Foster mounting
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In early 1916 Sergeant Foster of No. 11 squadron RFC devised a sliding rail mounting for the upper wing Lewis Gun on a Nieuport 11. It enabled the gun to be pulled down so that its breech was conveniently in front of the pilot - making it much easier to change ammunition drums or to clear stoppages in flight. The mounting was readily adaptable to several other type of fighter aircraft - including in particular the Nieuport 17 (in British service) and the S.E.5a.
Although it was possibly not the original intention, it also became possible to fire the Lewis gun forwards and upwards at an angle - a favourite tactic of the ace Albert Ball.
