AERIAL MACHINE GUNS

Southland Times, Issue 17654, 11 February 1916, Page 2

AERIAL MACHINE GUNS

USE OF DEFLECTOR PROPELLER. Some months ago a British officer on leave let us into the secret of using a machine gun to fire in a forward direction on a tractor aeroplane (says the Field). Until the British air service adopted this device the tractor —the more efficient type of machine — was- at a grave disadvantage in meeting the “pusher” type in combat, • owing to the necessity to overtake and pass a retreating enemy aeroplane before being able to engage it, or in the alternative to cross its line of flight. Now it has a decided pull. This is secured by the adoption of what is known in service circles as a “deflector" propeller. We, naturally, have refrained from describing this simple device until it was evident that the enemy was already possessed of the information. This we judge to be the case from a Russian report to the effect that a German aeroplane possessed of a deflector propeller had been brought down on the Eastern front. The name describes the device, which consists of small shield of toughened steel armour attached to the rear faces of the propeller blades. They are pointed like the prow of a boat, and are fixed on the blades at points coinciding with the line of fire of the machine gun. This is fixed so that its Line of fire in relation to the propeller is constant. Consequently when the latter is revolving- and the gun is In action those bullets ■which do not go past the propeller blades impinge on the pointed steel plates and are deflected away from the pilot and his machine. It is said that even when turning at highest speed the propeller is not hit by one bullet in every ten fired, so that the loss of attacking power is not great. Naturally there is some stress on the propeller in this, but nothing really serious, unless the deflector shields become pitted by continuous use. Usually, however, the shields outlast the propeller. Simple as this device is, it has made a considerable difference in the conduct of aerial combats.