Diffferent aircraft 1940

The British actually had Gauntlets in service in Africa in 1939. They shot down one Italian Caproni.

The war started when the Germans and the Japanese had what they judged to be a suitable number of the hottest monoplanes they could build. Coincidence?
 
Late biplanes were not that much slower than monoplanes. Most people use to think of WW1 age biplanes, but biplanes at the start of WW2 like the Avia B634 had top speeds exceeding 400 km/h (about the same speed as a Ju 87) and looked more like this.

Avia_B534.jpg

Avia B534 / 634
 
Late biplanes were not that much slower than monoplanes. Most people use to think of WW1 age biplanes, but biplanes at the start of WW2 like the Avia B634 had top speeds exceeding 400 km/h (about the same speed as a Ju 87) and looked more like this.

Avia_B534.jpg

Avia B534 / 634

According to Wikipedia, the Hawker Hurricane was effectively a Fury biplane with a monowing which ironically made it more resistant to battle damage. Apprantly it was built this way to use as many existing tools as possible so the lower cost would make it more attractive when tendering for a production contract.
 
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