Monoplane

A monoplane is an aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The main distinction in types of monoplane is how the wings attach to the fuselage:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• low-wing, the wing lower surface is level with the bottom of the fuselage
• mid-wing, the wing is mounted mid-way up the fuselage
• shoulder-wing, the wing is mounted above the fuselage middle
• high-wing, the wing upper surface is level with the top of the fuselage
• parasol, the wing is mounted above the fuselage (now rare)

Louis Bleriot flew across the English Channel in 1909 in a mid-wing monoplane of his own design. The Fokker 'Eindecker' of 1915 was a successful fighter aircraft.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Monoplanes then went out of fashion, and remained so until 1930. Most military aircraft of WW2 were monoplanes, as have been virtually all jet powered aircraft since.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aircraft: An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight....

Biplane: A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings of similar spans, normally one mounted above, and the other level with, the underside of the fuselage. The upper wing normally overlaps the lower wing, and vertical or slightly raked slender struts are often positioned symmetrically on either si...

Triplane: A triplane is a fixed-wing aircraft equipped with three sets of wings, each roughly the same size and mounted one above the other. Typically, the lower set of wings would be level with the underside of the aircraft's fuselage, the middle set level with the top of the fuselage, and the top set suppor...

Monoplane related Images and Photos (experimental)

Pre-WWI Bleriot Monoplane

German Monoplane is Cunningly Hidden Away Amongst the Trees at an Airfield

French Antoinette Monoplane Flies Over a City Burning as the Result of Aerial Bombardment