The Dawn Of Military Aircraft | A Not-So-Brief History Of Military Aviation #1

Welcome to a new series that will chronologise (roughly) the history of military aviation. In this first episode we look at the dawn of military aviation, when aircraft are used for the first time in warfare.
Many assume that military aviation was born from WW1, when in fact it was technically in its infancy. The true birth of military aviation (at least in terms of aircraft, and not balloons/airships) occurred in 1911 with the Italo-Turkish War. This conflict saw many milestones: The first use of aircraft in reconnaissance, the first time they would be used to direct artilery fire, and the first offensive use of aircraft in the form of bombing, all of which were accomplished by the Italian Army's air flotilla. Another theatre of war opened up with the first Balkan War in 1913, which saw aircraft used on both sides by the Ottoman Empire, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia.
Important lessons would be learned in this early conflicts, and many countries observing it quickly made adjustments to their own air forces. The upcoming conflict of the First World War would soon show who had been paying more attention.
****
Producing these videos is a hobby of mine. I have a passion for history, and personally own a large collection of books, journals and other texts, and endeavor to do as much research as possible. However if there are any mistakes, please don't hesitate to reach out and correct anything :)

[@RexsHangar]

Apologies for the low resolution of some images, sourcing images from the 1910s usually means potato resolution, also some photos were 'scanned' using my phone as the book was too big for the scanner.

[@Doomannater]

all good rex, love watching/listening to these and eagerly wait for more

[@dougtraceyvandevere5593]

Do you know you spelled "aicraft" without the "r" on the thumbnail heading?

[@RexsHangar]

@@dougtraceyvandevere5593 heh, apparently I am blind! Thanks for pointing that out, will correct it asap.

[@dougtraceyvandevere5593]

Love your channel! Subbed. Keep them coming.

[@audreybarnes6527]

Potato resolution, anyone ♥️?

[@tedmustard2798]

Thank you for covering the pre-WW1 military use of aeroplanes in such detail. A couple of points ref. early military flying in UK: - The Air Battalion, Royal Engineers was formed on 1 April 1911 with B (Aeroplane) Company based at the military flying ground at Lark Hill under command of Capt J D B Fulton, Royal Field Artillery. Fulton's report to the Secretary of State for War, Colonel J E M Seely, was instrumental in the formation of the Royal Flying Corps on 13 April 1912. (B Company became No 3 Sqn RFC.) - Turkish aviators were trained at the British & Colonial Aeroplane Company's school (known as Bristol's School) at Lark Hill in 1912. Fethy Bey was one of the first Turkish graduates. He died in a crash on the Golan Heights in 1913; the Turkish seaside town of Fethiye is named in his honour. The Bristol flying sheds still stand on Wood Road Larkhill on Salisbury Plain.

[@curiouswind9196]

I didnt know thats how Fethiye got its name, thank you for sharing this information

[@Dr_Jebus]

Loving this new series already. There's something so interesting about how people experiment with brand new tech like this, working out what's possible on the fly

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

Good pun.

[@Kroggnagch]

It's funny to think of this stuff as technology, but that's what it is.

[@spencerdawkins]

I'm watching your videos in roughly reverse chronological order. I found many things to like about your second and third videos, but I've been fascinated by the aerial war in the War to End All Wars since roughly the mid 1960s, and this is the video I've learned the most from, by far. Thank you for starting your series before 1914! Re: brief/not so brief, I'm finding your pacing to be very helpful - I've read a lot that didn't give me a sense of how LONG a temporary advantage for one side lasted, before the other side was able to catch up, and I also like the way you're talking about multi-aces early in their military careers. This is a great series!

[@Caseytify]

While you did mention them in passing, one may argue that air warfare began in the mid 1800s, especially in the US Civil War, but also in the Franco-Prussian war. True, we're talking about balloons & not airplanes, but they were effective reconnaissance vehicles. In fact, several of the Union balloons carried telegraphs aloft. ... I don't recall who said it (Arnold?), but one of Caidin's histories included the quote "We discovered that planes could go higher & faster than horses, so we used them for scouting." LOL.

[@charlestaylor253]

Also, planes as well as heavier-than-air airships, (Zeppelins), can travel much farther than the shells fired from even the longest-ranged artillery guns. Thus the advent of aerial bombing.

