Military aircraft fascinate people of all ages and inspire a sense of awe with their capabilities and functionality. Ever since humans began using aircraft for military purposes, it has proven to be a significant part of a country’s defense strategy, as air superiority changes the course of wars.

Since the early days of crewed balloon flights, people have considered the military advantages nations offer with flying machines. Since those early days, aircraft have been created for a range of military functions, each with specific characteristics that fit the role of the aircraft.

Military reconnaissance aircraft
Reconnaissance was the first role that manned flight played in the military. They were used as elevated observation posts from where commanders could see the battlefield from a bird’s eye view, and as spotters to direct artillery fire at the enemy.

Military combat aircraft
The role of aircraft in combat operations has changed the face of modern warfare, and many countries see the benefits of air dominance as a priority. As a result, a lot of effort has gone into developing and improving these aircraft.

It has been proven that air dominance played a significant role in winning the Battle of Britain, where the British Air Force fought the German Air Force over the skies of Europe and won, contributing to the cessation of hostilities.

Bomber
Bombers were one of the first types of aircraft to be used for combat purposes. Tiger Moth biplanes were used to drop bombs on enemy targets, ships, and strategic sites.

The bombs dropped by these early bombers were often dropped by hand by hand, using best guess as a method of targeting.

The bombers were specifically designed to attack ground targets or troop positions and included targeting ships at sea.

The Handley Page Type O was a British biplane bomber that was used effectively during their campaigns during World War I and was one of the largest aircraft in the world at the time.

The Second World War was marked by great advances in technology around bombers. The payload became larger, the aircraft stronger, and the targeting systems more accurate. This era saw the creation of iconic bombers such as the British Avro Lancaster, the German Heinkel HE 177, and the American B-17 Flying Fortress. All of these were heavy long-range bombers that were widely used in that era.

Modern bombers perform different functions: from strategic bombers, which are heavy bombers, to tactical bombers, which are multi-role bombers to support ground forces.

Jet fighters
At the end of World War II, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom produced their first jet fighters. For Germany, it was the Messerschmitt ME 262, while for the British the first jet fighter was the Gloster Meteor, and for the Americans the Lockheed P80 Shooting Star.