triplane

[ trahy-pleyn ]

/ ˈtraɪˌpleɪn /

an airplane with three supporting wings, one above another: a design used mainly in the early history of the airplane.

Origin of triplane

First recorded in 1905–10; tri- + plane¹

It was followed by the others, two monoplanes and a triplane.

The Girl Aviators' Motor Butterfly |Margaret Burnham
The huge night bombing machine of the present time is almost always of the triplane type.

The Romance of Aircraft |Lawrence Yard Smith
"Yes, that's where the young master is making his triplane," answered the man.

Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice |Victor Appleton
There is some curious error here, for Captain Ball was not flying a triplane at the time of his death.

The Red Battle Flyer |Capt. Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen

He continued to gaze upward as the triplane shot forward, the noise of the motor being plainly heard.

Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice |Victor Appleton

triplane

/ (ˈtraɪˌpleɪn) /

an aeroplane having three wings arranged one above the other