Museum of Science and Industry

The replica Roe Triplane, built by a team of volunteers at MOSI, leaves the Museum tomorrow for a display in the Southport Air Show (18-19 September).

Southport beach was used by many of the early aviators, including A.V. Roe, for trial flights in the early 20^th century. The replica of Roe’s 1909 Triplane - the first all-British aeroplane to fly - will be part of the MOSI tent which will also include performances of historical aviation characters and fun activities.

The replica was painstakingly built over three years by Roe Heritage Group members at MOSI. Last year an attempt to fly the aeroplane failed, 100 years after Roe’s tentative flight of just 100 feet (30.48m). The team continue to work on the Triplane at MOSI and aim to attempt to fly it again.

Nick Forder, transport curator at MOSI said: “The Triplane is a remarkable compromise of aspiration and practicality that established Roe as a credible pioneer and led to the creation of the Avro company in January 1910. I’m delighted at the opportunity to display it at the region’s premier airshow, though sad it won’t be flying. However, we are hoping to return to RAF Woodvale with a developed Triplane for renewed flight trials in 2011.”  

A V Roe, who was from Patricroft, in West Manchester, went down in British aviation history on 13 July 1909 when he managed to fly his fragile three-winged Triplane. A flight of 900 feet (274m) was made ten days later. The original aeroplane weighed just 320 pounds (145 kg), without its nine horse power J.A.P motorcycle engine. Its three pairs of wooden wings, covered in cotton-backed oiled paper, and bicycle wheels for landing meant the contraption was light and had just enough lift to get off the ground.

The replica Triplane weighs around 60 pounds (27 kg) more than the original, without pilot or fuel, and generates 11 horsepower from a 1912 J.A.P. engine. The team made a wooden frame from spruce, ash and birch with modern heat shrink fabric for the wing covering. Most of the team are ex- aeronautical engineers from the former Avro factories at Woodford and Chadderton (now part of BAE Systems) in Manchester. They carried out careful research about the materials and techniques which Roe used, to build it as closely as possible to his original design. However, the additional weight combined with low power meant the Triplane failed to get off the ground.

MOSI has one of the most significant collections of aeroplanes in Britain, including several models built by the Manchester Avro factories.

For media enquiries please contact: Sarah Roe, MOSI press and publicity officer on Tel: 0161 606 0176, m: 07847 372647

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