Said to have been the progenitor of the Fokker Dr.I triplane - and therefore various other less successful German triplanes - the Triplane single-seat fighter was nicknamed 'Tripehound'. First flown in prototype form on 28 May 1916, it had been evolved as a faster-climbing derivative of the Pup, with even better manoeuvrability and improved vision for the pilot. Wing span remained the same as for the Pup, but each wing was of much narrower chord and had an aileron fitted.
Initial production Triplanes, with 82kW Clerget rotary engines, had been ordered for the RFC. In the event they were delivered to the RNAS, as were later examples with 97kW Clerget engines fitted. The top exponent of the Triplane was Raymond Collishaw, who commanded 'B' Flight of No 10 (Naval) Squadron from April 1917 - a unit which received some of the first Triplanes. Known as the 'Black Flight' because of the colour of its Triplanes and the names given to individual aircraft {Black Maria, Black Sheep, etc), it was composed exclusively of Canadian pilots, who accounted for 87 kills between May and July. Collishaw managed to average more than one kill every two days throughout June. He ended the war as the highest-scoring RNAS pilot, with 60 victories.
The whole triplane era of World War I only lasted a little more than a year, higher-powered Camels replacing RNAS Triplanes and the Fokker Dr.I's career coming to an abrupt end with the death of Richthofen in April 1918.
The exact number of Triplanes that became operational with the RNAS is not clear. What is known is that the first prototype was followed by three more fitted with Clerget and Hispano-Suiza engines of 112kW and 149kW. A further 148 aircraft were built, of which five were presented to France, another three were loaned and probably returned, and one went to Russia.
