Anti-Aircraft guns were first developed in the Franco-Prussian War, when the Germans needed a weapon that could destroy supply balloons leaving Paris to find food, an attempt to feed besieged Paris. The first anti-aircraft weapon, the ballonkanone, developed by Gustav Krupp, was a modified 32mm mounted on a horse drawn carriage for easy travel.
By World War One, the Germans had developed and installed 75mm throught the countryside, providing excellent protection against balloons and aircraft. On the other hand, the British installed 1 pound(37mm) pom-pom autocannons minimally around London, leaving the British without serious anti-aircraft protection.
Once the war started, the Army installed 13 pounders, and the Royal Navy continued to install more 3 and 4 inchers.
Anti-aircraft warfare was a difficult and novel aspect of the war, and many crews knew little about trajectory and timing the shells to explode as near as possible to the aircraft. In addition, many air attacks, especially against London, were completed at night, putting the anti-aircraft crews at a severe disadvantage. It wasn't until after World War 1 that anti-aircraft technology became effective and easy to use.
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