[@SnakebitSTI]

Wikipedia has June 2nd, 1794 as the first military use of a manned balloon.

[@kiwitrainguy]

There were plans for Napoleon's army to invade Britain using Balloons.

[@avnrulz]

So many of these 'little wars' are overlooked in light of 'The Big One'.

[@werre2]

this channel needs 100x more subscribers

[@UnclePutte]

"You hit me with anti-aircraft fire? How quaint! What great sport! I'll drop them my card so they we can arrange for tea by telegraph later on!"

[@raulisrael7342]

Lmfao

[@vespelian]

Excellent overview with lots of relevant information.

[@cooperlistul7599]

Love the WW1 aircraft videos, I love to learn more about the "heavier than air" machines, partly due that my great grandfather was a plane mechanic in the great war to the pilot Tom Burr, who played for the Yankees before the war.

[@davidllewis4075]

I do appreciate how much hard work and dedication must have gone into this production for it to come across as so easily narrated.

[@CarminesRCTipsandTricks]

I really appreciate your NON bite sized Videos! As a Gen X, I don't like5 minute videos, so truncated that I don't get anything out of them. Keep it up!!

[@leebee1100]

I’m a Z but can totally agree with you on that. If you’re like me, I’m sure that the moment you saw KZbin starting to push shorts you were irritated as hell and avoid them like the plague to this very day. Lol. Good thing we have creators like Rex who dgaf about how long their videos are!

[@davidwood1923]

Great Video about the Beggings of Airplanes and their Roles in War... Thanks for Sharing

[@bigbootros4362]

What an amazing and interesting time! Great video 👍🏼 lot of interesting details.

[@ausnorman8050]

Just came across your channel Rex, Loved the 1st history of military aviation. Great content, good clean editing and have a great voice for narration which really helps.

[@jimviv6030]

Fascinating thank you!

[@rick67hou]

Well done! I look forward to more, subbed and liked.

[@imanashkani8551]

Thanks for your post. So valuable and inspiration.🙏🙏🙏

[@doc2help]

Love your work but really ‘long before’ is a touch hyperbolic!!

[@mirrorblue100]

Great program - thanks.

[@CatotheE]

I was looking for air interdiction videos and came across this. Good stuff, man! Subscribed!

[@werre2]

Excellent video!

[@MImlac]

Fascinating. I knew something of the debut of military aviation but this provided more detail and some nice rare images.

[@DrFrankensteam]

Very Interesting! I haven’t gone into much WWI history, this is highly entertaining and informative to me!

[@aebirkbeck2693]

First class keep up the good work,

[@davidmackie8552]

Very interesting. Thankyou!

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Very well done. .

[@nomadprospector7093]

Fantastic!

[@steby123]

Informative and interestingly so !!!

[@somerandomguy___]

Ok wow ive read about how avation combat started in ww1 with ppl on the back seat firing pistols but i didnt know until today that there was avation combat before ww1 :O 5:00 you mentioning tin cans hitting officers heads reminds me of how an ancient greek died via a turtle droped on his head because a bird/eagle had mistakened his bald head for a rock :0, i didnt expect my country that is Bulgaria to be mentioned and the text in 12:50 says (from what i can regocnise because i am very bad at reading handwritten cursive text regardless of the languagae) "16.x(i asume x means the 10th month, october). 1912nd year (cant regonise the 3rd letter) first combat flight"

[@somerandomguy___]

and also i'd like to try and translate all the text in the full foto if you can link me the image in for example a discord app attachment

[@RexsHangar]

there is a higher quality version of the image here - weaponsandwarfare.com/2016/01/03/first-balkan-war-bulgarian-theater-of-operations/

[@somerandomguy___]

@@RexsHangar the first photo has Serbian text and according to Google translate it says "shooting from Serbian cannons bear Jedren" The 2nd photo say (from what I can make out) "Личет псба пат 16.х.1912г. Сад първайо бойно летене х в недайлана - пилой авиптбф пърипак радул миукъв х до - ,, - . Никнебм болданов" Latinised (this means to translate it into Latin letters) "Lichet psba pat 16.x.1912g. Sad pûrvajo bojno letene kh v nedajlana - piloj aviptbf pûrvipak radul miukûv kh do - ,, - . Niknebm boldanov" Please note that the I couldn't Latinise the letter "ъ" properly because it should a "u" with a wave line over it and also that this is defiantly wrong in at least some places because some letters were completely unrecognisable even though I had to make a conclusion and most of these words I don't even know so that, I imagine can only mean I read it wrong or its not in Bulgarian. Google translate will probably give you better answers than me and this also took over an hour

