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From the First World War''s Zeppelins to the Second World War''s large bombers, military aircraft were vulnerable to fast, manoeuvrable interceptors. To address this, fighter escorts were used, but their limited range often left bombers exposed. A solution was the use of Composite aircraft, where larger bombers carried smaller, short-range fighters, which could be launched and retrieved as needed.Zeppelins, particularly vulnerable to interceptors, were ideal for this concept. During the First World War, Germany briefly experimented with carrying parasite aircraft, while the British conducted post-war trials using airships like His Majesty's Airship R-23 and R-33, carrying fighters such as the Sopwith Camel and de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird. However, successful hook-on/retrievals were only achieved with the Humming Bird.The US Navy and Army further developed this concept. In 1918, the Navy launched a Curtiss JN 'Jenny' from a C-1 Blimp, and in 1924, the Army successfully flew a Sperry Messenger from a TC-Class airship. The US perfected the carry/launch/retrieval method for airship defence and scouting, notably with the USS Los Angeles, which carried aircraft on a 'trapeze' device. The Akron and Macon airships, with internal storage for aircraft, further advanced this technique, making them some of the most remarkable aircraft of their time.
About the author
Dr. Wolf retired from dentistry at the age of 45 to pursue his lifelong fascination with WWII aviation history and outdoor pastimes of hiking, mountain climbing, road and mountain biking, and sea kayaking. He has authored over twenty-three books on WWII, including nine on American bombers, two on U.S. fighters, five on U.S. flying units, and three volumes on U.S. aerial armament. His personal WWII library, collected over 40-years, now contains over 25,000 + books and magazines; 10,000 + photographs; along with 2,000 reels of rare microfilm from original WWII sources; 1,000 + CDs of scanned manuals and books; and over 800 DVDs.
