3 questions on what you just watched.
Answer or skip — either way, continue when ready.
1. Why were most First World War airplanes — like the Sopwith Camel — biplanes?
Early engines were underpowered; doubling the wing surface with a biplane layout provided the extra lift needed for take-off at the low speeds of the era.
2. What made the Supermarine Spitfire's wing aerodynamically remarkable?
The Spitfire's iconic elliptical wing minimised drag while maximising lift; combined with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine it could outmaneuver most adversaries in the Battle of Britain.
3. What crucial lesson did the de Havilland Comet's structural failures teach the industry?
The Comet was the last aircraft with squared windows: the corners concentrated stress, and repeated pressurisation/depressurisation cycles caused fatigue failures — driving key advances in understanding pressurised structures.
THINK & DISCUSS
The Comet's crashes killed passengers and reshaped engineering. Should catastrophic failures ever be the price of pioneering?
No single right answer — form your own view and defend it.
