Ground Attack.

This is coolbert:

Thanks here for the tip and image from the Jungle Trader.

Those massive and nearly successful German Spring Offensives of 1918 [The Great War], relied upon four elements.

The stalemated trench-warfare of the conflict to be broken by the use of innovative tactics and techniques.

The conflict [World War One] to be decisively decided in favor of the Kaiser!

Elements fundamental to success to include:

* Poison gas shells fired by artillery.

 * Hutier tactics [infiltration].

* Massive amounts of artillery centrally commanded.

* Ground strafing aircraft. "Innovative tactics and techniques" the feasibility of which was positively demonstrated from battles of the previous year [1917].

* Riga [Russia].

* Caporetto [Italy].

The German Spring Offensives of 1918 ALMOST succeeding! GROUND STRAFING AIRCRAFT BEING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE OFFENSIVE STRATEGY AND TACTICS!

The Halberstadt CL family of ground-attack aircraft being most instrumental to German plans.

That the various powers in conflict during WW1 actually had aircraft specifically designed as GROUND-ATTACK was a surprise to me. But this IS SO! The Halberstadt CL family existing in the CL II and CL IV versions. GROUND-ATTACK aircraft quite effective. Organized into what were called "battle-flights". Specifically designated with the ground-attack mission in mind.

"It [CL II] also proved to be well suited to close-support, which became the primary role of the CL-type aircraft, the units operating them being re-designated Schlachtstaffelen (Battle flights).

"Ground support by the Schlachtstaffeln proved very effective, being used both in support of German attacks and to disrupt enemy attacks."

"With three machine-guns and five 22-pound (10 kg) anti-personnel bombs, the plane soon established itself as the best ground attack fighters of the war"

"It [CL IV] appeared on the Western Front towards the end of the German offensives in 1918. Flights of four to six aircraft flew close support missions, at an altitude of less than one hundred feet, suppressing enemy infantry and artillery fire just ahead of the advancing troops [German]"

NOT ONLY did the German have such ground attack aircraft, but had carefully thought out tactics for the warplanes to be used most effectively? It seems to be so!

Dedicated ground attack aircraft of the German Halberstadt CL family were effective in a manner that was unanticipated? Military aircraft when the war began [1914] were mere toys! When the war ended [1918], warplanes of the combatants were anything but that!

coolbert.