Dear Tekko, you are welcome.
Forgot to add that from mid 1917 onwards only the SE5 was undergunned, and not really by that much. The Constantinesco synchronizing gear in use by the Allies allowed for a higher rate of fire than the German system, coupled with the higher RoF of the unsynchronized Lewis, all things considered I estimate that the SE5 could put as much lead in the air as a pair of Spandaus.
That being said, that's only true for about 100 rounds, then is time to reload the Lewis drum.
Of the factors mentioned, I would say 4) and 1) were the most important ones. The shortage of Vickers was still felt in 1918, or perhaps worsened because of the expansion of air forces. Some American SPAD XIIIs had to fly their first orientation flight unarmed because their machine guns hadn't arrived yet. It might have been a administrative screw up, but considering that the Americans later armed some of their SPADs with US-built Marlin machineguns, I guess it was indeed a case of demand exceeding supply.
On the same vein, it seems the Austro-Hungarians stuck to the ill suited Schwarzlose MG for aircraft use simply because the Germans couldn't afford to supply them with Spandaus.
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Greetings to Southern Germany!
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Sorry to confuse you, but Ruritania was never part of the Reich
I just borrowed the Baden-Wurttemberg flag because it looks exotic enough, though now I am thinking of relocating to Syldavia.
My real world coordinates are in my signature