[@RexsHangar]

@@somerandomguy___ that's very interesting, I'll have to translate the text on photos moving forward

[@Caseytify]

Author Terry Pratchett used the story about the eagle & the turtle to good effect in his novel Small Gods. 😀

[@Caseytify]

I'm beginning to enjoy your posts.

[@Jedi.Toby.M]

You had me at "new" ... ok to be honest, I'd watch "old" or anything you upload. It's just all fantastic

[@jasonz7788]

Mr Rex great job Sir thank you

[@DIREWOLFx75]

Very interesting to see the pre-WWI history of military aviation. Before this, i basically knew it existed, but not much else because it is really hard to find any good summaries for it. Well, finally found that good summary.

[@marscaleb]

I'm not sure if I should be thanking you or the guy who directed me to you. This is super helpful information for my alt-history story!

[@garethrichmond4388]

Hope more of these are coming

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

God, I love the pre-war aircraft. They look so derpy lol.

[@davidponseigo8811]

I am related to Lt. Richard Saufley who was the 14th US Naval pilot and the first naval pilot shot at in combat. He was killed in 1916 in a training mission.

[@jimparsons6803]

Liked the presentation. Heard about the Balkan Wars before. Did not know of the involvement of airplanes. The sources for the information about those Wars was ROTC in the late 60s. The mindset of Washington at the time was to the effect of, 'gotta take that hill!' Sounds odd now, but not back then. That is why History is so important.

[@zoran.grujic]

Just to note tat the first military airplane was shot down on 30 September 1915 by Radoje Ljutovac, artillery solder of Serbian anti-air battery above of city Kragujevac: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radoje_Ljutovac

[@strakhovandrri]

Serbian history of being the first to shoot down an [invincible] aircraft, lol.

[@agdgdgwngo]

Turkish Gunner: I think we got him! Note: Bloody good shot!

[@warhawk4494]

Don't worry about making part 1 and part 2 of a video of a topic. Because you are the Dracfinel of planes.

[@alastairmellor966]

You omitted the link between the balloon and the aeroplane, the man lifting kite. The Royal Engineers started using these in South Africa and they were later developed by S F Cody at Farnborough. It was also Cody who made the first powered fixed wing flight in the UK in an aircraft that was essentially a scaled up kite powered by an engine 'borrowed' from one of the UK military's airships. This first UK powered aeroplane was named 'Army Aeroplane Number One' just in case one needed reminding where the funding had come from.

[@simonmcowan6874]

Don't forget, the Royal Flying Corps was before being named as that, a part of the Royal Engineers, as they had the (then) technology of engineering and stuff, also the Royal Engineers were and are still organised into squadrons. So the Royal Engineers took on the new fangled flying machines, the RFC were formed, later becoming the RAF but still retaining the engineers squadron designation for units below a Regiment.

[@mediocreman6323]

1903, first powered flight, 1941, first jet-fighter was fielded, so you got _less than 40 years_ from the first airplane to use the technology we basically use to this day. Also, it is nice to hear from the Etrich-Taube, an Austrian invention, where steering mainly was conducted by warping the airframe, a technology that proved to be a dead end - which could not be known back then. What an amazing time! Also, 2:12 _wowie,_ I would never have the courage to climb onto such a thing, even less fly with it! Those people had courage to no end.

[@perrydowd9285]

I don't know how I missed this the first time around. Thankyou for this vid. I really have to study up on the pre WWI situation in The Balkans. Every crisis there took the world a step closer to the carnage. Sort of like a one way corridor to world war. Oddly nobody mentions that it would have been a solely European war but for one mistake on the part of the German High Command. Belgium.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

The use if balloons to drop explosive filled bombs was expressly forbidden by the 1st Hague Convention in Land Warfare. This provision was only in place for 10 years (the provision contained a self-limiting timeframe) and was the only provision that specifically prohibited the dropping of bombs from aircraft. Until the pst-WW2 era Conventions covered aerial warfare.

