Early in World War I, the possibility of mounting a forward firing machine gun on a fighter aircraft without the bullets hitting the propeller was considered. Work was begun on a synchronizer, but no satisfactory results were achieved.
Garros, with the help of his mechanic Jules Hue, developed protective deflectors mounted on slightly tapered propeller blades to deflect projectiles that might hit them. With this device mounted on his Morane-Saulnier Type G monoplane, he achieved the first downing of an aircraft by a fighter firing through the propeller. This occurred on April 1, 1915, when he attacked four German Albatros biplanes. He scored two more victories over German aircraft on April 15 and 18, 1915.
In 1918, the Aeroclub of America awarded Garros a medal for this invention.
