What did interrupter gear do?

A synchronization gear (also known as a gun synchronizer or interrupter gear) was a device enabling a single-engine tractor configuration aircraft to fire its forward-firing armament through the arc of its spinning propeller without bullets striking the blades.

What country invented the interrupter gear?

French
development of fighter aircraft …in the form of an interrupter gear, or gun-synchronizing device, designed by the French engineer Raymond Saulnier. This regulated a machine gun’s fire so as to enable the bullets to pass between the blades of the spinning propeller.

What was interrupter gear in ww1?

Sync gear, also known as an interrupter or gun synchronizer, was developed during World War I to ensure that an armament attached to a single-engine aircraft could fire through the spinning arc of a propeller without damaging the propeller blades.

When was interrupter gear first used?

August 1st, 1915
Lieutenant Oswald Boelcke was the first pilot to successfully use the interrupter gear to shoot down another airplane on August 1st, 1915. With that innovation, the German planes would continue to dominate the skies, a phenomenon known as the “Fokker Scourge” until mid-1916.

How did ww1 planes not shoot the propeller?

There are many different types of synchronization gear, but the simplest involves an irregular-shaped disk that triggers the gun to fire once per revolution, at a specific point. This produces a high rate of fire without the risk of hitting the propeller.

How many rounds could an early machine gun fire in one minute?

Machine gun, automatic weapon of small calibre that is capable of sustained rapid fire. Most machine guns are belt-fed weapons that fire from 500 to 1,000 rounds per minute and will continue to fire as long as the trigger is held back or until the supply of ammunition is exhausted.

How did Spitfire guns work?

Thus the Spitfire had a staggered arrangement in each wing with each ammunition magazines feeding directly into the gun next to it. The Hurricanes wing was tall enough to allow a feed to pass over a gun. So all four guns in each wing could be mounted together with two magazines on each side of the armament.

Did ww1 planes have guns?

Projectiles. At first most aircraft were unarmed, although some pilots did carry weapons with them including pistols and grenades. These were of limited use, however, as the body of the aircraft itself made it difficult and dangerous to fire any weapons.

When did World war 1 end?

July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918
World War I/Periods

Germany had formally surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations had agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were negotiated. On June 28, 1919, Germany and the Allied Nations (including Britain, France, Italy and Russia) signed the Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the war.

When did World War 1 end?

Why do planes have 2 wings?

Biplanes were the original aircraft design in aviation to provide a lightweight yet sturdy structure. Newer materials and designs are much stronger and can be built with one wing. Having two wings stacked on top of each other also meant that the wings have twice the area so this allowed for the span to be shorter.

How many bullets could a Spitfire shoot?

The wing used in the Mk 21 Spitfire was significantly redesigned. The leading edge lost its curve, running straight out to the guns. Armament was standardised at four 20mm Hispano Mk II cannon, with 175 rounds for the inboard gun and 150 for the outboard gun.

What was the interrupter gear in an aircraft?

In military aircraft: Fighters …in the form of an interrupter gear, or gun-synchronizing device, designed by the French engineer Raymond Saulnier. This regulated a machine gun’s fire so as to enable the bullets to pass between the blades of the spinning propeller.

Who was the inventor of Encyclopedia interrupter gear?

Encyclopedia – Interrupter Gear Improving upon the French invention of the so-called ‘ deflector gear ‘, which enabled fighter pilots to use machine guns to fire through aircraft propeller blades, Anton Fokker devised the much-improved interrupter gear in 1915.

How did Franz Schnider create the interrupter gear?

When the war broke out, Franz Schnider worked under pressure from the German Air Force to complete and build a working interrupter gear for their planes. Schnider created blueprints for an interrupter gear design however it was not produced because it was too expensive.

Why was World War 1 a catalyst for the interrupter gear?

World War One was a catalyst to the interrupter gear because the idea was not being progressed and required the prospect and creation of war for it to have become reality.