Publisher's Synopsis
This is a reproduction of a famous 1926 air power manual. In the iconography of early American airpower history, certain figures stand out: William "Billy" Mitchell, Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, and Carl A. "Tooey" Spaatz perhaps foremost. But lesser-known figures, some virtually forgotten today, had considerable influence on the development of airpower thought, doctrine, and organization. One of these men was William C. Sherman, the author of Air Warfare. Sherman was present when the foundations were laid and played a significant if not a major role in the construction of the United States (US) Army Air Corps until his tragic death in 1927-a year after his book was published. Sherman was more intellectual in his advocacy and less zealous in his approach, which may account for his lack of notoriety. Not surprisingly then, although not as well-known as Mitchell's Winged Defense, Sherman's book was more rigorous in its approach and balanced in its argument. In that light it is interesting to note that the only American work quoted by marshal of the Royal Air Force, J.C. Slessor, in his benchmark 1936 airpower study, Air Power and Armies, was William C. Sherman's Air Warfare. Chapter I - Some Principles of Air Warfare * Human factor in war * Distinctive characteristics of air combat * Shock action * Mass psychology * Chapter II - The Characteristics of Aircraft * The Airplane: Design compromise * Speed - Useful load - Strength * Speed and human factor * Rate of climb and ceiling * Maneuverability * Performance factors * Power - Visibility * Maintenance * Weather and darkness effects * The Balloon.: Description and operation * The Airship: Non-rigid, semi-rigid and rigid types * Comparisons with airplanes * Chapter III - Individual Combats and Defensive Formations * Individual and mass air fighting * Aircraft machine guns and ammunition * Fundamentals of airplane gunnery * Dead spaces * Vulnerability * Single-seater combat * Loop - Tail-spin - Roll * Immelman turn * Single-seater versus two-seater * Defensive formations * Chains of formations * Chapter IV - The Service of Observation * Airplane Observation: General effect on war * Influence and lessons of World War * Tactical objectives * Effect of altitude and visibility * Reconnaissance * Liaison, contact, artillery, and exceptional missions * Balloon Observation: Compared with airplane * Missions * Airship Observation: Balloon and airship * Airplane and airship * Chapter V - Pursuit Aviation * Basic Mission * Control of the air * Cooperation * Air barrages * Objectives * Formations * Attack of single airplane by a flight * Combat between two pursuit flights * Pursuit flight versus defensive formation * Squadron in attack * The group - command airplane * Interplane communication * The wing * The brigade * Chapter VI - Attack Aviation * Characteristics of attack airplane * Fundamental mission * Armament * Moral effect * Attack of column * Other targets * Employment as a reserve * Aids cavalry * Chapter VII - Bombardment Aviation * Post-war progress * Bomb development: demolition, Armor-piercing, chemical, incendiary, smoke and gas * Fuses * Sights * Tactical development * Objectives * Towns and cities * Supply systems * Industrial centers * Lines of communication * Overseas communications * Combat zone * Coast defense * Day and night bombardment * Chapter VIII - Antiaircraft Defense * Importance * Cannon * Accuracy * Difficulties of firing * Advantages and disadvantages * Harassing fire * Location of guns * Missions of machine guns * Defense of columns * Defense of a line and of areas * Listening apparatus * Searchlights * Balloon barrages * Air force * Information service * Defense of airdromes * Chapter IX - Notes on Air Logistics
