Interesting tunnel Lewis mount photo on eBay
 

Tunnel Lewis

Can anyone id the aircraft

Michael

Well, it ain't no Lewis gun. The aeroplane looks like a Salmson.

Graeme

Given that the aircraft in the photo is American I am quite certain the gun is a Marlin machinegun (itself a modification of the Colt M1895) stripped for aerial use. The USAS used these guns in some SPADs due to a shortage of Vickers.

Really interesting!

I hate to be a tie breaker, but it looks like a Lewis to me. The muzzle brake seems odd, but I think maybe it's been clumsily retouched. Ransom

I hate to be a tie breaker, but it looks like a Lewis to me. The muzzle brake seems odd, but I think maybe it's been clumsily retouched. Ransom

Breguet 14 maybe?

The angle's weird but the triple-strutted landing gear, the bracing wires, and the trailing edge cut-outs on the lower wing seem right for a Breguet.

"French Aircraft of the First World War" (J.J.Davilla and A.M.Soltan) has a brief note to the effect "In operational service, the Breguet 14s underwent numerous modifications including...a gun rigged to fire under the fuselage."

Cheers,

You are right. I didn't look at the aircraft type because my interestwas focused on the gun, this variant was the Breguet 14 B.2 and the downward firing gun is a Lewis, according to Munson's Bombers 1914-19


The muzzle brake was confusing, maybe this is the model 1918 of the Lewis?

The ventral-gun is a 'stripped' or late-model Lewis, not a Marlin - the gas cylinder is clearly visible under the barrel. The muzzle fitment is unusual, though. And it's definitely fitted into a Breguet 14, probably a infantry cooperation/observation A variant - the three-leg undercart and fuselage shape confirm this.

The other aircraft photo is of a Salmson A-2 - note the faired, shallower fuselage and the cooling louvres for the radial engine.

<hoists sundowner>

Cheers!