<P> While the concept of using the airplane as an offensive weapon was generally discounted before World War I, the idea of using it for photography was one that was not lost on any of the major forces . All of the major forces in Europe had light aircraft, typically derived from pre-war sporting designs, attached to their reconnaissance departments . Radiotelephones were also being explored on airplanes, notably the SCR - 68, as communication between pilots and ground commander grew more and more important . </P> <P> It was not long before aircraft were shooting at each other, but the lack of any sort of steady point for the gun was a problem . The French solved this problem when, in late 1914, Roland Garros attached a fixed machine gun to the front of his plane, but while Adolphe Pegoud would become known as the first "ace", getting credit for five victories, before also becoming the first ace to die in action, it was German Luftstreitkräfte Leutnant Kurt Wintgens, who, on July 1, 1915, scored the very first aerial victory by a purpose - built fighter plane, with a synchronized machine gun . </P> <P> Aviators were styled as modern - day knights, doing individual combat with their enemies . Several pilots became famous for their air - to - air combat; the most well known is Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the Red Baron, who shot down 80 planes in air - to - air combat with several different planes, the most celebrated of which was the Fokker Dr. I. On the Allied side, René Paul Fonck is credited with the most all - time victories at 75, even when later wars are considered . </P> <P> France, Britain, Germany and Italy were the leading manufacturers of fighter planes that saw action during the war, with German aviation technologist Hugo Junkers showing the way to the future through his pioneering use of all - metal aircraft from late 1915 . </P>

When did the first passenger plane take off