No wonder it’s called a Flea

[Tiger Tim]

Yesterday I helped assemble this:


...and of course I couldn’t resist trying to cram into it.

 

[TFF]

I’m wouldn’t be surprised if only my kids could get in that. Hope earplugs are free.

 

[Topaz]

Nice! Is this new construction or restored?

 

[Sockmonkey]

I guess this is why some of the guys here prefer motorcycle-type aircraft seating.
He's one missing panel away from Flintstoning that thing.

 

[Tiger Tim]

Nice! Is this new construction or restored?

We put it together after a couple years of storage after it moved from one collection to another. It was built a couple decades ago by a guy who just wanted to have a Flea built from the earliest drawings and never intended to fly. That’s not to say it isn’t built any worse than Henri himself ever would have done, it’s made right and from airplane grade stuff.

The engine hung on it is just the shell of a McCulloch with a drone prop wired in place to make the plane look complete.

 

[pictsidhe]

Is that the very first design? That had a nasty tendency to dive into the ground?

 

[Tiger Tim]

Is that the very first design? That had a nasty tendency to dive into the ground?

That’s the one.

 

[Protech Racing]

Yes. the wings have the sharp LE . Very unsafe . The pitch moment arm VS CG is only about 6in in the OE version. Move the wings apart 12 in and change to a decent foil, and they fly great . 23013/15 or 43013/15 .

 

[Victor Bravo]

Yeah, that is an absolutely beautiful display model, worthy of being the centerpiece of a flight museum, man cave, restaurant, or other enclosed building.

I could not get my fat a$$ into that by any means, my joints hurt just by looking!

 

[jedi]

It should be hung in a major airport. DEN, SEA, IAH etc.

 

[Tiger Tim]

It should be hung in a major airport.

It’s hung in a minor airport by passenger travel standards but a major one if you like being around interesting small airplanes.

 

[Angusnofangus]

It’s hung in a minor airport by passenger travel standards but a major one if you like being around interesting small airplanes.

I assume it is in Thunder Bay. If so, I'll have to pay a visit the next time I'm through there.

 

[Tiger Tim]

I assume it is in Thunder Bay. If so, I'll have to pay a visit the next time I'm through there.

Guelph, actually. That’s where I have all my airplane fun.

 

[pictsidhe]

Yes. the wings have the sharp LE . Very unsafe . The pitch moment arm VS CG is only about 6in in the OE version. Move the wings apart 12 in and change to a decent foil, and they fly great . 23013/15 or 43013/15 .

Barnaby Wainfan wrote a series of articles on fleas. The takeway is that to avoid the unrecoverable nosedive, you need a low Cm airfoil and the correct Cg placement. An early flea could be made safe with those alterations. The problem didn't come to light until people tried flying them faster than Mignet could afford engines for. If anyone ever flew a McCullough powered early one, that would be its only flight...

 

[Protech Racing]

If the CP of the front wing is at 28%, (just behind the fat part of the foil) and the CG is at 32-37% of the front wing( near 25% of the total chord), The vectors are really close. The pitch authority is only about 6 in.
Increase the wing spacing to 10 or 12 in between the wings and you are close to doubling the authority.
If you look around, as guys did the math, (Myself included) the wings got further apart and the planes flew better . My wings were at 40in gap on a 52 in chord.( pusher) . Flew really well with plenty of control and some room for CG travel safety.
I believe that most modernish plans call for at least a 6 in horizontal separation and about 12 in vertical gap. You dont want the slot crap to wash over the rear wing.

 

[pictsidhe]

In fact, the wind-tunnel results show that this Venturi effect did not happen.

 

[cpd]

My girl and I built and flew this HM14 back in 2017-2018, She was a per plans HM14 with the forward wing raised 6" and the fuselage stretched 12" in order to achieve favorable separation between the 2 wings. Power is a global 40hp half vw swinging a culver prop. Unless there is another lurking in the shadows, I believe ours to be the only airworthy and flying HM-14 in the united states and one of only a handful worldwide. I have a few more pics and video of it in flight that I can post if there is any intrest.

Chris

 

[Tiger Tim]

It’s freaky how all the original-plans Flea wings develop so much wash-in right at the curve in the spar. Get a load of the trailing edge’s on the red and white one above, and the one I assembled was exactly the same. I assume fabric tension is responsible for this.

 

[Protech Racing]

Most modern Fleas are 293 versions.