HENRI MIGNET'S “POU DU CIEL" PIONEERING HOMEBUILT ULTRA-LIGHTAIRPLANE

"THE FLYING FLEA” The Flying Flea was very possibly the first homebuilt airplane. The first Flea was successfully flown and demonstrated by its designer, Frenchman Henri Mignet, in 1934 and with the publication of the plans and instructions hundreds of Flying Fleas were soon being built in homes and garages around the globe. It was most likely the first feasible attempt to provide the average enthusiast with an uncomplicated and affordable way of learning to fly and of building his own airplane. It was dubbed by the French press "Le Pou Du Ciel", literally "The Louse of the Sky", in reference to the popular Ford Model 'T', which was then called, "The Louse of the Road". Mignet's machine was designed to be very easy to fly. The main forward wing pivots for ascent and descent while the rudder handles the turns. Mignet maintained that anybody who could put together a packing case could construct a Flying Flea and anyone who could drive a car could fly one. A brief setback occurred when a number of homebuilt Fleas crashed. A comprehensive investigation revealed the trouble and led to the needed corrections for reliable operation. By 1936 Fleas were once more flying and have continued to do so ever since. Today, variations on Mignet's innovative design can be found in many countries around the world. The Flying Flea has grown to be a classic, impervious to passing fashions. In its first seventy years, this small plane has endured wars, flourished in peacetime, and inspired aviators on every continent. In 1999, as a fitting tribute to it's designer, the Flying Flea was inducted into the EAA Hall of Fame. DRILL OUT HOLES ON BOTTOM SKIN OF WING TO RECEIVE WING AND MOTOR SUPPORT STRUTS

FORTIFY STRUTS WITH WIRE OR FABRICATE YOUR OWN FROM WIRE, WOOD OR PLASTIC

THE TWO HALVES ARE GLUED TOGETHER FROM THE TOP DOWN TO THE MARK AND ON THE ENGINE SUPPORT STRUT

FORMING THE CURVED WINGS SLIDE TAIL OVER FUSELAGE TAB, ALIGN HINGES.

USE A SHORT “MAP” PIN OR A CUT-OFF STRAIGHT PIN TO ATTACH PROP TO MOTOR

TAILWHEEL ASS’Y

ON THE WING TOPS: SCORE THE LONG STRAIGHT LINES, THEN CUT THE LONG CURVED LINES. REMOVE GRAY TRIANGLES BETWEEN THE TABS AND THEN BEND THEM UP SLIGHTLY. AFTER CAREFULLY FORMING THE WING-TOP INTO AN AIRFOIL SHAPE, START AT ONE OF THE INNER JOINTS BY APPLYING GLUE TO ONE SET OF TABS AND STICK TO UNDERSIDE OF ADJACENT SURFACE. REPEAT FOR OTHER INNER JOINT AND THEN TO OUTER JOINTS.

FUSELAGE TOP, SIDES AND BOTTOM ALL MEET HERE TO FORM A “POINT”

AFTER WORKING THE WING-TOP INTO A SATISFACTORY CURVE, ATTACH THE WING’S LOWER SKIN BY FIRST GLUING THE TABS (STARTING AT THE CENTER) TO THE FRONT UNDERSIDE OF THE WING-TOP. THEN STICK THE BACK EDGES OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM TOGETHER.

DRILL OUT HOLE ON BOTH SIDES OF FUSELAGE FOR AXLE.

HM-14 Specs: ENGINE DETAIL

ONE OF FOUR FLYING FLEA MODELS AVAILABLE FROM

FIDDLERS GREEN!

PROPELLER HUB

GLUE TAB TO BACK OF OTHER SIDE TO MAKE A HOLLOW CONE.

Wing Span...........................18 ft. Wing Area...........................100 sq. ft. Length..................................13 ft. 6 in. Empty Weight....................260 lbs. Max Gr. Wt. .......................500 lbs. Fuel Capacity......................6.2 gal. Engine ..................................Various / 35 hp Climb Rate ..........................500 fpm

Range ...................................180 sm T/O Dist.............................150 ft. Landing Dist.......................150 ft. Vmax....................................70 mph Vcr .......................................55 mph Vst........................................25 mph Landing................................25 mph

LOADS MORE INFO AND MODELS AT

WWW.FIDDLERSGREEN.NET CYLINDERS (MAKE 2)

GLUE TAB TO BACK OF OTHER SIDE TO MAKE A SHALLOW CONE.

MODEL DESIGN AND INSTRUCTIONAL GRAPHICS © 2000 CHAUNCY GREEN ADDITION GRAPHICS BY H. MIGENT AND A.J. GREEN ALL OTHER COPYRIGHTS RESIDE WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS