While working for the Army at Farnborough in 1907, J. W. Dunne agreed to design a stable aeroplane for the civilian enthusiast and metallurgy professor A. K. Huntington.

Forbidden to use his secret Army design, he based it on a previous idea for a heavily staggered tandem triplane that had been trialled by Hiram Maxim for a fairground attraction.

[1] Huntington flew it at the Royal Aero Club grounds at Eastchurch, progressively modifying it to improve its flight characteristics between 1910 and 1914.

The fore-wing was of reduced span and the middle wing raised to give the appearance of a heavily staggered canard biplane.

These were mounted in the space beneath the upper wing and their axles doubled as twin cylindrical booms connecting the fore and aft structures.