The aircraft above is the Flex Wing prototype (NX169W) built by Waldo Waterman in 1930 at what became Van Nuys airport in California. The wing struts incorporated an oleo strut that would allow the wing dihedral to be altered. The wings were hinged at 30 degrees, so changing the dihedral also changed the angle of attack. The idea was to alter the wings for the flight phase (landing/takeoff vs cruise).
The strut was also intended to act as a shock absorber to smooth out turbulence. According to Waterman, the NACA tested the aircraft and found that structural loads were reduced by 25% or so. The biggest problem was that the smooth-out-the-turbulence concept did not work; in fact, the opposite occurred. The up-and-down movement was exacerbated by the struts, and the Flex Wing occupants found themselves often airsick.
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