British gun synchronization got off to a quick but rather shaky start. The early mechanical synchronization gears turned out to be inefficient and unreliable and full standardisation on the very satisfactory hydraulic "C.C." gear was not accomplished until November 1917. Synchronized guns seem to have been rather unpopular with British fighter pilots well into 1917 and the over-wing Lewis gun, on its Foster mounting, remained the weapon for Nieuports in British service, being also initially considered as the main weapon of the S.E.5.Cheesman 1960, p. 181. Significantly, early problems with the C.C. gear were considered one of the less pressing matters for No. 56 squadron in March 1917, busy getting their new S.E.5 fighters combat worthy before they went to France, since they had the over-wing Lewis to fall back on!Pengelly 2010, p. 153. Ball actually had his Vickers gun removed altogether for a while, to save weight.Hare 2013, p. 52.
