To reduce the risk of fabric ammunition belts tearing in aircraft, as well as taking away from trailing belt, disintegrating link was used for the Vickers Mark I* guns and after. These are commonly called ‘Prideaux’ link based on one of the manufacturers.
Ammunition supply in the air had to be perfect and ammunition and link were loaded by the armourers and pilots themselves. A set-up, such as that shown in the 1918 handbook for the Aircraft Machine Gun School at Turnberry (Scotland) would be used.
