BIPLANES DOMINATED AIRCRAFT DESIGN until the 1930s, largely because some early monoplanes were too fragile to withstand the stresses of flight. The struts between biplanes’ wings made the wings strong compared with those of early monoplanes, although the greater surface area of biplanes’ wings increased drag and reduced speed. Many aircraft designers also developed triplanes, which had a particular advantage over biplanes: more wings meant a shorter wingspan to achieve the same lifting power, and a shorter wingspan gave greater manoeuvrability. Triplanes were most successful as fighters during World War I, the German Fokker triplane being a notable example. However, the greater maneuverability of triplanes was no advantage for normal flying and so most manufacturers continued to make biplanes. Many other aircraft designs were attempted. Some were quadruplanes, with four pairs of wings. Some had tandem wings (two pairs of monoplane wings, one behind the other). One of the most bizarre designs was by the Englishman Horatio Phillips: it had 20 sets of narrow wings and looked rather like a Venetian blind.
Biplanes and triplanes
in
SEA AND AIR
published on 8:49 AM
BIPLANES DOMINATED AIRCRAFT DESIGN until the 1930s, largely because some early monoplanes were too fragile to withstand the stresses of flight. The struts between biplanes’ wings made the wings strong compared with those of early monoplanes, although the greater surface area of biplanes’ wings increased drag and reduced speed. Many aircraft designers also developed triplanes, which had a particular advantage over biplanes: more wings meant a shorter wingspan to achieve the same lifting power, and a shorter wingspan gave greater manoeuvrability. Triplanes were most successful as fighters during World War I, the German Fokker triplane being a notable example. However, the greater maneuverability of triplanes was no advantage for normal flying and so most manufacturers continued to make biplanes. Many other aircraft designs were attempted. Some were quadruplanes, with four pairs of wings. Some had tandem wings (two pairs of monoplane wings, one behind the other). One of the most bizarre designs was by the Englishman Horatio Phillips: it had 20 sets of narrow wings and looked rather like a Venetian blind.
