He sought to develop an airplane that would bring safety, economy and STOL performance to everyday flying, and patented his first low-aspect-ratio delta design in 1917.

[2] The Handley Page HP.115 of 1961, designed to test the Concorde wing plan at low speeds, had a very similar Delta leading edge angle of swept.

Shaped like a long, narrow delta with the nose cut off, the aircraft was conceived as a lifting body, having a deep trapezoidal kite-section fuselage which tapered in proportion to the high-mounted, low aspect ratio wing.

The original delta-winged design of 1917 proved impractical and the nose had to be drastically cut back to provide adequate mounting for an engine and propeller.

Twin main undercarriage wheels were located on struts immediately behind the engine, lifting the forward fuselage well clear of the ground.