Pusher Aircraft

Pusher was the name given to any aircraft in which the engine and propeller were situated behind the crew of an aircraft. This was popular with designers at the beginning of the First World War as it made it easier for pilots to fire their machine-gun. The development of synchronized machine-guns in 1915 and the need for increased speeds during dogfights saw a rapid decline in the production of pusher aircraft in the second-half of the war.

Breguet M-5, an example of a pusher aircraft
Breguet M-5, an example of a pusher aircraft