How many modern-day Wing Commanders do you know of that would cope with this? Actually, I reckon a few would almost just take it in their stride…
[url=http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/earlyfighters.htm][quote=“http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/earlyfighters.htm”]
A fixed machine gun pointing forward would allow the attacking pilot to aim the entire aircraft. This would be easier than aiming a free-swinging machine gun as on the Gunbus, and would eliminate the need for an observer, making the aircraft smaller and lighter. The machine gun should be located close to the pilot to allow him to reload and service the gun should it jam.
There was only one problem with this configuration: the propeller.
Louis Strange experimented with a solution using a Martinsyde S I biplane. He fixed a Lewis gun on top of the upper wing, high enough to clear the airscrew. While this seemed quite a good solution, it introduced new problems, as Strange himself discovered on the 10th of May while attempting to shoot down an Aviatik. After firing off a whole drum from his Lewis gun he broke off in order to reload.
Unfortunately the drum jammed, and Strange stood up on his seat in order to try and pry it loose. The plane stalled, flipped over, and began to spin earthwards upside-down. Strange was flung out of the plane, and found himself dangling below the upper wing, hanging on by the very drum he had been trying to shake loose.
By swinging his legs wildly he managed to get a foothold inside the cockpit and drag himself back inside in time to right the plane and avoid a crash. In his wild thrashing he had smashed all the dials in his instrument panel and broken the seat.
(Despite such antics Strange was to survive the war, finishing the war as a Wing Commander. In the Second World War he flew in the volunteer reserve, and set up both the airborne forces parachute training course, and the fighter convoy defence unit.)[/quote][/url]
wilf_san