Flechette - a little-known weapon from the First World War (10 photos)

During the First World War, when bomber aviation was just in its infancy, pilots had to use little-known weapons to us - special darts called flechettes. Flechettes were first invented and used by the French, but they were especially popular among the Germans. When flying over concentrations of enemy cavalry or infantry, the pilot dropped pencil-sized arrows. During the flight, the darts gained sufficient speed to pierce a 15-centimeter board. A specific whistle during flight frightened the horses and exerted psychological pressure on enemy soldiers. Flechettes were also used by the Russian army, although the aviators themselves did not like this weapon, considering it too dirty and bloody.