Aviation Trivia
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BIPLANE
AIRCRAFT



Biplane Aircraft including trainers, fighters, bombers, and
scouts, history, accomplishments, pictures, sounds,
specifications and a scale radio control airplane guide.









 
Biplane Aircraft


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Technology has accounted for giant leaps in aviation design, yet the basics of aircraft design remain virtually the same since the first biplane aircraft took to the sky.

The first biplane aircraft to be used during combat were called "scouts". These biplane aircraft were primarily used for the observation of enemy forces over the horizon where the forces could not be seen by ground troops.

In 1914 the Royal Flying Corps manual declared that biplane reconnaissance aircraft were so valuable that "each side will strive to prevent the other side making use of it." That is what gave birth to the fighter biplane aircraft.

The biplane aircraft of World War I played a crucial role in shaping future combat. Air superiority has been responsible for the winning of battles, and eventually wars.

During World War I, biplane aircraft ruled the skies. Arming them was not an easy task. A bullet fired from one of their own weapons could severely damage its own wooden propeller or wing strut. Initially pilots and observers of biplanes were armed with pistols and sometimes rifles. When machine guns were mounted on early biplanes, they were not immediately successful. Low powered biplane aircraft performance was severely taxed with their additional weight. As more powerful engines and sturdier biplane aircraft entered service, the machine gun became the weapon of choice. By 1915 biplane aircraft armed with one or two machine guns were used to attack enemy ground positions.

Although history shows that U.S. biplane aircraft were first used to drop bombs in 1910, in 1911 the Italians used biplane aircraft in action against the Turks. Initially the pilots or observers in the biplanes dropped small artillery shells over the sides of their biplane aircraft.

Before the beginning of World War I a number of European nations were working on more efficient biplane aircraft specifically produced for the role of bombing. Although the English experimented with bomber biplane aircraft prior to the War, it wasn't until later that they produced dedicated biplane bombers.

The first bomber biplane aircraft of World War I were the Voisin, produced by France. Their airframes were made from steel and their crews consisted of a pilot and bombardier. Voisin biplane airpcraft were powered by a 70 hp pusher prop and carried 132 lbs. of ordnance. The biplanes proved particularly valuable when bombing Zeppelin bases. Voisin biplane aircraft continued in production throughout the War, receiving improvements as technology was developed. Through the years improvements were added until they were finally powered by a 155 hp engine and could carry 660 lbs. of ordnance.

Eventually it was realized that the drag produced by two wings and their bracing greatly affected biplane aircraft speed. By the end of World War I engines became lighter and more powerful and aircraft designers started favoring the monoplane. However, some biplane aircraft remained in service into World War II and many continue flying today as trainers and recreation aircraft.

First of the powered biplane aircraft to fly under pilot control: Wright Flyer

First successful French biplane designed by Gabriel Voisin to complete a circle when piloted by Henri Farman: Farman 1

First ever fighter biplane aircraft: Vickers F.B. 5 Gunbus

First dedicated Allied WW I fighter biplane aircraft: Nieuport 11

First English biplane aircraft with a machine gun firing through the propeller arc: Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter

The top English fighter biplane aircraft of World War I: Royal Aircraft Factory SE5A

The top French fighter biplane aircraft of World War I: Spad XIII

The top German fighter biplane aircraft of World War I: Fokker D.VII

WW I biplane aircraft that downed more enemy planes than any other aircraft: Sopwith Camel

One of the favorite flying aces biplane aircraft of World War One: Nieuport 17

Historians generally agree that its the top overall biplane aircraft of World War I: Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard

One of the top single engine bomber biplane aircraft of World War I: de Havilland DH-4

Biplane aircraft made in numerous variants during WW I: Albatros

German biplane aircraft originally deployed over Bavaria:  Pfalz D.III

Germany's main twin engine bomber biplane aircraft of WW I: Gotha G

Primary biplane aircraft of the Royal Navy in 1916: Sopwith Pup

Russia's four engine biplane aircraft used as WW1 strategic bombers: Sikorsky S-21 Ilya Muromits

First biplane aircraft of the new RAF in 1918: Bristol F2B

World War I biplane aircraft flown by the American Expeditionary Force: Nieuport 28

German biplane aircraft copy of a French design deployed at the end of WW I: Siemens Schukert

German biplane aircraft used as a bomber with four engines driving one propeller: Linke-Hoffman R.II

RAF biplane aircraft that were deployed just prior to the end of WW I: Sopwith Snipe

Versatile Czech biplane aircraft deployed between the wars, used for attack and observation: Aero A.11

RAF twin engine bomber biplane aircraft deployed between the wars: Vickers Vimy

First RAF all-metal fighter biplane aircraft used between the wars: Armstrong Whitworth Siskin

Main RAF fighter biplane aircraft between the wars: Bristol Bulldog

Main German fighter biplane aircraft between the wars: Heinkel He-51

U.S.M.C. fighter bomber biplane aircraft deployed between the wars: Curtiss F8C Helldiver

U.S. Navy biplane aircraft used for reconnaissance between the wars: Vought Corsair Biplanes

Fastest British biplane aircraft when introduced: Gloster Gauntlet

Set a number of single engine biplane aircraft speed records: Beech Staggerwing

Among the top fighter biplane airpcraft ever to fly: Avia B.534

Trainer biplane aircraft used before and during WW II: Boeing Stearman

One of the world's best fighter bomber biplane aircraft that saw action in WW II: Henschel Hs-123

Soviet ground attack biplane aircraft used into WW II: Polikarpov I-15 Chaika

RAF torpedo bomber biplane aircraft that were used throughout World War II: Fairey Swordfish

U.S. amphibian biplane aircraft first deployed in 1934 that flew for the military throughout WW II: Grumman Duck

Last U.S. Navy dive bomber biplane aircraft: Curtiss SBC Helldiver

Final U.S. fighter biplane aircraft made from wood: Boeing F4B

Final RAF fighter biplane aircraft: Gloster Gladiator

The final fighter biplane aircraft ever made: Fiat CR.42

General aviation biplane aircraft produced from 1919 to 1947: Waco biplanes

Biggest one engine biplane aircraft in the world today: Antonov An-2 Colt

Smallest of the world's biplane aircraft: Starr Bumblebee II

Airliner biplane aircraft that first flew in 1934. Some still fly today: De Havilland DH-89 Dragon Rapide

High performance biplane aircraft often seen at airshows today: Pitts Special