The Lockheed Vega was a
single-engine monoplane that was built using shaped plywood to
form the fuselage in two halves, which would then be glued
together. This provided a streamlined, strong and lightweight
aircraft.
Added to these features was its large wingspan of 12.5 metres,
giving the craft extra lift capacity. This large wing was
possible due of the use of a cantilever building system, which
meant that it had internal bracing, giving it the strength it
needed to be placed above the fuselage.
This design of the fuselage and the wing was critical to
giving the Vega its high-speed capacity.
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