The Mann & Grimmer M.1 was a British two-seat fighter prototype that had a radial engine placed in the nose, but with two propellers driving behind the wings, in a pusher configuration in order to give the gunner a good field of view.
It was designed by Reginald F. Mann who wanted to design an airplane with the power of a tractor airplane with the good field of view and fire of the pusher's. To achieve those requirements, he designed a conventional deep fuselage powered by a single 125hp Anzani engine which drove two propellers mounted behind and between the wings, using a long shaft to a gearbox and chain drives to the propellers. The observer/gunner sat in the nose, behind the engine, while the pilot sat in another cockpit behind the wings.
The prototype was completed at Hendon Aerodrome in February 1915 and made its maiden flight on 19th February but its complicated chain drives created some problems and underpowered the engine. When it was expected the prototype to be tested by the Royal Flying Corps, it crashed when landing after trying to beat the British altitude record on 16th November 1915.
Mann had designed an improved version, the M.2, but the lack of funds made it impossible its creation. Unfortunately we couldn't find any blueprints about it.
Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_%26_Grimmer_M.1
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
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