 The French meanwhile had the Morane-Saulnier AI strut braced parasol monoplane in service.Sesquiplane types, which were biplanes with abbreviated lower wings such as the French Nieuport 17 and German Albatros D.III, offered lower drag than a conventional biplane while being stronger than a monoplane.As the available engine-power and speed increased, the drag penalty of external bracing increasingly limited aircraft performance.