association

Shooting the Front
Shooting the Front

Author: Terrence J. Finnegan

Publisher: Government Printing Office

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 528

ISBN-13: 9781932946048

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Although photography was already a well-established fixture of 19th century society, it was the marriage of photography and the airplane that created the new military art of aerial observation during World War I. Shooting the Front is a pioneering study of the impact of aerial photography on America's fledgling air force during its baptism of fire above the trenches of the Western Front. This comprehensive history from the Defense Intelligence Agency highlights aerial photography's ability to command the high ground and provide a concise view of a battle area, both tactically and strategically. It is an authoritative account of aerial reconnaissance and the interpretation of photographs as they evolved into the most important sources of intelligence along the entire Western Front during the Great War. This comprehensive resource will interest military history and aviation enthusiasts, as well as students of the history of intelligence. The numerous illustrations, many never before published, include images of aircraft, cameras, and people, authentic official aerial photos, and maps in varying scales, all designed to help the reader relive the exhilarating and dangerous experience of aerial observation in World War I.

Overhead Espionage
Overhead Espionage

Author: Charles E. Cabler

Publisher:

Published: 2021-06

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 9781632933218

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"A historical snapshot of the development and evolution of US aerial reconnaissance as a vital part of our national security and combat support operations"--

Shooting the Front
Shooting the Front

Author: Terrence J. Finnegan

Publisher: Spellmount, Limited Publishers

Published: 2014-04

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780752499543

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"The First World War demanded revolutionary technology to break the vicious stalemate in which the armies of Europe found themselves, as soon as static, or trench warfare became established. One such technology was aerial reconnaissance and photography, which together with the growing intelligence use of phone tapping and radio intercepts, changed the nature of war forever. Colonel Terry J. Finnegan's Shooting the Front reviews the entire evolution of Allied aerial photography and photographic interpretation during the Great War, in a text packed with data and based upon meticulous research in archives worldwide. The photographs included are both informative and spectacular, charting perforce the early years of aviation itself. Shooting the Front shows not only how important aerial reconnaissance was to the war effort, but also how it became the foundation for modern-day exploitation of imagery and geospatial intelligence used to guide today's decision makers on global issues, and shaped intelligence work for generations to come."--Publisher.

From Kites to Cold War
From Kites to Cold War

Author: Tyler W Morton

Publisher: Naval Institute Press

Published: 2019-10-15

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 168247481X

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From Kites to Cold War tells the story of the evolution of manned airborne reconnaissance. Long a desire of military commanders, the ability to see the terrain ahead and gain foreknowledge of enemy intent was realized when Chinese airmen mounted kites to surveil their surroundings. Kite technology was slow to spread, and by the late nineteenth century European nations had developed the balloon and airship to conduct this mission. By 1918, it was obvious that the airplane had become the reconnaissance platform of the future. Used successfully by many nations during the Great War, aircraft technology and capability experienced its most rapid evolutionary period during World War II. Entering the war with just basic airborne imagery capabilities, by V-E and V-J days, air power pioneers greatly improved imagery collection and developed sophisticated airborne signals intelligence collection capabilities. The United States and other nations put these capabilities to use as the Cold War immediately followed. Flying near the periphery of and sometimes directly over the Soviet Union, airborne reconnaissance provided the intelligence necessary to stay one step ahead of the Soviets throughout the Cold War.

Spyflights and Overflights
Spyflights and Overflights

Author: Robert Hopkins

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781902109503

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Few aviation subjects have been shrouded in more secrecy or been more controversial than Cold War aerial reconnaissance. Former reconnaissance pilot Robert S. Hopkins, III, offers new insights into strategic intelligence flights during the early years of the cold war. Primarily undertaken by RB-50s and RB-47s of the Strategic Air Command and by CIA U-2s, other Western nations such as Britain, Sweden, and Taiwan were equally committed to gathering intelligence about the Soviet Union and its allies, and conducted their own peripheral and overflight missions. Hopkins challenges longstanding beliefs that the flights served to prevent war, curtailed needless defense spending, and were undertaken by rogue generals bent on starting World War III. For the first time he shows the Soviet perspective on the flights, and makes a compelling case that reconnaissance flights did not have a sustained adverse effect on Soviet relations with the West. Using newly-declassified materials, interviews with crews and policy makers, and his own experience flying strategic reconnaissance missions, Hopkins links the daily operations of courageous fliers with decisions by presidents and prime ministers that decided the outcome of the Cold War.