[@nathanjones6638]

I always get a boot out of people making laws about war, because war itself is an illegal and immoral act, yet to stop it, we must engage in it. Then other men and women, who didn't fight, want to prosecute the children they sent to war. "The Divine Comedy" made material.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@nathanjones6638 and just when was war made illegal?

[@nathanjones6638]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 the whole of war is the perpetration of what would be called crimes and terrorism in any other situation. Governments make plans for "collateral damage" and "acceptable losses" ignoring the lives that are ended because two bureaucrats want to have dick measuring contests. I understand that war is necessary in some cases, but I would also have people be suspicious enough of their leaders that a call to war is not blindly answered, as America just showed to be important in the context of Iraq and Afghanistan. While you are right, war isn't illegal, the irony is that what you do in war would be illegal in any context save that one.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@nathanjones6638 get your facts right, only a war of aggression is illegal. And just like under UK common law defending yourself is perfectly legal, upto and including the taking of the aggressor's life. The Hague Conventions what combatants could or couldn't do. For example, any undefended property or village town or city could not be attacked whilst a defended one can be provided efforts are taken to not hit places of cultural value , historic significance or civilian hospitals, unless being hse to treat combatants. Prior to the adoption of these rules everywhere could be targetted. These rules also define who is a combatant and can be shot at and who is not and can't be shot at.

[@nathanjones6638]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 I already said that war is legal, but that actions committed therein are illegal. There are two problems, from two different angles, that I have. First, who declares war, and who decides what constitutes an act of war? To use Iraq and Afghanistan as examples, my country invaded two sovereign nations and began attacking people who fought back to protect against these unlawful invasions. Yet, international law has no interest in prosecuting either Bush or Cheney, because superpowers give nations immunity from law. The other objection is that assassination is banned. Since politicians declare wars, the political class in any war should be the highest priority targets, since the population of their country is likely people duped by their leaders. Soldiers are the victims of their terrorist leaders, and as such, the leaders who allow war should be executed, to encourage future governing bodies to seek peace. As for here, I would personally like to send politicians' kids, regardless of age or physical ability, to the front lines without weapons. So, if politicians want war, they would have to sacrifice themselves and their children to get it. That would probably counteract the monetary gain of wars for cash, like literally every war since World War Two. And even World War Two was the product of arms dealers working under the table to start trouble for profit. War is when governments decide they need more cash, and kill portions of their population to get it.

[@astridvallati4762]

Whilst you did mention the use of Pistol and rifles aloft, you missed the major event, of a,Belgian military plane ( 1912) with a gunner next to the Pilot ( a Wright pusher aircraft, with an initial Belgian- made Lewis Gun...first use of MG in a forward firing role ( admittedly for ground target engagement.) The Lewis went on to being made in Birmingham with the German Occupation of Belgium and becoming the major observer's gun, wing-top forward gun, and forward gun in Pusher Aircraft, as well as a primary Infantry gun in British and Russian armies ( Brit.303, Russ in 7,62x54R) the US also had them in .30cal late in the war despite the friction between McClean ( US designer,) and Gen. Crozier( Chief of Ordnance).

[@amerigo88]

Don't forget the importance of the Lewis Gun for Imperial Stormtroopers stationed on Tatooine in the original Star Wars (A New Hope) movie. The distinctive aluminum air sleeve around the barrel can be clearly seen. George Lucas insisted on using actual firearms, modified to look like they were from "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."

[@johncartwright8154]

I had no knowledge of these early developments and innovations prior to 1914! A fine production and educational dialogue here seen. I always wondered at the bravery of the men that flew these flimsy early aircraft, but the one seen at 2:05 takes the biscuit. The pilot seems to be astride just a narrow beam! Anyone know what this aircraft with this precarious perch was called?

[@LukeFitch]

Military aviation was also used in the Mexican Revolution, with the first aerial attack on a naval ship occurring four months before WWI.

[@dwightmagnuson4298]

Would you put labels in the video which identify the airplanes pictured...

[@Omnihil777]

07:33 Now I know where Hayao Miyazaki his idea for "Porco Rosso" (tha animated movie) had from: Monsieur Rossi from the italian Flottiglia aviatori.

