Biplanes of World War I & After Photos

The Wright Brothers flew the first powered aircraft in 1903. Once controlled flight was shown to be possible, most inventors stuck to biplanes for the extra lift. By 1914 biplanes had become a major weapon in WWI, After the war biplanes entered civilian use during the development of the monoplane, but are still used where slow speed and extra lift are required such a crop dusting.

Click thumbnail to enlarge. F11 to view website full screen.
Blériot XI French monoplane used by Louis Blériot for first flight across English Channel with biplane Breguet beyond at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.Atrium of Historical Museum of Iowa with Benoist Tractor biplane & model XI Bleriot monoplane. Des Moines, IA.Breguet biplane by Louis Charles Bréguet seen from above at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.Breguet biplane by Louis Charles Bréguet seen from side at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.
Blériot XI French monoplane used by Louis Blériot for first flight across English Channel (July, 25 1909) with biplane Breguet (1911) beyond at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.Atrium of Historical Museum of Iowa with Benoist Tractor biplane & model XI Bleriot monoplane. Des Moines, IA.Breguet biplane (1911) by Louis Charles Bréguet seen from above at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.Breguet biplane (1911) by Louis Charles Bréguet seen from side at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.
Breguet biplane by Louis Charles Bréguet seen from below at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.Otto biplane by Flugmachinenwerke Gustav Otto of Munich at Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim. Munich, Germany.Rumpler C IV WWI 2-seat fighter / reconnaissance at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Cut-away view of Rumpler C IV WWI 2-seat fighter / reconnaissance at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.
Breguet biplane (1911) by Louis Charles Bréguet seen from below at Arts et Metiers Museum. Paris, France.Otto biplane (replica of 1912 original) by Flugmachinenwerke Gustav Otto of Munich at Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim. Munich, Germany.Rumpler C IV WWI 2-seat fighter / reconnaissance (1916-7) at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Cut-away view of Rumpler C IV WWI 2-seat fighter / reconnaissance (1916-7) at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.
Fokker Dr. I triplane WWI fighter at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Fokker Dr. I triplane WWI fighter at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Fokker Dr. I triplane replica fighter from Germany at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Fokker Dr. VII biplane fighter from Germany at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
Fokker Dr. I triplane (1917-8; replica 1975) WWI fighter at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Fokker Dr. I triplane (1917-8; replica 1975) WWI fighter at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Fokker Dr. I (1917) triplane replica fighter from Germany at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Fokker Dr. VII (1918) biplane fighter from Germany at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
SPAD VII.c.1 biplane at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.SPAD VII biplane as flown by Americans in French Lafayette Escadrille & then WWI American Expeditionary Force at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.SPAD VII biplane had structure to sustain dives at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Insignia of Lafayette Escadrille of American pilots who flew for France in WWI at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
SPAD VII.c.1 (1916) biplane at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.SPAD VII (1916) biplane as flown by Americans in French Lafayette Escadrille & then WWI American Expeditionary Force (AEF) at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.SPAD VII (1916) biplane had structure to sustain dives at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Insignia (1918) of Lafayette Escadrille of American pilots who flew for France in WWI at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
Pennant of Lafayette Escadrille of American pilots who flew for France in WWI at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.139tth winged mercury air squadron insignia removed from WWI SPAD airplane at March Field Air Museum. Riverside, CA.SPAD XIII C.1 biplane of France at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.SPAD XVI biplane at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.
Pennant (1982) of Lafayette Escadrille of American pilots who flew for France in WWI at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.139tth winged mercury air squadron insignia (1917-18) removed from WWI SPAD airplane at March Field Air Museum. Riverside, CA.SPAD XIII C.1 (Société pour l'Aviation et ses Dérives) (1917-9) biplane of France at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.SPAD XVI (1918) biplane at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.
SPAD XVI & Halberstadt CL.IV biplanes at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.British Sopwith Camel F-1 biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Nose view of British Sopwith Camel F-1 biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Thomas-Morse S4c Scout trainer biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
SPAD XVI (1918) & Halberstadt CL.IV (1918) biplanes at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.British Sopwith Camel F-1 (c1917) biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Nose view of British Sopwith Camel F-1 biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Thomas-Morse S4c Scout (1917) trainer biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
