Dogfights

Squadron over the Brenta 1917
Max Edler von Poosch

World War I was the first war where planes were used not only in battle, but in any aspect of war period. At first, planes, along with zeppelins on the side of Germany, were used to carry cargo and to spy on enemy territory. It was quickly realized that zeppelins were inefficient and dangerous, so they quickly became outdated. It was also found that planes could also serve a perhaps better purpose in other areas of the war. Airplanes were soon outfitted with all sorts of guns and ammunition, and the fighting took to the skies.
Dogfights, as they came to be called, are what define the Great War. Pilots became something of legend, and the more "kills" you had as a pilot, the more legendary you became.
A pilot needed five kills to become an Ace, and there were no two better aces than Eddie Rickenbacker, from America, and his German equivalent, the Red Baron. These two legends only added to the rapidly growing romantic view of dogfights during World War I, which this painting by Max Edler von Poosch depicts perfectly.
In this painting, dogfighting takes on an almost enchanting notion, where one is free from everything but the fight, and is in total control. The pilot is one with the sky, shown through this painting by the almost blending of the fighter planes with the clouds against the bright blue sky. The bright yellow time in the middle displays a majestic quality as it passes over the snow-capped mountains.
This painting is a perfect example of how dogfighting was viewed during World War I. It was seen as a romantic, courageous, valiant event to be a part of, and it was sorely misrepresented. In reality, dogfights were scary, bloody, and deadly. However, if the majority of the public felt that way, they would be less likely to support the war effort. By portraying dogfighting as a valiant war effort, this contributed to the total war, and created war heroes.