monocoquen.adj.

1912 Truth 13 Nov. 1168/2 The ‘monocoque’, to a casual visitor, looks exactly like half-a-dozen other models, the fuselage of which is covered with cloth, but its construction is essentially different. There is no fuselage.

1935 C. G. Burge Compl. Bk. Aviation 595/1 The ‘monocoque’ is becoming increasingly popular for both military and commercial aeroplanes.

1938 E. W. C. Wilkins Aeroplane Design vii. 171 These formers are placed at intervals of about 2 ft. or more in the case of a wooden monocoque, but are very much closer together in the case of the metal monocoque.

1948 C. E. Chapel Aircraft Basic Sci. ii. 84/2 Monocoques may be divided into three classes (monocoque, semimonocoque, and reinforced shell), and different portions of the fuselage may belong to any of these classes. The true monocoque has as its only reinforcement vertical bulkheads formed of structural members... All stresses are carried by the shell or skin.

1978 J. E. Gordon Structures xiv. 313 The transition from the stick and string and fabric construction of the early aircraft to modern monocoques..was a strictly logical step in aircraft design.

1961 M. Costin & D. Phipps Racing & Sports Car Chassis Design v. 43 All these, plus the single transverse torsion bar and the telescopic dampers, pick up on the rear bulkhead of the monocoque.

1973 L. Terry & A. Baker Racing Car Design & Devel. vi. 129 Although the basic space-frame is a comparatively light structure, it requires a separate body and fuel containers, all of which are integral parts of a monocoque, so this tends to nullify any hoped-for weight advantage.

1994 Denver Post 16 Jan. i4/4 Unlike conventional skis, the monocoque is constructed of one main piece rather than layers of material.

1998 Off Road & 4 Wheel Drive Feb. 64/2 The Niva, unlike most 4×4 cars..lacks a separate chassis—it's a monocoque and any weakness in floor, roof or side panels weakens the structure as a whole.

1919 A. W. Judge Elem. Princ. Aeroplane Design vi. 98 The Monocoque Type of Body. This type of body..consists of a single shell, conforming with the outside shape of the body, and..so constructed that it can withstand all the stresses which it is called upon to bear, without the necessity for longerons or cross bracing members.

1938 E. W. C. Wilkins Aeroplane Design vii. 171 The monocoque fuselage..consists of a thin shell..built around a number of transverse rings or formers.

1951 Engineering 2 Nov. 573/1 A wing of the thin-walled monocoque type.

1969 K. Munson Pioneer Aircraft 1903–14 123/2 Late in 1911 the ideas of the Swedish engineer Ruchonnet, for a monocoque fuselage shell of moulded plywood, were applied by Armand Deperdussin's designer, Louis Béchereau.

1971 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 6 June 25/6 Launched four years ago, she is of monocoque design—one shell, no ribs, no frame, smooth inside and out.

1956 E. Molloy & G. H. Lanchester Automobile Engineer's Ref. Bk. xviii. 2 All-metal bodies fall into two main categories, firstly those which are used in conjunction with a separate chassis frame and secondly which are of the type known as monocoque or unit construction. The former naturally require only body structure panels, whereas the latter, in addition, require many pressings to form a unit (underframe or subframe).

1963 Engineering 1 Feb. 181/1 GT cars featuring monocoque construction of laminated wooden box sections.

1969 ‘D. Rutherford’ Gilt-edged Cockpit i. 15 With the whole of his body encased in the monocoque shell and no part of his face visible he was an anonymous figure... Already other cars were flashing past.

1993 Cycling Weekly 16 Jan. 4/2 Boardman's Olympic triumph aboard the Lotus monocoque bike has made him a perfect candidate for an attack on Francesco Moser's hour record.