RARE WW1 Royal Flying Corps Hythe MkIIIH Camera Lewis Gun Transit Case

RARE WW1 Royal Flying Corps Hythe MkIIIH Camera Lewis Gun Transit Case

This is a rare original wooden transit box, used to house the WW1 Hythe MkIIIH Camera Gun. The camera gun was used to train pilots and air gunners in the art of aerial combat in the early stages of WW1, at a time when no experience had yet been gained in the best practice of air-gunnery. What is fascinating about this box are the markings, showing not only the serial number of the gun it once contained (MkIIIH 3995) but also the unit it belonged to - No 1 Squadron of the newly formed Royal Flying Corps. No1 Squadron was one of the first three flying squadrons of the newly formed RFC, first formed in 1912 as a balloon squadron, then reforming in 1914 as reconnaisance squadron, equipped with AVRO 504s and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8s, with a limited fighter capability. It wasn't until January 1918 that No.1 Sqn became a dedicated fighter squdron, finally being equipped with the modern and highy capable SE5.A which is most likely when this box saw service with the Sqn. Owing to the addition of a "A/Flt" on the lid, it is hightly likely that the gun and box continued in service on the inter-war period, with the Hythe MkIIIH finally being retired in the mid 1930s.