Interrupter gear for firing through the propeller
Sincronizador de disparo a través de la hélice
- Date
- 1913-1915 · confidence medium
- Place
- Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
- Credited to
- Anthony Fokker (Fokker Eindecker); Franz Schneider (precursor)
- Field
- Conflict
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A mechanism that stops the machine gun from firing when a propeller blade passes in front of the muzzle, letting the pilot aim with the aircraft. It gave the Fokker E.I an advantage in 1915 and created the modern fighter.
There are earlier mechanisms and patents (Schneider, 1913) and stopgaps (Garros's deflectors, April 1915); Fokker presented a working system with his team, and sole credit to Fokker is debated.
What it led to
- the 'Fokker Scourge' of 1915-1916
- the fighter as an air-combat weapon
- synchronised wing and fuselage machine guns