gun synchronization to fire through propeller arc

[kolya1]

One thing worth noting is that, although an uncommon occurence, failures of the synchronisation system did sometimes happen. I think the first FW-190A captured by the Soviets in repairable condition was a plane that had cut its own propeller while straffing ground troops after the synchronisation system failed (wether because of mecanical failure or external damage, I don't know...). I can't look over all my books for that kind of incidents, but if I remember well, this wasn't a unique case, and it did also occasionnally occur in other air forces...

Anyway, as Graham said it, any fighter design is born out of a compromise between opposing factors, the goal being to have the best overall efficiency. Hubert Zemke and other US pilots remembered the P-38 for clearly having the best armament among US WWII fighters, while on the whole, they considered the Mustang or the Thunderbolt to be better fighters. Typical example of contradicting requirements was the Bf-109, which had to sacrifice part of its aerodynamics when it was needed to increase armament and MG-17s were replaced by MG-131s...

BTW, does anybody know how did the German pilots react to another of the firepower increases, namely the use of nose-mounted MK-108 30mm instead of MG-151 20mm cannon ? As far as I understand it, this change did not penalise the performance of planes as much as the MG-131 bulges, or the wing mounted gunpods, but I didn't read anything the usefulness of it in the fliers' eyes. By way of comparison, the Soviet experience with big guns (even bigger but with a slower rate of fire) is rather diversified : I've read praise about the higher hitting power in air combat of the Yak-9T's or P-39's 37mm guns, but also criticism regarding their slower rate of fire, or limited ammunition supply...