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The Vintage Aviator’s Fokker D.VII and Bristol Fighter F2.b are shown here during their dogfight display at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s 75th Birthday celebration airshow at RNZAF Ohakea.
Before going to combat, the Bristol’s observer would likely move the chair in his cockpit all the way forward and strap himself facing backwards. This way he could protect only rear hemisphere optimisticly at about +/-90 degree horizontaly and +90/-10 or -20 degree verticaly, so there’s still some room for D.VII attack from. But this sitting position would give observer much more stable fireing platform, than standing one during sharp maneouvers. The twin-lewis setup wasn’t popular on frontline F.2Bs.
In a 1 to 1 situation with no advantage, a prudent D.VII pilot would move along in search of something easier to fight. The D.VII cannot risk an overshoot or to slow down (unless directly beneath, and a competent Bristol crew could avoid that). Those twin ‘rear’ guns can fire almost straight ahead (just above the propellor arc) as well. The Bristol is as fast, very responsive in scissoring and tight turns, and if the D.VII goes above it in range of the rear guns, the D.VII can easily get hurt.
Source: YouTube