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Mignet HM-14 Pou-du Ciel (Louse of the Sky) - Flying Flea


nimrod54

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I bought this recently and thought that it would have made a nice subject for the Anything but Injection group build, but because that didn't make the cut for this years group builds I am going to build it here. The box and its contents are shown below, I have quite a busy schedule at the moment but I hope to start soon.

 

49635639981_5a39d9c610_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

49635639811_856b5f34ef_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

 

 

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14 hours ago, Shorty84 said:

Oh my, that is micro-engineering at its best. I guess magnifiers will be your best friend diring this build, I would get cross eyed attemping this :drunk:

 

Markus

 

I tend to rely on the Mk.1 eyeball Markus, but I think that specialist eyewear might well be required because this is really tiny. :winkgrin:

 

I came across this replica of the Flying Flea when visiting the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum (NELSAM) here in the UK. It should be a good reference for the strut positions etc.

 

49638849298_8698e0fea9_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

49639373901_41e32b2be8_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

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Now this is a challenge, but one I’m sure a man of your 144 skills will overcome. 

Will the engine run? :lalala:

Edited by Hockeyboy76
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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi John,

 

I have many flying hours on these contraptions, admittedly slightly more modern than this early one (I am talking enclosed cockpit and 2 sitter...). I had to get in with a shoe horn, and the plane was O so small in real size... I can just imagine 1/144....

But that sounds like you. I hope you are going to include the cigar lighter!!!

 

I am sure you will have fun.

 

JR

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On 09/04/2020 at 21:27, jean said:

Hi John,

 

I have many flying hours on these contraptions, admittedly slightly more modern than this early one (I am talking enclosed cockpit and 2 sitter...). I had to get in with a shoe horn, and the plane was O so small in real size... I can just imagine 1/144....

But that sounds like you. I hope you are going to include the cigar lighter!!!

 

I am sure you will have fun.

 

JR

Hi Jean,

 

Those flights must have been quite an experience even with an enclosed cockpit. I guess they would be classed as the micro-lights of their day, which to me are nothing more than hang-gliders with a gondola slung underneath. No thanks, give me an aircraft with more substance - and a good safety record of course. :D 

 

This will be my smallest 1/144 build to date, though not quite my smallest build ever. That honour goes to a recent Airfix 1/600 Fairey Seafox which you may remember from my HMS Ajax build.

 

49362463062_07864d5733_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

49448896223_1d0bd72185_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

I am sure that this one will be just as much fun to build as that one was.

 

 

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26 minutes ago, nimrod54 said:

Hi Jean,

 

Those flights must have been quite an experience even with an enclosed cockpit. I guess they would be classed as the micro-lights of their day, which to me are nothing more than a hang-gliders with a gondola slung underneath. No thanks, give me an aircraft with more substance - and a good safety record of course. :D 

 

This will be my smallest 1/144 build to date, though not quite my smallest build ever. That honour goes to a recent Airfix 1/600 Fairey Seafox which you may remember from my HMS Ajax build.

 

49362463062_07864d5733_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

49448896223_1d0bd72185_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

I am sure that this one will be just as much fun to build as that one was.

 

 

Hi John,

the Seafox is incredible! Are you a brain surgeon in your free time? Steady hands and all!!!

The Pou du Ciel is going to be great, I know it.

Flying this type of contraption was definitely an experience, especially considering there was a big steering wheel and you drove the damn thing like a car while taxying. Things got a lot more exciting during take off when transiting to flight... That's when knowing your prayers became handy.

On a turbulent day, I was not in control. I was just trying to keep the plane in the air.

Landing had to be started from a long way off, with the steering wheel blocked against any available part of the anatomy, and breathing became unadvisable as otherwise the whole thingie would start rolling and pitching about. A hiccup would have been a death sentence. 

But what a sense of achievement when the landing was successful!!!

Anyway, I shall definitely follow this build!

Have a lot of fun!

 

JR

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It's not as though I don't have enough builds to be getting on with at the moment, but as a bit of light relief I thought that I would make a small start on the Mignet. The main resin parts have been removed from the casting blocks and tidied up. I have fixed the rear wing in place, which has the added benefit of making the wee beast easier to handle, and I have added some of the etch parts to the interior by starting to fix the seatbelts in place. I lost count of the number of times that I dropped either the fuselage or the rear wing before I finally succeeded in securing it in place, :angry: but I am still smiling so it must have been fun, or so people tell me. :D

 

49764191026_b4749bf0f2_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

49764515617_e242fca035_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi John,

I thought you were joking when you said PE seat belts... But of course you meant it!

When you stop to think about it, a cigarette lighter is not much narrower than a belt, so come on! Don't be shy!!!

Great start.

Happy Easter.

 

JR

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2 minutes ago, jean said:

Hi John,

I thought you were joking when you said PE seat belts... But of course you meant it!

When you stop to think about it, a cigarette lighter is not much narrower than a belt, so come on! Don't be shy!!!

Great start.

Happy Easter.

 

JR

 

Oh no Jean, they are in with the kit, and I still have a pair of lap straps to squeeze in too. Then there's the control stick and instruments, and of course you know that I will have to look at the cigarette lighter now. :winkgrin:

 

Happy Easter to you guys too. 🐥 🐥

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  • 1 month later...

:poke:

Have you fed the flea to the carpet monster along with the Lancaster ribs? :rofl::whistle:

 

Yes I know I haven’t even started my build here yet.  :bandit:

Edited by Hockeyboy76
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  • 3 months later...

Didn’t see this until now, but hope to see it finished. I read many fascinating stories about this contraption, among other things a report by a Swedish military test pilot who took it up to the ceiling and afterwards wrote it was the scariest thing he had ever done - there was no room for a parachute.

 

In 1/144 though... I think a real louse may be bigger!

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10 hours ago, Torbjorn said:

Didn’t see this until now, but hope to see it finished. I read many fascinating stories about this contraption, among other things a report by a Swedish military test pilot who took it up to the ceiling and afterwards wrote it was the scariest thing he had ever done - there was no room for a parachute.

 

In 1/144 though... I think a real louse may be bigger!

 

45 minutes ago, Murdo said:

 

Drat!  Missed this one!

 

Looking good mate, did you finish it / RFI it?

 

Thanks fellas. It's still on the go, I am working on it when I can squeeze some time in. With the They Also Serve 2020 GB running to the end of the year, (and to use those famous last words) there's plenty of time to finish it. :lol:

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
On 17/09/2020 at 17:52, Mjwomack said:

I've just shown this to my guide dog, and he says, 'no chance, even if he did have thumbs!'

Are those really etched seat harness? Oh my!

 

They sure are MJ, and I have only fitted the shoulder straps at the moment, the lap belts are really tiny. 

 

This is just for your guide dog. :thumbsup: :winkgrin:

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  • 1 month later...

I've had a fun time this afternoon playing 'Chase the Etch', :lol: but I eventually managed to get the parts needed fixed in place before I start the painting. I replaced the etch axle with a short length of 0.2mm brass but I have left the wheels off for the moment.

 

50783368758_447b58de41_b.jpg

by John L, on Flickr 

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