TWSRGA Posted 29 August , 2008 Share Posted 29 August , 2008 I have been trying to get an understanding of the methods used to direct gunfire by RFC planes, begining with 1916 and and then onwards. Comments, books and articles covering this topic would be of interest. I really am starting with practically no knowledge of the topic. Looking forward to your replies. Stan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 29 August , 2008 Share Posted 29 August , 2008 Hello Stan The Signal Service (France) by Major R E Priestley was published in about 1921 by the RE Institution and the Signals Institution, as part of a series The Work of the RE in the European War, 1914-1919. It may be a bit difficult to find but try the inter-library loan service. It has quite a lot about artillery signalling, and is a very readable book for the non-expert. For the RGA, I believe that air observation communication was usually by wireless, although the dropping of messages was not unknown. Good luck with your search. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWSRGA Posted 29 August , 2008 Author Share Posted 29 August , 2008 Hello Ron, That was quick! Thank you for the pointers. I would have thought that in 1916 the development of wireless equipment suitable for installation in aircraft was not yet available. Can anyone comment on this? Stan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 29 August , 2008 Share Posted 29 August , 2008 Aircraft were carrying wireless sets before the war. Transmitters only so no 2 way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 29 August , 2008 Share Posted 29 August , 2008 Two wireless equiped BE2s went to France in 1914. By 1918 two way working was availableand wireless air to ground in wide use. In 1916 the of use wireless was well established but not too widespread - apart from aircraft there was a need to train artillery men to use the thing (the RFC often supplied wireless men to support the artillery but these too needed training etc). Many spotters worked by dropping messages to advanced communication points (some times equiped with ground wireless sets and sometimes with other means (land lines, buzzers etc) to relay information on fall of shell to the batteries. More later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 30 August , 2008 Share Posted 30 August , 2008 Click here for a discussion of this subject. So far I've been unable to find the thread I'm looking for that explains how an aerial observer could communicate the meaning of left, right, add and drop to adjust fire in ways that made sense to the firing battery on the ground. If I recall correctly the technique used the concept of the face and hands of a clock to orient the corrections in firing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted 30 August , 2008 Share Posted 30 August , 2008 One system, but not necessarily used universally in 1916, was the clock code. Target was centre of clock and the numbers 1 to 12 indicated the direction of the fall of shot, 12 = north. Letters, A, B, etc., indicated the distance from the target. OK was a hit. Combination of number and letter gave direction and distance of fall of shot from the target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 30 August , 2008 Share Posted 30 August , 2008 souce: extract from (118 SB) Occasional Gunfire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 30 August , 2008 Share Posted 30 August , 2008 Some further info. The first use by British forces of airborne wireless for an artillery shoot was on 24/09/1914 at the Battle of the Aisne. By 1915 there was a wireless flight that carried out this function. However as the sets used weighed 70 lbs such flights were being made without an observer, the pilot observing the fall of shot and opereating the morse key. With the introduction of the synchronised mg and the rise of the fighter this made the aircraft very vunerable as the pilot's attention was on the ground and not the air around him. Most artillery shoots at the time used signal lamps for communication. With the development of lighter wireless apparatus its use in spotting took off (no pun intended). However pilots still tended to do the spotting and signalling (as they had the best view forward and downwards) whilst the observer concentrated on looking out for enemy aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWSRGA Posted 31 August , 2008 Author Share Posted 31 August , 2008 My thanks to everyone who conrtributed to this topic. I am always amazed at the depth of knowledge held by members of the Forum. My intention was to get a "simple" answer but I now find myself interested in the evolution of aerial WT communication during the War. I would particularly like to thank Pete1052 for the link to the Topic "1917 Artillery spotting aircraft RFC" dated July 2005. Thank you all. Stan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW1RGAfinder Posted 1 September , 2008 Share Posted 1 September , 2008 souce: extract from (118 SB) Occasional Gunfire This is a great diagram and explains to me a certain entry in a journal quoting "did some excellent shooting getting 92 OK's Y8 and Z8 between the lot" Meant nothing before your diagram. Thanks RGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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