i thought a few years ago there was a stunt piolot who gimmic was a plane that lost parts as he did tricks. i never saw it but i remeber hearing bout it at the abbitsford airshow. With big enough wings i guess you could loose one and keep fliing.
i do remebr seeing a plane that could literly stop in mid air with only a very mild breeze, but even the anoucer said it was heavily reengineered. tom tucker i think was his name