Modern Biplanes

In the current U.S. arsenal, are there any biplane fighters? (Modern obviously, not like the Sopwiths of WW1). If there aren't, why not?

I would think it has to do with the modern day speed of aircraft. The biplane used a double wing for increased lift. With today�s jet aircraft and the speeds they travel a one wing design can provide all the lift necessary.

It might be a useful idea for carrier take off though, split the wing. Not a 50/50 split mind you the main wing should keep all the mass so that fuel can still be stored there but the secondary wing could just seperate up.
I have nod idea how well this would work just an idea that came to mind.

They would have to be limited to subsonic, but I would have thought that a double wing would be useful. Extra weapons capacity and fuel would mean the plane could last longer in the air and danger zone. The extra lift and aeriloins would provide extra manaevorability.

Hence why you would take the wing back down once up to a good speed, or were you talking about Biplanes in general.

The bi-wing aircraft is, unfortunately, a thing of the past, unless you are talking about home built, or restored/antique (hell, just plain older) aircraft. The 2 wings were used to create the lift needed to get off the ground. With computers and our much better knowledge of aerodynamics, they have become a thing of the past, at least for now. Who knows about the future.

Just realized that there ARE some "bi-wing" aircraft out there that are used by military, and other aspects of aviation. They are referred to as "canard" winged aircraft. They arent a true "bi-wing", like ones that come to mind when saying the word, but some of them look very close to it. Here are some examples.


















As you can see, it mostly lends itself to the home built, experimental, and general aviation, where funding is in the thousands, instead of billions of dollars when it comes to design. Also, it lends itself more to slower speeds and such, but it is used a bit in supersonic aircraft, where it functions more as a flight control surface. Has to do with the properties of aerodynamics/flight at supersonic speeds.

[edit on 8-6-2004 by Milk]

[edit on 8-6-2004 by Milk]

That gold winged thingy reminds me a little of a layout proposed by Dornier in 1980 as their rival to MBBs delta canard TKF 90 (eventually leading to Typhoon)
The Dornier was a 'virtual biplane' as the 'upper' wing was aft swept from just behind the cockpit while the lower wing was swept forwards from near the enging exhausts at the tail with the tips meeting and curving slightly upwards in a mini winglet arrangement.

BTW whats that Russian jet? Looks Like Sukhoi-Dassault Rafaleski