Questions tagged [biplane]
Airplane with 2 wings stacked on top of each other.
52
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1
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2answers
204 views
What justifies a biplane over a braced monoplane?
Biplanes became the first airplanes to enter service due to their structurally efficient design being more suitable for the weak materials then. This efficiency comes from the two wings acting as the ...
11
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1answer
1k views
Identify this USAAF biplane
I have been unable to match this USAAF biplane with a similar photo mainly due to the cockpit canopy. I've found no other like it. I believe the photo was taken at Madison, WI or Chicago, IL in the ...
14
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4answers
3k views
Why are/were there almost no tricycle-gear biplanes?
A friend recently asked me: are there any tricycle-gear biplanes? After hunting around, we found the Waco AVN-8, but that's all. This causes me to ask: is there an aerodynamic or other design ...
2
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4answers
177 views
Wing dihedral in a biplane
Would a biplane be able to fly if the upper and lower wings were in opposite dihedral? Imagine a wing configuration similar to the fictional "X-wing" design from StarWars. What would be the ...
33
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1answer
4k views
What is the make and model of this biplane?
This photo is of one of my friend's great grandfather:
We wish to commemorate a museum in his name as he was a highly regarded person in his area, so we wish to show this photo in the museum with ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
Can anyone identify this biplane from a TV show?
Could someone help identify this biplane from a TV show, please? No other scene / camera angle is available though.
1
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1answer
101 views
What was the lift-to-drag ratio for WWI biplanes?
I will be interested to know what was the lift-to-drag ration for a few more known WWI biplanes at take-off, cruise and landing speed; with the propeller running, stopped or non existent (tests in ...
23
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1answer
4k views
What is this strut in biplane rigging, attached only to wires, not bearing any load?
A few biplanes like the Stearman have a strut parallel to the fuselage, halfway along the rigging's landing wires and flying wires, not fastened to the airframe, not bearing any obvious load. One on ...
1
vote
1answer
164 views
Would supersonic bi/tri/multiplane wings have less lift interference drag than a subsonic version?
Biplane wings interfere with each other, reducing the total lift often to about only 20% more than a mono wing of the same chord and span.
But at supersonic speeds - say, Mach 2, where Mach angle is ...
0
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2answers
131 views
Does bi-wings create essentially double the uplift as single wings?
This puzzles me a bit, and I cannot find the answer anywhere.
Does bi-wings create essentially double the uplift as single wings?
10
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1answer
314 views
Can anyone identify this biplane from 1920s-1930s?
It was my grandfather's, but he is no longer around to ask. He lived in Nebraska.
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3answers
5k views
Why does wingwalking use only biplanes?
Wingwalking is an aerobatic discipline with shows such as this one.
The definition of wingwalking from Wikipedia gives no other alternative than using biplanes:
Wing walking is the act of moving ...
5
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1answer
390 views
Can anyone identify this plane?
Can anyone please help me identify this biplane? The photo was taken in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. I can’t seem to find anything.
3
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2answers
202 views
Would it be a good idea to use dihedral on a biplane?
My engineering class uses model plane kits to build "frankenflyers" which use parts from multiple model planes to make one plane that will carry a maximum load (pennies). I was wondering what the best ...
15
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2answers
2k views
What is this RAF biplane, and where was the photo taken (possibly in the 1920s)?
My grandfather is in the middle row. He joined the RAF as a boy entrant in 1920. He served in Iraq 1924-27 and India 1927-29 so I suspect by the uniforms this is from one of those postings.
3
votes
1answer
191 views
Would a 2nd row of distributed props on a 2nd staggered wing of a biplane increase its efficiency?
Would a 2nd row of distributed props on the rearward wing of a biplane with 25% gap and 150% negative stagger increase the efficiency of a biplane ULTRALIGHT, 25MPH, Re 500K? ( rear wing is 25% lower ...
7
votes
2answers
436 views
What kind of antique WWI aircraft model is this? Inventor's prototype?
I've discovered an interesting WWI era model of an aircraft and I am trying to find out what could it be. It is 29" long and it looks like not a hobby model, but an inventor's prototype. I love the ...
4
votes
1answer
214 views
Is the “wing area” of a biplane the projected area or the total area?
When you specify the wing area of a biplane, do you specify the planform area (the projected area) or do you specify the effective area of both the wings?
5
votes
2answers
274 views
What is the function of cross bracing of interplane strut?
Pic 1 is the top and lower wing of a biplane called Bloop Ultralight,what is the function of the cross bracing between the interplane struts as seen in pic 1(I'm not talking about landing and flying ...
3
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2answers
424 views
Can anyone identify this biplane?
This biplane from the 1930s is from an English airshow. Can anyone identify it?
7
votes
1answer
685 views
Can anyone help identify this old 1930s plane?
I would like to identify this plane, if anyone can help? All I can tell you is that it is from an old photo album and probably an English Airshow in the 1920's or 1930's.
6
votes
2answers
444 views
Any biplane flying wings after 1914?
Were any biplane flying wings built and flown after the 1912-1914 variants of the Dunne D.8? If not, why?
Wikipedia mentions merely that this type was too stable and insufficiently controllable, but ...
3
votes
1answer
131 views
Why are no HAPS (High Altitude Platform Station) solar planes of a biplane design?
