How did the WW2 fighter planes manage to fire,?
The Majority of guns mounted to WW2 fighters were wing mounted and did not suffer from this problem. For those that did carry fuselage mounted guns. An interrupter gear was used or, to be more accurate, a synchronisation gear. This meant that when a propeller was in the way of the gun the trigger was held off. When the propeller was clear the gun could be activated. Most guns of this era were fired electrically or by compressed air so an extra switch or valve would be fitted in the line to stop the gun activating. This description is taken from a WW1 interrupter but the basic principle is the same. A cam was attached to the crankshaft of the engine in line with each propeller blade, when the blade reached a position in which it might be struck by bullets from the machine-gun, the relevant cam actuated a pushrod which, by means of a series of linkages, stopped the gun from firing. When the blade was clear, the linkages retracted, allowing the gun to fire. Ray.
