I’ve been alluding to my little side project for a while, and having made a proper start on it on Sunday I thought I’d start a thread on it. The museum has had the Flea for a while now on loan from her private owner (and constructor in the ’70’s I believe) and it has been thought for a while that more could be done with the little beastie. The aircraft had been run a couple of times in the 90’s I believe, and a few weeks ago our Operations Manager mentioned getting the aircraft tidied up and back into running order. He then stared pointedly at me in that way that meant I’d been volunteered to sort it!
During the week the aircraft had been moved to the restoration side of the Handley Page building, which meant I had the space, tools and outside access to make a proper start. I’d already spotted a crack in the exhaust last week, and taken it home to weld it up seeing as I needed the welder out during the week anyway.
First job was to bolt the exhaust back on, before wheeling the Flea outside for a good wash; she was very dusty and the birds which had got into the HP building over time had used her for target practice too. In addition there was a mucky great streak of oil down the wing from her time parked in the Hangar under one of the Halifax’s engines.
Half an hour with the soapy water and a soft brush soon had the little Flea looking much more presentable
Mac and I gave the aircraft a good look-over to see what needed doing. He and Marie have offered to sort any wood/fabric work on the aircraft. We found 2 small rips on the port wing, one each on the upper and lower surfaces
We also decided that the rudder should come off for re-covering too, so Rich and I removed it later in the day for Marie to work her magic on it.
I have removed the wartime instruments, they will be replaced with safer (ie less radioactive) post-war items. the windscreen has also been removed to be cleaned and to ease access to the engine and its mountings. While I had Rich handy we removed the rudder control cables, freed off their seized pulleys, and re-fitted the cables correctly. So we now have steering if nothing else!
So, on the to-do list:
remove, strip and rebuild carb
give the engine a good check over and service
replace fuel cut off valve, drain old fuel from tank
move prop, so it’s at TDC (to make life easier for poor Rich, who’ll be swinging the prop!)
test Magneto
Replace Mag switch (it seems some over zealous hangar pilot has broken it)
install new instruments
Rig wing correctly, and tidy rigging wire tails
make some new mountings for the main undercarriage
repaint the silver bits
repaint steel work (engine mounts, rudder/tailwheel metalwork)
repaint the ‘bib’ under the engine
wind it up and watch it go!
I know it’s not a big impressive V-bomber, but it should be a fun little project none the less. And once it’s running it’s 1930’s Scott Flying Squirrel engine will be the oldest running aero engine on site! (yes, I know it’s a motorbike engine really……)
By: avion ancien - 3rd August 2022 at 14:47
Thank you, Blue_2.
By: Blue_2 - 1st August 2022 at 22:16
Not as far as I’m aware. She’s on display over in the HP building next to the Anson, awaiting some engine work I believe.
By: avion ancien - 30th July 2022 at 16:04
Anything new to report concerning your colleagues’ work on the Pou, Blue_2?
By: Blue_2 - 22nd October 2019 at 10:24
As and when I get updates from the chaps on her now, I’ll happily share on here. I still have a vested interest in the little beast!
By: Zac Yates - 21st October 2019 at 11:00
It served its purpose and was retired shortly after the photos were taken – I just wanted to see if I could fit in one built per the original drawings as I’m not a small boy! Good news was, I could. One day I may do it in wood, we shall see.
In the meantime I’m glad to have the ‘FFI thread back up and running for my Pou fix!
By: avion ancien - 20th October 2019 at 13:19
Splendid news. Whilst I know she won’t fly, let’s hope that, eventually, she can do what poux do best – and make hops along the runway disproportionate to her size!
p.s. how is your cardboard pou coming on, K5054NZ?
By: Zac Yates - 20th October 2019 at 12:11
Now there’s a welcome thread resurrection! Wonderful news, I’m glad to hear an update.
By: Mothminor - 20th October 2019 at 10:39
Lovely thanks! Nice to hear she’s not been forgotten. Look forward to hearing your updates on her progress 🙂
By: Blue_2 - 20th October 2019 at 09:25
I have some Flea news! Since I got busy with WS788 I have not had chance to pay any attention to G-AFFI sadly. She has been safe in the hangar, tucked away under the wing of the Halifax where, apart from getting some oil dripped on her by the bomber, she was safe.
Now, she has emerged, been de-winged, and is now in the hands of the chaps who run our SE5 and Kitten who are restarting the work to return the little beast to life!
I know ‘AFFI gathered a bit of a following on here, so I’ll share what news I can, when I can, from the chaps now seeing to her needs.
By: Blue_2 - 9th August 2017 at 19:29
No chance of that. I have spent most of the last 3 weeks’ leave from my paid job working on 788…
By: Pulsar-xp - 8th August 2017 at 11:38
Let´s hope 788 will not take the backseat, too.
By: Blue_2 - 7th August 2017 at 17:11
She has taken a back seat, since 788 came into my life.
Tucked safely in the hangar she is in no danger of deterioration and I am keeping an eye on her!
But yes, reversing 50 years of corrosion on the outdoor dwelling NF is currently a far higher priority…
By: avion ancien - 6th August 2017 at 14:35
I like that – and I’m glad to see that you’ve already got in store the material to build a whole squadron of cardboard poux!
By: Zac Yates - 6th August 2017 at 11:38
By: avion ancien - 4th August 2017 at 17:47
Now that has to initiate a demand for a photograph, K5054NZ – so that I can forward it to a friend who is so anti-pou that seeing a pou de ciel en carton probably will render him apoplectic!
It’s a great shame that because of the greed of photobucket we’ve lost all the fascinating photos hitherto posted by Blue_2.
By: Zac Yates - 4th August 2017 at 01:22
“I’m thinking I’ll start by building a mockup fuselage out of cardboard – I need to see if I fit before I try it for real! ” – I recently did, and I do! Very pleasing!
Blue, has the Flea taken a backseat since you became involved with the Meteor?
By: charliehunt - 24th November 2015 at 16:22
Thanks for the update, Blue – keep her warm for the Winter in readiness for her Spring outing!!;)
By: Blue_2 - 24th November 2015 at 15:54
Just so you all know, little G-AFFI hasn’t been forgotten, it has just been a bit of a busy summer for me so I haven’t had chance to do much with the little critter! She is now back in Winter Quarters in the hangar under the Halifax, but hopefully out of the way of old oil leaking form the Hercules engines this time!
The next job will be to rig her correctly, and then maybe in the spring she will venture outdoors and attempt to start…
By: Zac Yates - 25th March 2015 at 20:39
BTW I don’t advise you read Minget’s book, you’ll end up building one – its an infectious read.
I can see how the Flea craze happened in the 30’s.
“If you can nail together a packing case, you can construct an aeroplane.” Henry Minget ” Long live the sport of the air”
That was my mistake. I’m thinking I’ll start by building a mockup fuselage out of cardboard – I need to see if I fit before I try it for real!
By: Arabella-Cox - 25th March 2015 at 19:14
The best Pou de Ciel kits are 1:1 scale!
Someone does a full sized Flea kit? I thought it only came as a book of instructions. :rolleyes:
BTW I don’t advise you read Minget’s book, you’ll end up building one – its an infectious read.
I can see how the Flea craze happened in the 30’s.
“If you can nail together a packing case, you can construct an aeroplane.” Henry Minget ” Long live the sport of the air”
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March 17, 2014 at 11:15 am