HAPS are fragile due to weight constaints, e.g. NASA’s Helios. Biplanes are more robust.
Although biplanes have high drag, HAPS only need to move slowly because at their operating height the wind ...
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2answers
798 views
What is the function of interplane strut of a Biplane?
What kind of load does the interplane strut(s) carry,is it compression, tension or shear?
In order words,what's their function and how do you calculate the force that the interplane strut carries?
2
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2answers
280 views
Compression and tension members of a biplane wing
I get why the upper wing of a biplane is a compression member (because the flying wire is attached to it at an angle) but what I fail to understand is why the lower wing is the tension member of a ...
2
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4answers
610 views
How does the “pendulum effect” affect biplanes?
A high wing airplane will correct itself (lateral stability) when disturbed because its c.g. is below the c.p. (looking at the plane from it's side), according to this forum post and the book below.
...
8
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1answer
657 views
Lift distribution on biplanes
This Wikipedia page about biplanes says
in a wing of aspect ratio 6, and a wing separation distance of one chord length, the biplane configuration will only produce about 20 percent more lift than ...
4
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2answers
478 views
What is the make and model of this plane?
I came across this picture taken in the late 1920s. Could you please help identify the make and model of this plane. Thanks.
2
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1answer
240 views
Which aircraft is this?
I was curious if someone could help me gather some more info on this aircraft. I have looked it up in the FAA.GOV site and it does not match. Is there a way to find out info on this plane that flew ...
4
votes
1answer
554 views
What's this biplane built by a 16-year old?
I was told that this plane was built by a 16-year old in the 90s. Ever since, I've been bent on finding the specifications, name, etc., of this airplane with no success.
31
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2answers
9k views
Has a commercial or military jet bi-plane ever been manufactured?
Are there any, or have there ever been any commercial/military jet bi-planes?
What would be some of the major advantages vs disadvantages if one was built?
Electric radio controlled ducted fan model.
...
2
votes
2answers
353 views
Do any Waco aircraft have model names?
Many aircraft manufacturers give names to the aircraft models. Piper had the Cub, Super Cub, and all the Comanche/Cherokee/Navajo/etc. names used in branding. Cessna has the Skyhawk, Skylane, etc.
...
2
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1answer
336 views
44
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3answers
8k views
Was the Space Shuttle aerodynamically neutral while piggybacking, or did the combination act like a giant biplane?
Trying to investigate this question, I see that 'Ask the Captain' says:
The weight of the shuttle is calculated like any payload. The 747
produces enough lift to fly and to carry the weight of ...
0
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0answers
120 views
Why did biplanes and triplanes go away? [duplicate]
Why did multi-wing aircraft (two or three stacked wings) eventually fade off to single-wing aircraft?
9
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1answer
971 views
Can you identify this plane from 1920 and prior vintage?
My grand uncle, that is my grandfather's brother had a flight school and performed in barnstorming shows somewhere in the midwest and it's not a Jenny. His name was Ralph Bloxham and is seen with his ...
40
votes
5answers
9k views
Why do most biplanes have their top wing slightly forward of the lower wing?
In most of the biplanes, the top wing is located a little forward of the lower wing. What is the use of this? Also, how does this affect stability of the aircraft.
8
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2answers
547 views
Were there any folding wing biplanes?
Given that several nations had operational carriers by 1920 and biplanes were still in military service, were there any folding wing biplanes?
Wikipedia: United States first purpose built aircraft ...
18
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4answers
1k views
4
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1answer
801 views
What closed-cockpit biplane is this model modelled after?
What closed-cockpit biplane is this model modelled after?
6
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4answers
2k views
17
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1answer
2k views
0
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0answers
123 views
How can you calculate the required tailplane force to ensure steady state flight?
Consider a max forward and a max aft CG position.
5
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2answers
2k views
Would biplanes be of use in VSTOL applications? What is the down side to biplanes? ex. Bush Pilots or VSTOL competitions
I feel like bush pilots and VSTOL competition aircraft could use biplanes to work much better. Granted, range and speed are decreased, but besides overall efficiency, what is the down side to biplanes?...
2
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2answers
599 views
Would it be beneficial for the Boeing 777x to have a biplane wing design?
The Boeing 777x has huge wings to generate lift even to the point of having to have a hinge and being able to bend them.
Would it not be advantageous to have 2 wings like a biplane or one behind ...
18
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1answer
2k views
15
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3answers
4k views
What are the disadvantages of a delta wing biplane design?
The idea of a delta wing as I understand it is to reduce stress on the wing and drag on the leading edge. Now using two delta wings on separate planes, on one frame would presumably allow for a ...
11
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1answer
2k views
Can anyone identify this pusher biplane?
This plane was probably built around 1912. I do not know by what company built this. Does anyone know what airplane this is?
15
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7answers
12k views
Why do older airplanes have a wing on both the top and the bottom of the aircraft?
The first airplane by the Wright brothers had a double wing. This concept continued through World War 1 and into the 1930s - why was this concept popular?
19
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2answers
2k views
Can anyone identify this 1910s era biplane?
I tried a number of searches with absolutely no luck. I remember a few that looked sort of similar without that smooth aerodynamic nose and body. I did try at least.
If this helps, the individual ...
