thru the woods, photo by litchard.
I’d never heard of the Wing Aero Sleigh – designed & built by Blain Wing in St. Ignace, Michigan in the 1940s – but Milton has a bunch of cool photos of the Aero Sleigh in action (slideshow)
There’s some information about how these were used from the Drummond Island Yacht Haven.
He uploaded the photos pretty large so be sure to click through check them out!
Michigan in Pictures 
I didn’t realize anybody would be interested, or even find these old photos.
I have added my dad’s notes to the descriptions this morning. (Feb. 7, 2008)
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man that is really cool, do you have any blueprints?> i would love to build one (not to sell or profit) just to have one. that is really unique. definately a conversation piece. my family would love it. i live in nw indiana (rolling prairie, 15 min from south bend) my phone no. is 219-575-3890. take care, Rob
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Blaine Wing has a son, Chester Blaine Wing II who lives in Sterling Heights, MI.
He would be the one to contact re: your query.
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Milton:
I would like to know if you have any information about the Aero-Sleigh. My father had one when I was a boy and I have a few pictures of it. I just thought it would be interesting to have some details about these unique machines. Thanks for sharing the great pictures.
Bill
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Bill:
I would be interested in the photos you have of the sleigh your fateher had and the story behind that sleigh. All 160+ sleigh made with the Wing logo had different colors on the wings off of the “W”. That was the artist in my dad coming through. It was my grandfather and dad, Blaine Wing who built and perfected the Wing Aero-Sleighs. Did you know that Blaine Wing also came up with the Aero-Boat that is now seen in FL? This aero-boat could travel on “spit” according to my dad and it even traveled on the ice as well as water at the Straits of Mackinac.
If interested you can contact me through this site and then we can set up a direct contact method.
Chester B. Wing II
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Hey, Chester. I lived across the street from your grandmother Mable and grandfather Chester Wing when they lived in the Third Ward in St. Ignace. I was born in 1933 and well remember when Blain came up with the first Aero Sleigh. It was quite an accomplishment. James Pomeroy
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Hi Milton,
I have countless pictures of these sleds. I also have the original contract where the Wing aero-sleigh was built for the US Army for testing. I do have some limited footage of the sleighs showing them in use and how they are easily changed over from a trailer to a sled by interchanging wheels for runners. Hope to hear back from you.
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Hi Greg,
I saw this article only today (28 March 2010) Of course, both my brother Tom and I have spoken with your dad a couple weeks ago.
I posted what little video we have archived onto YouTube this past week. We are all very keen to see any photos or video you have.
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Well if you were talking about Chet Wing, that would be Greg’s first cousin who’s father, Blaine Wing, perfected the aero-sleigh that first made by C.B. Wing by 1919 to bring supplies and men to his fathers logging camp. Walter Wing was Greg’s father and Blaines younger brother.
I have been assembling the Wing family history which included the aero-sleigh, with film and still pictures of the pre-snowmobiles machines. Any one having any stories or various pictures of the Wing Aero-Sleighs I would appreciate hearing from. Further, in the 1920’s-1940’s the sleighs were used for coyote hunting at the Straits of Mackinac and Detour areaq of Northern Michigan.
Chet Wing
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Chet, are you a member of the Wing Family of America? A descendant from the Wings that settled in Cape Cod?
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