History of Kites - World War I

During World War I, kites were used for various military purposes. The French assembled a kite corps which consisted of a trailer, car and a motor driven winch which was used for observation. Kites were used by infantry divisions of all the combatants to observe enemy positions. When the airplane came into general use, these divisions were disbanded.

The kite continued to be useful at sea. Germany devised a box kite which would fit in a U Boat to be used at sea. An observer elevated on a kite to an altitude of 400 feet can see almost 250 miles over open ocean. Similar systems were used on sea going warships of other nations.

Back To All About Kites History of Flight and Avaition

© 2012 Hobby Hobnob