[sci.military] Tripes

dyson@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (mark l dyson) (10/31/89)

From: dyson@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (mark l dyson)

In article <10748@cbnews.ATT.COM> djm@castle.ed.ac.uk (D Murphy) writes:

>Sopwith also built a triplane...Who copied who ?

The Tripe came first.  Anthony Fokker copied it for his famous Dreidekker 1
in the belief that he could create an airframe with superior climb.  He was
only partially successful.  Interesting note:  The original Dr1 was built
entirely without interplane struts for support.  The wings were internally
braced, much like the Fokker D-VIII.  He was forced to add the struts after
the powers that be expressed disbelief in his claims of structural strength.
Looking at the Dr1's dismal wing-failure record, I'd venture to say that for
once a purchasing government was correct in its attitude about a weapon.)

-Mark-