... devised for aeroplanes was reconnaissance, a role traditionally carried out by the cavalry, or more recently, by tethered balloons. Aircraft were able to travel more freely than balloons, and had the great advantage of being able to see past hills and woods which would have blocked the view of cavalry. The 'eye in the sky' was seen as being of immeasurable value in the opening weeks of the war when the armies were still mobile, warning of where the Germans were concentrating, which direction they were moving, where the weaknesses were, and where friendly forces were located. Aircraft of the RFC showed their worth at Mons, telling General French of the isolation of the BEF and of von Kluck's attempt to envelop the British. French was able to escape the trap, and said of the episode, "They [i.e. the aircraft of the RFC] have furnished me with the most complete ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now