Much of WWI air combat stemmed from the importance of observation planes.
The fighter was developed from the need to protect or deny the observation plane the ability to spot troop movements, take photos, supply build ups, artillery spotting and nuisance bombing. Fighter vs. fighter combat otherwise had littel strategic value to the war effort untill they started carrying small bombs to harass trenches. Protecting or destroying the observation planes did. Observation plane crews had life spans measured in hours opposed to fighter pilots measuered to about three weeks.
In the WWI arena the heros would be the guys who can survive in two seaters.
