"Aviation in Britain Before the First World War" A Dunne biplane on the ground. Note the unsual vee-shaped swept back wings, this shape of wing meant that the aircraft was inherently stable (pilots could safely remove both hands from the controls for significant periods of time). The aircraft was designed by Lt John Dunne with funding from the War Office. Mainly due to the lack of a powerful enough engine the aircraft, which was developed through 1908 in great secrecy at Blair Atholl in Scotland, was only able to fly small distances at a time, because of this funding was stopped.