A. Fokker designed the first mechanical synchronizer to allow a fighter’s gun to fire through a propeller disc plane. The E.IV was designed on the base of his previous constructions, including the M.15, which was the first fighter powered by a tow-row radial engine in the world. The new plane was classified as a heavy fighter armed with two or three machine guns and it was equipped with its own powerful engine. The first sample flew in November 1915 and serial production started in February 1916. The Fokker I.IV fighters entered service shortly after in March. Famous aces of WWI, honored by the highest German award, Pour Le Merite, piloted the Fokker E.IV, and Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelman downed three enemy aircraft each. In mid-1916, when the new fighters were posted to European fronts, the Fokker E.IV aircraft were transferred to the Eastern front (Russian). In total 49 Fokker E.IV fighters were built in February and March of 1916.