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[Bob Smith]

Fred Weick's W-1??

[JNev]

Fred Weick's W-1??

...if not a W1A...

Weick was a genius for all kinds of practical innovation from Ag plane concept to safety / ease of handling in light airplanes for the average pilot, etc.

I wouldn't have known of this Weick design or "W1" without the lead, Bob - good find.  And good challenge, Friend!

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Fred Weick ...

Wow!  What an interesting character!

I didn't recognize his name or the aircraft, but I've heard a lot about Ercoupes from a former restorer/owner/pilot.

[Bob Smith]

Sounds like he knew all the the right people!! Sounds like something even I could learn to pilot== if younger..

[Friend Weller]

I'm a sucker for interesting aircraft......and Ercoupes!

[Bob Smith]

This guy just liked wings, I guess!

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

This guy just liked wings, I guess!

Lots and lots and LOTS of wings!

[Neff Jacobs]

I've often thought the multi-plane would work.   This one seems to be missing a rudder, elevator, ailerons and enough engine to get it to flying speed.   But, I see nothing inherently wrong with a series of Venetian blinds for wings.  That was near the Wright Brothers profile.   It would have been slow, weird and high drag but for some reason it has a certain amount of appeal at lest to me.
Neff

[Bob Smith]

Agreed, Neff. Very original at least. I don't think it worked very well, though. Like the article said: the guys designing them didn't aways know what they were doing, but thought if 2 wings worked, many would work better!

[Bob Smith]

This time I went straight to the source, or as close as I could get! Look at these beauties. What type of flight would they be best suited for?

[Jeff Lange]

Feathered flight! 

(I'm sorry- I couldn't resist it! I will now go sit in the corner until dinner time.)

[Bob Smith]

Wrong answer, Jeff. A little more thought and respect would be good! Without birds we wouldn't be on this forum, do you think??

[James Champion]

Looks like for birds, nature eventually selected the monoplane approach where one set of wings provide the lift.

Nature did try more of a biplane arrangement for proto-birds with two sets of wings, but it went obsolete:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microraptor

For insects, nature did eventually settle on both a single (butterflies) and dual (dragonflies) set of wings as working solutions.

[Bob Smith]

Back to the DC-3-- I rode in what I think was one and I remember it was verrrrrry noisy. If Amelia and Fred had to put up with something like that in their Lockheed I can understand if they wanted to get out. They must have been deaf hot, and hungry!

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Back to the DC-3-- I rode in what I think was one and I remember it was verrrrrry noisy. If Amelia and Fred had to put up with something like that in their Lockheed I can understand if they wanted to get out. They must have been deaf hot, and hungry!

Absolutely.

That was one of the problems with using the headset to "find a null."  Their hearing could not have been all that sensitive after 22 hours sitting just a foot or so away from the prop tips.

So sad ...