Country of origin:

France

Description:

Single-seat sporting aircraft

Power Plant:

One 22 kw (30 hp) Carden Ford four-cylinder liquid-cooled converted Ford-10 motor-car engine

Specifications:

History:

The Pou Du Ciel, or Sky Louse, also known as the Flying Flea, was designed by French inventor, M Mignet, in 1933 as a light, cheap, easy-to-build-and-fly aircraft for amateur constructors. However, despite the fact that hundreds were built throughout the world, it had a very chequered career and a number were involved in accidents. In some countries, including Australia, authorities refused to grant Certificates of Airworthiness.

The prototype had a plywood fuselage carrying the rudder, engine, wheels and the lower and smaller of the two upswept tandem wings. The upper mainplane pivoted about the front spar and tilted for longitudinal control. No ailerons were fitted, and turns were made using only the rudder, this being operated by sideways movement of the control column.

Constructors of the type seem to have had differences of opinion as to the completion process, and many aircraft differed slightly in relation to open cockpit, enclosed cabin, fit of the undercarriage, and variations on the bracing and control system. A wide variety of engines was fitted, mostly in the 17 kw (23 hp) to 26 kw (35 hp) range, including the ABC Scorpion, Bristol Cherub, Austin Seven, Menguin, Praga B, Scott Squirrel, Anzani, and so on.

In the United Kingdom a number of companies attempted to build the type commercially but without much success. In “British Civil Aircraft Since 1919” noted aviation historian A J Jackson stated “Amateur-built models emerged all over the country to be exhibited in motor showrooms, marvelled at in church halls, and to make their pathetic hops and occasional circuits from adjacent fields. Overnight they created new problems in certification and insurance. By April 1936 some 81 Fleas were complete or under construction.”

The design was tested at the Farnborough, UK wind tunnel and it was revealed that at angles of incidence in excess of –15 degrees, and with the control stick hard back, there was insufficient pitching moment to raise the nose. Subsequently the design was banned by authorities. However, over the years development of the tandem-wing principle continued in France and further examples were built, with engines including modified Volkswagen motor-car engines.

Naturally enough, the Flying Flea era also hit Australia and New Zealand. None were registered in Australia, though it is known a number were built and flown in country centres. A couple have appeared on the Australian RAA register, including 10-1027 and 10-0322. Another built by James Jentz in Victoria had a 440 cc Zenoah 30 kw (40 hp) two-cylinder engine with a 2:1 reduction belt. Another registered under RAA regulations became 10-0537 which operated from 1988 to 1990 when it was retired. 10-0322 was based in the Maitland, NSW area. Others have been 10-1438 at Watts Bridge, QLD; 24-7091 at Narromine, NSW; another at Wangaratta, VIC; and one in the Brisbane Museum.

A similar situation existed in New Zealand, where a small number survive, the registration series ZM- being reserved for aircraft of this type. Although not flown, they may be seen in museums and private collections, eg ZM-AAC at the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society for a time before it was moved to Wanaka. The first three allotted registrations were ZM-AAA for an aircraft built by E Roy Perkins and Leonard Hawke of Waipukerau with a Douglas Dryad engine being placed on display at the MOTAT Museum in Auckland. ZM-AAB was built by Richard Downey and Allan McGruer of Auckland with an ABC Scorpion III engine but was destroyed by fire in 1950. ZM-AAC with a Scott Flying Squirrel engine was built by William L Notman of Oamaru and survives at Wanaka. These were all HM-14s.

Another, known as the Brewster Flying Flea, is on display at the Taranaki Transport, Aviation and Marine Museum, at Egmont Village. This was built by Brian and Ian McMillan of Stratford. One was built by Cyril Aitken of Marton and one by Angus Denize of Waikawau Bay which crashed on a beach in the bay in 1947.  ZK-FLE² (c/n HM16/G1), a HM-16, was built by Robert Germon of Ngatea and was first registered in August 2001. It was retired in April 2006 and survives on Rangitata Island.