The first fighters were created in the early XX century in order to recognize and attack ground objectives. They were biplanes that were equipped with light weapons. Even the pilots shot each other if they were close enough. The main drawback of these aircraft is that many times they could not reach their objectives and their engines were not able to lift the plane if it was equipped with heavy guns.
The first fighter considered useful and sparking a revolution in Europe, was the Fokker Eindecker, manufactured by the Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker. This aircraft, even if could not exceed 130 km / h had a mechanism that allowed him to shoot between the helices without any damage. This mechanism is called “Synchronization gear”, or “gun synchronizer”, and it was a breakthrough because it allowed shot in the same direction of the plane, increasing accuracy and eliminating the tail gunner. Although the first model of this synchronizer was a mechanical crank, later were developed electrical and hydraulic breakers more reliable.
However, in early 1930 this mechanism started to become obsolete because machine guns, each time heavier, began to be placed on the wings of the plane. However this device was in use until the end of the Korean War because with the entry into service of the jets, it completely fell into disuse.