Osprey New Colour : Tri-Jets : Tristars, DC-10s and MD-11s

Three-engined jetliners were in vogue in the fuel-conscious early 1970s, and for a while 'three lumps' instead of 'four' looked like the way ahead for wide-body jetliners, particularly as far as McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed were concerned. However, the advent of more fuel-efficient powerplants has seen operators opt for either two- or four-engined designs, and today only the MD-11 remains in production, giving its manufacturer a toe-hold in the world's widebody jetliner business. Text by Robbie Shaw.

Contents

• Introduction
• DC-10
• L-1011 TriStar
• MD-11
• Specifications and Users