Goupy
The Goupy No.1 was an experimental aircraft built in France in 1908, which on 5 September that year became the first triplane to fly.
Designed by Ambroise Goupy and built by Appareils d'Aviation, Les Freres Voisin., it was a conventional, tractor design with fixed tailwheel undercarriage and an open cockpit. The only unorthodox aspects of the design were its triplane tail unit, which was used by A. V. Roe in triplanes 1-3 in 1909. and the way that the interplane struts of both the wings and empennage were covered with fabric to create box kite-like cellules.
As originally constructed, the middle wing was mounted in a mid-wing position on the fuselage, with the top and bottom wings clear of the fuselage, and power was provided by an Antoinette engine. The design was later revised so that the bottom wing was mounted at the base of the fuselage, the middle wing to the top of the fuselage, and top wings clear of it. At the same time, the engine was changed to an Anzani of similar power and the span of the wings was increased past the interplane struts.
The Goupy No.2 and the almost identical No.3 were experimental aircraft built in France in 1909 at the Blériot factory at Buc by their designer, Ambroise Goupy, assisted by Mario Calderara.
The No.2 is significant for two major and influential innovations in aircraft design: it was the first tractor configuration biplane to fly and the first biplane to feature staggered wings. While both these features would very soon become the norm in aircraft construction, the No.2 was described in the aviation press at the time as having a "somewhat unusual design" . The only features that would not be typical of aircraft in the years to come would be its biplane tail unit, and the way that the fuselage was left as an open, uncovered truss structure (although this was later covered in fabric).
It first flew in March 1909, and the following year was displayed at the Paris Salon, flew competitively at the Reims air show, and made exhibition flights at British aviation meets at Burton and Doncaster, piloted by Emile Ladougne.
In 1911, it was flown by Pierre Divetain in the Paris-Madrid air race.