aircraft, were the first to be fitted with Lewis guns, and F.E.'s, the
first machine designed specifically for fighting, with the machine-gun
operator in front of the pilot. These "pusher" fighters had an excellent
field of view and fire forwards, but suffered from lack of speed and a
large "blind" area to the rear. On the other hand, the single-seater
tractors were potentially the superior fighters, and in order to protect
the blades of the airscrew the French were the first to use deflector
blades on them in tractor machines.

Our early single-seater tractors were fitted with a Lewis gun fixed so
as to fire over or at the side of the airscrew and actuated by a bowden
wire, the most efficient, though not the most numerous, fighting
machines at the end of 1915 being the Bristol Scouts.

By the Summer of 1916, however, we had adapted the "synchronizing gear"
to our machine guns, enabling them to be fired through the propeller;
while aircraft engines developed much greater power and full allowance
was made for all equipment carried. From that time the development of
our single-seater fighters was steadily progressive. One of the first of
these was the Sopwith "Pup," which had a speed of 106-1/2 miles an hour
at 6,500 feet, climbed 10,000 feet in just over 14 minutes, and could
attain a ceiling of 17,500 feet. In 1917 appeared the Sopwith "Camel," a
typical example of this type, which was simple, stable, easily
controllable and possessed two guns. It had a speed of 121 miles an hour
at 10,000 feet, to which height it could climb in under 10-1/2 minutes,
and a ceiling of 23,000 feet. The Martinsyde F.4, embodying further
improvements, was not ready in time for active service.

While the single-seater tractor was developing for purely offensive
action, the two-seater fighter, of which the field of view,
man[oe]uvrability and general performance were being improved, retained
its utility as a reconnaissance machine. In 1916 the "pusher" type was
superseded by the Sopwith "1-1/2 Strutter" armed with a synchronized
Vickers gun, which for its 130 horse-power was never surpassed. The
pilot was close to the engine and had a good view of the ground, while
the gunner was placed behind him with a rotary Lewis gun turret. Early
in 1917 these qualities were further developed in the Bristol Fighter.

With the advent of these improved types the B.E.2c was relegated to the
work of artillery co-operation, until superseded by the B.E.2e. T