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I am looking for the earliest plane in push-pull configuration that flew or at least took off.

I have found such planes ("Short Triple Twin" and "Short Tandem Twin") flown in 1911. So, I would be especially interested in push-pull flying machines that took off before 1911.

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  • $\begingroup$ The Shorts S.27 was just a pusher unless you mean the Tandem Twin, are you asking about aircraft that have both pusher/tractor configurations? Like the Cessna Skymaster or just pushers? $\endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 14:22
  • $\begingroup$ The Wikipedia page I quoted also talks about two 1911 planes named "Short Triple Twin" and "Short Tandem Twin". Yes, am asking about planes that have a pusher-tractor configuration. I will modify the question to be more clear. $\endgroup$
    – Robert Werner
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 14:29
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    $\begingroup$ From what I can tell, the aircraft you referenced is the first flying example. $\endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 14:31

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I have found a plane, that had both a pusher and a tractor propeller, which flew for the first time over Cotroceni airfield, Bucharest, Romania, on June 17, 1910. Likely there are other planes like this that flew before.

Vlaicu I plane during construction Vlaicu I plane during construction

Newspaper article about Aurel Vlaicu's first flight July 17, 1910 Newspaper article about Aurel Vlaicu's first flight June 17, 1910

Source: A Vlaicu I - Wikipedia

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  • $\begingroup$ I wonder how they found the gigantic rubber band to make it go? :) $\endgroup$
    – Steve
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 20:47
  • $\begingroup$ The rubber band was a 50 hp Gnome Omega rotary engine similar to this one: youtube.com/watch?v=-UBAukXPD-0 $\endgroup$
    – Robert Werner
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 3:49
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Actually, in my studies, while working on a book about pusher aircraft, I came across this much earlier push-pull Russian aeroplane. I also have other examples of pusher and pusher-puller airplanes much earlier than 1910.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozhaysky%27s_airplane

Terrence Murphy

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    $\begingroup$ I believe the question is referring to the earliest push-pull plane that really flew in front of reliable witnesses. It is not clear whether Mozhaisky's airplane flew. $\endgroup$
    – Simplex11
    Commented Jan 5, 2020 at 4:16
  • $\begingroup$ What other examples do you have? $\endgroup$
    – Camille Goudeseune
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 20:00

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