This machine travels at a very high speed and is
eminently adapted to its specific duty, but it is of limited
service for general purposes.
The arming of an aeroplane, to enable it to defend itself against
hostile attack or to participate in raiding operations upon the
aerial fleet of the enemy, appears to be a simple task, but as a
matter of fact it is an undertaking beset with difficulties
innumerable. This is especially the case where the aeroplane is
of the tractive type, that is to say where the propellers are
placed in the forefront of the machine and in their revolution
serve to draw the machine forward. All other considerations must
necessarily be sacrificed to the mounting of the propeller.
Consequently it is by no means easy to allot a position for the
installation of a gun, or if such should be found there is grave
risk of the angle of fire being severely restricted. In fact, in
many instances the mounting of a gun is out of the question: it
becomes a greater menace to the machine than to the enemy.
The French aeronautical section of the military department
devoted considerable study to this subject, but found the problem
almost insurmount able.
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