How do you fire a machine gun through the arc of a spinning propeller? Early in 1915, aviators engaged in the First World War wanted to solve that problem. Obviously, the bullets of the machine gun would smash a propeller to bits. So far in the war, German, French, and British airmen had fired at each other with limited efficiency, the best results having been obtained in two-seaters, with the observer shooting while the pilot flew the plane. Pusher airplanes, with the propeller in back, also provided a clear field of forward fire.
But clearly the best solution would be for the pilot, in a fast, single-seat airplane, to have a machine gun right in front of him, enabling him to aim the entire craft at the enemy, directly in front of him, and shoot, without needing any coordination with a second person.
Then, the flier Roland Garros (a famous pre-war aviator who had been the first to cross the Mediterranean) had a realization. A very simple and powerful one. Most of the bullets would miss the propeller blades anyway. A relatively small fraction would hit the blades. Why not just let them? A small steel deflector plate could protect the wooden propeller, fixed at the spot in line with the trajectory of the bullets. Garros mounted a Hotchkiss 8mm machine gun in his Morane-Saulnier “Parasol” Type L, fitted the prop with deflectors, and tested the arrangement on the ground. It seemed to work.
He took his machine up and promptly shot down a German Aviatic reconnaissance plane. He was the hero of France, and for a few weeks, his newly deadly airplane swept the skies, shooting down five aircraft in April, 1915. But it was not to last. He was forced down over German lines with engine trouble, and the Germans discovered his secret, and with the Fokker Eindekker, improved on Garros’ technique with a synchronized machine gun. It should be noted that the steel deflector plates, while workable, reduced the efficiency of the propeller more than thirty percent.
Top Speed: 71 m.p.h.
Manufacturer: Société des Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier
Year: 1913
Engine: 80 h.p. Gnôme rotary
Wingspan: 36 feet 9 inches
Weight: 1,441 lb.
Armament: 1 machine gun
The Morane-Saulnier Type L (which included both one-seater and two-seater variants) was the first of a series of fighters based on the Type G and H. Actually the L was completed in 1913, and at the onset of the war the Aviation Militaire ordered a large number as reconnaissance craft. Over 600 were built.
Another famous ace who got his start on the Morane-Saulnier L was Georges Guynemer, who scored his first aerial victory on July 19, 1915, flying a two-seater Type L. In his biography, Ace of Aces, written by Jacques Mortane in 1918, describes the victory, quoting Guynemer:
My first meeting with a Boche took place on July 19th. I was on a two-seated Morane Saulnier ‘Parasol’ with Guerder, my mechanic, as passenger.
I had promised myself to undertake a pursuit, but I had always been ordered on reconnaissance, and that did not suit me. While not lacking in interest, it is less stirring; useful, but monotonous. It is always assigned to the newcomers, and I wanted to show that we had grit too.
A Boche had been sighted at Coeuvres, and so I took flight with Guerder in pursuit. Shortly we saw him over Pierrefonds, but he saw us at the same moment and fled. As his plane was faster than ours, there was no possibility of catching him. From a great distance, we fired, without any hope of hitting him, but steadily nevertheless. We pursued as far as the Coucy aerodrome, where we saw him alight. He must have been well satisfied with his performance: as a “fleer” he was most remarkable. But this displeased us greatly. We had gone out to beat down a Boche (and when we left we had no doubt of success), but we had to go back empty- handed.
Suddenly another black point appeared on the horizon. We hurried towards him. As we came nearer, the point became larger and soon we saw it was an Aviatik, sailing at 3,200 meters. He was moving towards the French lines, apparently unaware that a destructive enemy was in his wake. Poor fellow, he did not dream that on his track were two young fellows determined not to return without performing their task, believing that to return to headquarters without a Boche would mean derision. So we hurried towards the airplane.
It was not until Soissons that we came up with him, and there the combat took place. For ten minutes everybody in the city watched the fantastic duel over their heads. I kept about fifteen meters from my Boche, below, back of and to the left of him, and, notwithstanding all his twistings, I managed not to lose touch with him. Guerder fired 115 shots, but could not fire precisely, as his gun jammed repeatedly. During the fight my companion was hit by one bullet in the hand and another combed his hair. He answered with his rifle, shooting well.
We began to wonder how this duel was going to end, but at the 115th shot fired by Guerder, I had the very sweet feeling of seeing the pilot slump down, while the lookout raised his arms to heaven in despair. The Aviatik did a nose spin, and plunged down into the abyss in flames, crashing between the trenches. I hastened to land not far away, and I never felt a greater elation. At last I was able to realize my dream, I had gained a victory.
Image from Rosebud’s Early Aviation Archive.