THE SOPWITH LAND-GOING BIPLANES.—The earliest was a pair of Wright planes with a fuselage added. Next was the famous tractor with 80 h.p. Gnome. Then the "tabloid" of 1913, which set a completely new fashion in aeroplane design. From this developed the Gordon-Bennett racer shown over date 1914. The gun-carrier was produced about the same time, and the later tractor biplane in a development of the famous 80 h.p. but with 100 h.p. monosoupape Gnome.
THE MAURICE FARMAN.—First, 1909, the 50-60 h.p. Renault and coil-spring chassis. 1910, the same chassis with beginning of the characteristic bent-up skids. 1911 appeared the huge French Military Trials 3-seater; also the round-ended planes and tails and "Henry" type wheels. This developed, 1912, into the square-ended planes and upper tail, and long double-acting ailerons of the British Military Trials. The 1913 type had two rectangular tail-planes and better seating arrangements, known affectionately as the "mechanical cow"; the same year came the first "shorthorn," with two tail-planes and a low nacelle. This finally developed into the carefully streamlined "shorthorn" with the raised nacelle and a single tail-plane.