Libya 1911: How an Italian pilot began the air war era
 

Italy recently said it was ready to join in Nato's air attacks on targets in Libya - and with the announcement came a sense of history repeating itself.

It was in Libya, almost exactly a century ago, that a young Italian pilot carried out the first ever air raid.

During fighting in November 1911 between Italy and forces loyal to the Turkish, Ottoman Empire, Lieutenant Giulio Gavotti wrote in a letter to his father: "Today I have decided to try to throw bombs from the aeroplane.

"It is the first time that we will try this and if I succeed, I will be really pleased to be the first person to do it."

And soon afterwards Lieutenant Gavotti did indeed hang out of his flimsy aircraft and fling a bomb at troops in a desert oasis below.

In that instant he introduced the world to the idea of war from the air. He had begun the age of the bomber, and opened the door to all the horrors it would bring.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13294524


Note: 10 May 2011 Last updated at 02:51 GMT

Since I have posted the thread, I take this opportunity to express that it is an interesting story, :yep:

Hard to believe sometimes that there are only 34 years between tossing grenades from a flimsy biplane and Hiroshima.

http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/x...701/ariel1.jpg http://ofwnow.com/wp-content/uploads/hiroshima.jpg

Very true.

monoplane, not biplane. :03:

Mea culpa. My bad. :oops:

At that Altitude they could of just took their guns and shot him down easily, Hell a good jumper could of grabbed the landing gear. :rotfl2:

What scares me in that illustration is that the propeller isn't turning. :D

That's easy to explain, it looks like a piece of metal jutting out from the engine near the top of it is blocking the props movement.

Gotta love the visionaries! :haha:

Source: http://www.military-quotes.com/funny-quotes.htm

Here it should be so careful with everything,:DL