Editing Synchronization gear (section)

==== The Scarff-Dibovski gear ====
[[File:Scarff Dibovsky cam gear.png|thumb|upright|Cam gear of the Scarff Dibovsky]]

Lieutenant Victor Dibovski, an officer of the [[Imperial Russian Navy]], while serving as a member of a mission to England to observe and report on British aircraft production methods, suggested a synchronization gear of his own design. According to Russian sources, this gear had already been tested in Russia, with mixed results,<ref name=Kulikov1>Kulikov 2013, pp. 13–14.</ref> although it is possible that the earlier Dibovski gear was actually a deflector system rather than a true synchronizer. In any case, Warrant Officer F. W. Scarff worked with Dibovski to develop and realize the gear, which worked on the familiar cam and rider principle, the connection to the gun being by the usual push rod and a rather complicated series of levers. It was [[gear]]ed in order to slow the rate that firing impulses were delivered to the gun (and hence improve reliability, although not the rate of fire). The gear was ordered for the RNAS and followed the Vickers-Challenger gear into production by a matter of weeks. It was more adaptable to rotary engines than the Vickers-Challenger, but apart from early Sopwith 1½ Strutters built to RNAS orders in 1916, and possibly some early [[Sopwith Pup]]s, no actual applications seem to have been recorded.<ref name=Woodman10>Woodman 1989, pp. 189–190.</ref>