First Armed Aircraft?

I recall seaing a picture of a US Army signel corps aircraft I thing the caption said It was a Wright model "C" showing a Lewis gun mounted so it fired down at an angle between the co-pilot's legs. The caption said it was 1907 or 1909 was this the first Armed Aircraft?

THE FIRST OFFICIAL AERIAL SHOOTING FROM A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT WAS DONE WITH AN '03 SPRINGFIELD. THERE IS A DISPLAY AT W-P BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE PARTICULARS.

Phil
I think the photo you have seen shows Capt Chandler (US Army) taking a Lewis gun into the air for the first time. This occurred in June 1912. I found what I think the photo you are referring to (heavily retouched) on pp 112-113 of Small Arms of the World 10th Edition by Joseph E Smith (1973) published by the StackPole Company. The photo is attributed to: "from a news photograph." However the accompanying section of the book under the Lewis Gun says:

"Most noteworthy perhaps is the fact that the Lewis constitutes the first aerial machine gun, having been tested in June, 1912. The test was made when the gun was taken up in a Wright pusher-type plane equipped with a crossbar on which the pilot and observer rested their feet during flight. The gun muzzle was rested across this bar while Captain Chandler fired the gun at the target as they flew over it. This first experimental firing of a new type of machine gun from an airplane stirred the interest of the newspapers and magazines to great heights. Hundreds of writers recognised the import of this new development and it was given tremendous publicity."

Anyone know of any earlier occasions????

Regards
John