[@kyle857]

That German plane the Italians were using looked like a 1910s Bat-plane.

[@ericstromberg9608]

A Taube- "Dove" in English. The Museum of Flight in Seattle has a replica.

[@gregsiska8599]

Also Owls Head Transportation Museum, Owls Head Maine, has a 1913 German Etrich Taube.

[@pemithmithsara7632]

An honourable mention would be the first mostly metal planes of history the Junkers series

[@marijnjc]

Have to admit my time machine fantasies of going back in time with the knowledge we have now...

[@Thomasnmi]

The Itallians were the first ro recognize the aerodynamics of a large 'stach

[@jjohnsonTX]

Excellent. Keep up the great work, you're doing just fine in your pronunciations.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

Brilliant series so far, but why Vietnamese subtitles and not English?

[@hughgordon6435]

Sir, what would have happened it 5he RNAS had not been folded into the RAF? Better naval aviation? Better naval procurement for aircraft?

[@dr.wilfriedhitzler1885]

The pronounciation of “Etrich Taube” is like “aetriech towbae”

[@michaelhowell2541]

The tins had streamers attached

[@stingerkendris]

Unfortunately not any extend mention on the Greek aviators taking part on the Balkan wars, pioneering also on this new warfare. The activities of the Greek Army Air Service during the Balkan Wars marked out the use of the aircraft as a pioneering war asset. On October 5, 1912 the first war air reconnaissance mission took place on the Thessalia front. Other missions followed with drops of improvised bombs on the Bizani strongholds as well as provisions and newspapers to the Ioannina inhabitants under siege. On January 24, 1913 a naval co-operation mission took place above the Dardanelles. 1st lieutenat Michael Moutoussis and Ensign Aristedes Moraitines, on board the Maurice Farman hydroplane, drew up a diagram of the positions of the Turkish fleet, against which they dropped four bombs. This event was widely commented upon in the Press, both Greek and international. On April 4, 1913, 2nd Lieutenant aviator Emmanuel Argyropoulos was killed due to the fall of his Bleriot XI aircraft, thus becoming the first civilian dead of the Greek Aviation and marking the end of air activities in the Balkan wars of 1912-1913.

[@jeffrhall9219]

What, pray tell, is that aircraft at 2:25?

[@charlestaylor253]

It's the Fabre Hydroavion during it's first flight on March 28, 1910. It was the world's first successful seaplane and flown by it's inventor Henri Fabre, (1882-1984).

[@Demun1649]

This is good. New tech is always a problem for the people who are ordered to make things work. But flight, combat, bombing, aeriel photography all happened at virtually the same time, and mistakes could not be afforded. The air forces did magnificant jobs, especially considering it was all on grass airfields, with the most dangerous times being the landing after action..

[@raypurchase801]

What the hell is that aircraft at the two minute point? Did the pilot receive a medal for bravery for flying it?

[@paulabraham2550]

I think it's a later version of the Wright Flyer.

[@k1ross]

@@paulabraham2550 That's correct. It's a Wright Model B (probably license-built by Burgess as their Model F) being flown by Harry Atwood (who worked for Burgess for a time). Circa 1911.

[@jamesbugbee6812]

Farman Longhorns! Sweet.

[@scottfw7169]

This English language of ours can be a bit odd about word order: would "not so brief" history, and "so not brief" history, have same, similar, or different, meanings?

[@jeremyheintz1479]

I never would have made it as a pilot then in Italy. I can't grow a great mustache

[@yfelwulf]

They were referred to as KITES the word Aeroplane came much later

[@praveenb9048]

[06:37] That is exactly how bees tell each other where they've found food !

[@pbyguy7059]

Somebody, please! What on Earth is that thing at 2:06?

[@pigeononbread5477]

What is the plane in the thumbnail?

[@terrybarrett2368]

The RGA in the great war dropped messages to a just fire message in container with streamers attached

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

Gotta love how Americans were the first to look at planes and go "What if you gave that man a gun?" It's also wild to think that just 33 years after all these firsts happened, the first jets would enter service.

[@douglasgabrielle6623]

I believe Pershing used aircraft during a border conflict with Mexico during this time.

[@rayceeya8659]

WTF is that thing 2m in? It looks like something out of a Myazaki film. What is this picture? There's a blimp in the background. I really need to know what this is.

