bers , ▁starting ▁with ▁the ▁Goth a ▁G . IV ▁aircraft ▁that ▁gradually ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁off ensive . ▁While ▁their ▁early ▁day light ▁ra ids ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁easily ▁e va de ▁the ▁weak ▁def enses ▁of ▁London , ▁the ▁strength ening ▁of ▁the ▁home ▁defence ▁f ighter ▁force ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁switching ▁to ▁night ▁ra ids ▁from ▁ 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁To ▁counter ▁night ▁attacks , ▁S op with ▁Cam el ▁day ▁f igh ters ▁were ▁deployed ▁in ▁the ▁night ▁f ighter ▁role . ▁The ▁Cam els ' ▁V ick ers ▁guns ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁Lewis ▁guns ▁mounted ▁over ▁the ▁wings , ▁as ▁the ▁flash ▁from ▁the ▁V ick ers ▁t ended ▁to ▁d azz le ▁the ▁pilot ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁fired , ▁and ▁synchron ised ▁guns ▁were ▁considered ▁unsafe ▁for ▁firing ▁inc endi ary ▁am mun ition . ▁Further ▁modification ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁co ck pit ▁being ▁moved ▁rear wards . ▁The ▁modified ▁aircraft ▁were ▁nick named ▁the ▁" S op with ▁Com ic ". ▁To ▁provide ▁suitable ▁equipment ▁for ▁Home ▁Def ence ▁squad rons ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁UK , ▁Av ro ▁ 5 0 4 K ▁train ers ▁were ▁converted ▁to ▁night ▁f igh ters ▁by ▁removing ▁the ▁front ▁co ck pit ▁and ▁mount ing ▁a ▁Lewis ▁gun ▁on ▁the ▁top ▁wing . ▁ ▁Inter war ▁period ▁With ▁little ▁money ▁to ▁spend ▁on ▁development , ▁especially ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression , ▁night