The Morane-Saulnier aircraft manufacturing company was founded in 1911 by the Morane brothers in association with Raymond Saulnier. In 1912, they built the Morane-Saulnier type H, derived from the type G but equipped with a 7-cylinder engine (photo), then a 9-cylinder engine. Its lightness and power were highly prized by pilots for races and records. The French army ordered about thirty examples, some of which were used as fighter planes during the First World War. In 1914, Raymond Saulnier was the first to come up with the idea of synchronising the firing of a machine gun through the propeller field, which was later developed by Anthony Fokker.