[@k1ross]

It's a Wright Brothers Model B, most probably a license-built version by Burgess (of Marblehead, Mass., their Model F). About 1911-12.

[@rayceeya8659]

@@k1ross The one after that. Rear engine Strange wing configuration.

[@charlestaylor253]

@@rayceeya8659 Fabre Hydroavion, the world's first successful seaplane on it's first flight on March 28, 1910. It was piloted by it's inventor Henri Fabre, (1882-1984).

[@rayceeya8659]

@@charlestaylor253 Ahh the lower wings are sponsen/floats. That makes perfect sense.

[@ronjon7942]

Laf, I was just about to ask the very same thing. And also ask, is it actually in controlled flight or is it at the apex of being catapulted into the sea? Thank you, Mr. Taylor.

[@petermgruhn]

Deck Officer!

[@Kroggnagch]

Look at those wings and tail shape... we were literally just making it as close to the shape of a bird as we could apparently. Which, I mean, look at the B-2 from the side then look at a bird of prey like a hawk from the side when in flight; they're remarkably similar. Just funny to me how we started and now how advanced we are today, understanding that flight is its own entity and not just the birds can achieve it nor do they set rules and regulations, so, we dont have to copy them; else walk. The planes can take on their own man-made designs, looking as far from a bird as possible, and still, with the proper thrust, you will fly...

[@doctoronishispsychosislab1474]

you drop them into the water in front of the boat/ship they scoop them up :) sounds legit lol :)

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

Before the RFC, British military aviation was undertaken by the Royal Engineers…

[@Fergusius]

What about Serbia and its own air service during the Balkan wars??? :)

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

Basically "who will make my flying thing bangy gun".

[@Surferjo]

never knew ty................

[@mikepette4422]

Taube means Dove in german itrs pronounced TAU BEH Tau being said like the greek letter

[@markgarin6355]

Interesting, a monoplane was the first recce aircraft.

[@MonsieurPhilippe1]

In "Taube" (Pigeon) the "e" is spoken.

[@iconoclastpleonast8726]

Warning: this series is unfinished. The last year of WW1 is not covered. After 2 years, I'm assuming it will not be.

[@Kroggnagch]

Arent these the get-ups theyd silently glide over a battlefield with, dropping metal flechettes down on soldiers' heads?

[@guillensuarezmartinez713]

The Glider vehicle μ airship military service of process from here the monoplane ° μ M model of vehicle. Of the RAF.

[@964cuplove]

ETRICH Taube or dove is pronounced tau - like town without the n and be - like best without the st

[@bruceday8464]

Near the intro, you show an officer next to an early plane and present it as German - he's actually Russian.

[@stejer211]

You should use Google Translate if you are concerned about your pronunciation of non-English words. In any case it is appreciated!

[@legendus1159]

gret vidio

[@paulburney7250]

The movie "Lawrence of Arabia" showed Turkish aircraft dropping bombs on an Arab settlement. I don't know whether that actually happened, or was just the movie directors imagination. If someone knows, could you please leave a reply to this comment.

[@lastflightofosiris]

There were not air units stationed there during the war afaik. Also Ottomans didn't have monster trains with guns which terrorized Arabia. Falih Rıfkı Atay (a prominent Turkish author later), who was a clerk in that region during the war wrote "Ottomans were merely a police force and infrastructure for Arabs. They had no authority there and no gain from those lands." Arab revolt was not done against huge imperialistic Ottoman forces. It was mostly against local garrisons, supply parties and police stations.

[@axl0506]

English native speakers would say "Etrish" and "Ta-ube" (two sounds, e. dove)

[@icarusairways6139]

Blue tooth technology 1911.

[@jamesbugbee9026]

All the Farmans! ❤️

[@apex2000]

No medieval kites then. Lol

[@kellygable1668]

did anyone else find that picture of the derigable comming out of it's hanger erotic ? lol !

[@charlestaylor253]

No.1, you're a pervert. No.2, it's spelled dirigible. 🤬

[@old_guard2431]

Taube = tau-buh. German for dove or maybe pigeon. (To the best of my recollection, can’t be arsed tp look it up. Fundamental laziness kicks in.) Germans do not use “silent” letters. It is not efficient.