What was that many-winged early bomber?

Along those lines is the Tarrant Tabor.

The Johns Multiplane?

Thanks Geoff

Following your lead I’ve been googling “multiplane” and have found this on Flickr (including a flight photo) … the Johns Multiplane. I wonder if this is what I had seen?

I rather prefer the Caproni mind you … having seen it now. Unfortunate it didn’t work too well …. but that’s the very point I was setting out to make elsewhere!

I haven’t found any information on the Johns.
[EDIT] This unsuccessful experimental aircraft was comprised of seven wings, six ailerons, and three Liberty engines. Created by Herbert Johns, the few reported flights of the aircraft ended ungracefully and the plane was scrapped.

Duh!

Apologies, sidetracked myself into a tangent looking at the link for JDK’s post.

Meant to send this link for the Ca-4. A triplane version of the biplane Ca-3 bomber.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.4

[Edited later].
Otherwise, you could try the google-search “multiple wing multiplane aircraft” to give you some additional hits.

As an example – not particularly Italian and too small to be bombers, but they do fit the “venetian blind” criteria:

http://aerofiles.com/jacobs-multi.jpg

https://www.fiddlersgreen.net/aircraft/Phillips-Multiplane/thumbnail.jpg

http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/inventors/i/Phillips/photos/Phillips_first_multiplane.jpeg

Regards,
…geoff

Geoff … sames as James’ (JDK’s) post #2

This Caproni flying boat, perhaps?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZwRxHOMCEY/TcnIj1sy-qI/AAAAAAAAlyY/Pa5fjtYdJlM/s400/World%2527s%2BFirst%2BAirplanes%2B7.jpg

http://www.diseno-art.com/images_6/Caproni_Ca_60_flying_boat.jpg

Regards,
…geoff

Wow, that’s a real tinfoil hat website! The aircraft pictures sre real, but the rest’s pretty *strange*.

No, I don’t recall Brett posting such a list, Don.

Not yet (I think)

Thanks guys

That Caproni’s awesome, but not what I have in my mind’s eye (but you know how fickle the memory is). I “see” a large aircraft (WWI or 20’s bomber sized) looking more or less like a large motorised version of the pedal powered thing Chris references.

There have been threads (and there are websites) about ugly/strange aircraft and I “think” I saw it there. James, did Brett H create a thread like that? I must look there.

Thanks, cheers D

>>>Or maybe the one about three photos down on this site

http://einhornpress.com/airplane.aspx

I think it is called the Gerhardt Cycloplane.

Hope this is the one you mean.

The Caproni triple triplane?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.60

The only “half a dozen wings stacked vertically” that come to mind is the Horatio Phillips Multiplane, so beloved of the early failed flying machine films.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Frederick_Phillips