TO FIND THE BIPLANES ON THIS PAGE: Enter "Ctrl F" on your computer.
A box will open on your screen that says "Find." Type in what you are looking for and it will be highlighted on the page.
Technology has accounted for giant
leaps in aviation design, yet the basics of aircraft design remain
virtually the same since the first biplanes took to the sky. The
first biplane airplanes to be used during combat were called "scouts".
These biplane airplanes were primarily used for the observation of enemy forces over
the horizon where they 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 airplanes.
The biplane airplanes 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 airplanes ruled the
skies. Arming them was not an easy task. A bullet fired from one of
their own weapons could severely damage a 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 airplanes
performance was severely taxed with their additional weight. As more
powerful engines and sturdier biplane airplanes entered service, the machine
gun became the weapon of choice. By 1915 biplane airplaness armed with one or
two machine guns were used to attack enemy ground positions.
Although history shows that it was U.S. biplane airplanes that were
first used to drop bombs in 1910, in 1911 the Italians used biplane airplanes
in action against the Turks. Initially the pilots or observers in
the biplanes dropped small artillery shells over the sides of their
biplane airplanes.
Before the beginning of World War I a
number of European nations were working on more efficient biplane airplanes
specifically produced for the role of bombing. Although the English
experimented with bomber biplane airplanes prior to the War, it wasn't until
later that they produced dedicated biplane bombers.
The first bomber biplane airplanes 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 airplanes 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 airplanes 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 airplanes
speed. By the end of World War I engines became lighter and more
powerful and aircraft designers started favoring the monoplane.
However, some biplane airplanes remained in service into World War II and many
continue flying today as trainers and recreation aircraft.
First of the powered biplane airplanes to fly under pilot control: Wright Flyer
BIPLANES
