Biplane

Reproduction of a Sopwith Camel biplane flown by Lt. George A. Vaughn Jr., 17th Aero Squadron

A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft that has two fixed wings. The lower wing is often attached to the body of the aircraft and the top wing is raised above. Most early airplanes were biplanes because they have a stronger structure than a monoplane. When engineers found how to makes strong monoplanes, biplanes became rare because they produce more drag.

Famous biplanes include the Polikarpov Po-2, Sopwith Camel, Avro Tutor, Antonov An-2, Beechcraft Staggerwing, Boeing Stearman, Bristol Bulldog, Curtiss JN-4, de Havilland Tiger Moth, Fairey Swordfish, Hawker Hart, Pitts Special and the Wright Flyer. The Stearman is particularly associated with stunt flying with wing-walkers.

Biplane Media

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  First World War Sopwith Camel biplane

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  Hang glider under tow. Philadelphia, USA. 1920s.

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  The Gloster Gladiator, a World War II fighter biplane

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  Soviet Antonov An-2 biplane from the 1940s

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  Wing stagger on a Fleet Finch primary trainer

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  The lower wing of the Nieuport 17 has smaller chord, but similar span, than the upper wing

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  Otto Lilienthal flying his Large Biplane in Lichterfelde (near Berlin) on October 19, 1895

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  1909 Voisin biplane, with "curtains" connecting the upper and lower wings

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  Late 1930s Fiat CR.42 Falco with Warren truss interplane struts which reduced the work needed in rigging a biplane

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  Boeing-Stearman Model 75 PT-13D biplane trainer from the 30s and 40s