Thomas Morse S-4C biplane scout made in Ithaca, NY, at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.Packard Lepere LUSAC 11 designed in Detroit & used in WWI at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Caudron G.4 biplane at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.Nieuport 28 C-1 French-built biplane fighter flown by Americans in WWI at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.
Thomas Morse S-4C biplane (1918) scout made in Ithaca, NY, at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.Packard Lepere LUSAC 11 (1917) designed in Detroit & used in WWI at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Caudron G.4 (1917) biplane at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.Nieuport 28 C-1 (1918) French-built biplane fighter flown by Americans in WWI at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.
Nieuport 28 biplane fighter replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.British A.V. Roe 504K biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Nose view of Avro 504K biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Standard Trainer biplane at Fargo Air Museum. Fargo, ND.
Nieuport 28 (1918) biplane fighter replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.British A.V. Roe (Avro) 504K (1918) biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Nose view of Avro 504K biplane replica at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Standard Trainer biplane (1917) at Fargo Air Museum. Fargo, ND.
Standard Aircraft Co. J-1 biplane trainer at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Halberstadt CL IV biplane fighter from Germany at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Halberstadt CL.IV German biplane at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.De Havilland DH-4 American-made British bomber biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
Standard Aircraft Co. J-1 biplane trainer (c1918) at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Halberstadt CL IV (c1918) biplane fighter from Germany at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Halberstadt CL.IV (1918) German biplane at National Air & Space Museum. Chantilly, VA.De Havilland DH-4 American-made British bomber biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
American World War I flight clothing at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Caproni CA. 36 from Italy used by allies as heavy bomber in World War I at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Consolidated PT-1 Trusty biplane trainer at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.Boeing FB-5 biplane for aircraft carrier service at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.
American World War I flight clothing at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Caproni CA. 36 (c1918-29) from Italy used by allies as heavy bomber in World War I at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Consolidated PT-1 Trusty (1923) biplane trainer at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.Boeing FB-5 (1926) biplane for aircraft carrier service at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.
Boeing 40-B2 open cockpit biplane at Henry Ford Museum. Dearborn, MI.BOEING P-12E biplane fighter at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Douglas O-38F biplane observation aircraft at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Focke Wulf Stieglitz FW 44J German biplane trainer at Pima Air & Space Museum. Tucson, AZ.
Boeing 40-B2 (1927) open cockpit biplane at Henry Ford Museum. Dearborn, MI.BOEING P-12E (1929-32) biplane fighter at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Douglas O-38F (1931-34) biplane observation aircraft at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Focke Wulf Stieglitz FW 44J German biplane trainer (1932-WWII) at Pima Air & Space Museum. Tucson, AZ.
De Havilland DH 89 Dominie biplane transport at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.N3N Yellow Peril naval prop trainer biplane on USS Lexington. Corpus Christi, TX.Grumman F3F-2 fighter biplane at Lone Star Flight Museum. Galveston, TX.Boeing N2S-5 Stearman Kaydet biplane at Air Zoo. Kalamazoo, MI.
De Havilland DH 89 Dominie (1934) biplane transport at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.N3N Yellow Peril naval prop trainer biplane (1934-40s) on USS Lexington. Corpus Christi, TX.Grumman F3F-2 fighter biplane (1935) at Lone Star Flight Museum. Galveston, TX.Boeing N2S-5 Stearman Kaydet biplane (c1936-45) at Air Zoo. Kalamazoo, MI.
Biplane wings of Boeing Stearman aircraft outfitted at Agricultural Aviation Museum. Jackson, MS.Waco YKS-7 trainer biplane from Waco Aircraft, Troy, OH, at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.Boeing B75N1 biplane at Wings Over Miami Air Museum. Miami, FL.Ag Cat biplane crop-duster aircraft. Jackson, MS.
Biplane wings of Boeing Stearman aircraft outfitted at Agricultural Aviation Museum. Jackson, MS.Waco YKS-7 (1937-41) trainer biplane from Waco Aircraft, Troy, OH, at San Diego Aerospace Museum. San Diego, CA.Boeing B75N1 (1942) biplane at Wings Over Miami Air Museum. Miami, FL.Ag Cat (1957) biplane crop-duster aircraft. Jackson, MS.
Antonow AN-2 biplane at Flugwerft Schleissheim. Munich, Germany.Antique Navy biplane hanging in lobby of Honolulu airport. HI.Seaplane San Francisco biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Seaplane San Francisco biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
Antonow AN-2 biplane at Flugwerft Schleissheim. Munich, Germany.Antique Navy biplane hanging in lobby of Honolulu airport. HI.Seaplane San Francisco biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.Seaplane San Francisco biplane at National Museum of USAF. Dayton, OH.
BE2c biplane propeller from WWII supporting lamp in front of frieze & chimneypiece designed by Robert Adam in Armory at Culzean Castle. Maybole, Scotland.World War I aviation display at Alameda Naval Air Museum. Alameda, CA.

BE2c biplane propeller from WWII supporting lamp in front of frieze & chimneypiece designed by Robert Adam in Armory at Culzean Castle. Maybole, Scotland.World War I aviation display at Alameda Naval Air Museum. Alameda, CA.

See Also:
All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

CMP