THis may be a long shot ……
In the early 50s a gentlman by the name of W Whattley of Sholing Rd , Southampton, built a Pou.
According to Air Britain, he, unaware of the restrictions on flying these aircraft, made a few test flights at Eastleigh in 1956 before crashing it.
A gentleman with impeccable credentials has sent me some pictures taken at Christchurch in the fifties of a Pou by an unnamed builder , which was flown at Christchurch by Francis Fisher and John Pothecary. This aircraft was ” wrecked when it hit the arrester gear”- presumably that which was installed to deal with the DH110/Sea Vixens. Pilot at that time not known.
NOw – were there two Pous test flying within 25 miles of each other , or were these the same aircraft?
The pictures , which I can confirm are CHristchurch(I lived there) may be seen here…..
By: Dave Tigwell - 7th September 2013 at 12:29
The Christchurch Flea is a HM290/293. There are many flying safely to this very day in many countries except UK. The HM290 was a completely new design from the HM14 of 1935.
Dave.
By: daveg4otu - 1st February 2012 at 19:16
Thankyou Paulmcmillan that seems to make it fairly certain the two are one and the same.
By: WJ244 - 1st February 2012 at 18:02
That is obviously one of the later Mignet desins and not an HM14. The engine doesn’t appear to have any valve gear so it is almost certainly a 2 stroke Scott Flying Squirrel.
By: paulmcmillan - 1st February 2012 at 13:56
From various Air Britain Publications..
British Civil Aviation News 1956 Nov 24 1956, Vol 13 No. 22
Page 88
Croydon and Beyond
A visit to Christchurch on October 13th …..
One curiosity was a post-war built Flea, without
markings, which was apparently built by a chap in
Southampton who was not aware that he would not
be allowed to fly it.
M.J.Hooks
British Civil Aviation News 1957 Feb 9 1957, Vol 14 No. 3
The Song of the Flea
I would like to add a few comments about the
Pou-de-Ciel mentioned in, Mr. Hook’s letter in
BCAN, for November 24, 1956. I first saw this
machine on October 21st (1956), at Eastleigh Airport, where
it had been transported from Christchurch. Sometime
during November (1956), I noticed it again in the hangar
with· the nose very crumpled, one undercarriage leg
and the propeller broken, and the wings somewhat
bent. I was told that it had been “hopped” and
that the engine had failed some few feet, off , the
ground. It has since disappeared and I notice from
a letter in the “Aeroplane” that it has been taken
to pieces.” Evidently a brief, but eventful, career!”
-M. A. WARD.
British Civil Aviation News 1957 May 11 1957, Vol 14 No. 9
Page 35
Report by R.W. Smith
On April 13th (1957) I was a memher of a parry of 40
members of the Harrow & Wembley Branch who
visited Hurn and Eastieigh..
After lunch we moved on to Eastleigh.”…
The remaming space in this well-filled hangar was occupied by
the anonymous fuselages of the Pou-de-Ciel, which is fitted with a 500c.c. Scott engine
Now we need Aeroplane between November 1956 and Feb 1957 for the letter about it being dismantled. Also accident had to have happened after October 21st and end of November 1956
By: paulmcmillan - 1st February 2012 at 13:31
has anyone got a copy of Air Pic March 1957?There may be more info there.
You can actually find it on the web it’s on page 86 of March 1957 issue but does not say anything else!
By: daveg4otu - 1st February 2012 at 11:54
Thanks Wieesso -that looks like the same aircraft as the Christchurch one …has anyone got a copy of Air Pic March 1957?There may be more info there.
By: wieesso - 1st February 2012 at 11:08
Have you noticed this http://crimso.msk.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft31857.htm ?
By: daveg4otu - 1st February 2012 at 10:54
BTW, what is that contraption towing the Pou along the road? 😀
Re the contraption , when I posted the same question on ABiX I got various answers asking about the car – none about the plane!
By: Newforest - 1st February 2012 at 09:40
And don’t forget G-AEBB also built in Southampton, not sure if it ever flew though. The Pou in your photo is obviously a modified one in light of the earlier accidents.
BTW, what is that contraption towing the Pou along the road? 😀
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February 1, 2012 at 9:23 am