RE: High wing vs low wing
I could be wrong, but isn't lift created by air flowing over both upper and lower surfaces? If you eliminate one or the other the remaining surface is rendered ineffective. Like the area of wing blanked out by the fuselage reguardless of whether it is on top or bottom of the fuselage.
I have heard before that a high wing generates less drag at the fuse/wing joint than a low wing, it would be interesting to know just how much.
The Dodger had the area of the fuse just behind the wing pinched together, which was said to mimic wing fillets.