▁pione ering ▁Ein de cker ▁pilot , ▁could ▁employ ▁the ▁simple ▁combat ▁t actic ▁of ▁aim ing ▁the ▁whole ▁aircraft , ▁and ▁present ing ▁a ▁small ▁target ▁to ▁the ▁enemy ▁while ▁approaching ▁from ▁any ▁angle , ▁prefer ably ▁from ▁a ▁blind ▁spot ▁where ▁the ▁enemy ▁observer ▁could ▁not ▁return ▁fire . ▁ ▁Haw ker ▁fle w ▁before ▁Britain ▁had ▁any ▁work able ▁synchron iser ▁g ear , ▁so ▁his ▁Br istol ▁Sc out ▁had ▁its ▁machine ▁gun ▁mounted ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁co ck pit , ▁firing ▁for wards ▁and ▁side ways ▁at ▁a ▁ 4 5   deg ree ▁angle ▁to ▁avoid ▁the ▁prop eller . ▁The ▁only ▁direction ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁could ▁attack ▁an ▁enemy ▁was ▁from ▁its ▁right ▁rear ▁quarter   – ▁precisely ▁in ▁a ▁direction ▁from ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁easy ▁for ▁the ▁observer ▁to ▁fire ▁at ▁him . ▁Thus , ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁attacks , ▁Haw ker ▁was ▁directly ▁exposed ▁to ▁the ▁fire ▁of ▁an ▁enemy ▁machine ▁gun . ▁ ▁First ▁F ighter ▁Squadron ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁major ▁early ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁Haw ker ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁R FC ' s ▁first ▁( single ▁se ater ) ▁f ighter ▁squad ron , ▁Number ▁ 2 4 ▁based ▁at ▁H oun slow ▁He ath ▁Aer od rome ▁and ▁flying ▁the ▁Air co ▁D H . 2 ▁push er . ▁After ▁two ▁fatal ities ▁in ▁recent ▁flying ▁acc idents , ▁the ▁new ▁f ighter , ▁which ▁featured ▁a ▁forward