Pou-du-Ciel HM.14 "Flying Flea" G-ADPP at Sherburn in Elmet.
During Spring and Summer 1935 at least two groups of men in the Leeds / Huddersfield area obtained plans to make small home-built aeroplanes named the "Flying Flea". Both groups were dogged by problems with obtaining engines to power them, both aeroplanes were ready well before the engines were obtained and eventually a local company produced a small engine named the Scott Squirrel engine that was used to power the Flying Fleas. Those behind the building of G-ADPP were Arthur Morton (of Elland Hall Farm, Elland), Cyril Fearnside Brooke (a builder from Huddersfield) and Frank Lawton (a textile merchant from Paddock). The team behind G-ADPP transported their aeroplane to Sherburn in Elmet where they eventually fitted their engine. It was given it's registration G-ADPP on 24th September 1935. On Sunday, 6th October 1935 the first trial flights were carried out at Sherburn. The first two short flights were made by Lawton without incident. Morton then made a third without incident. On the fourth flight a landing was attempted in a cross wind, from around six feet above the ground the nose dropped and it struck the ground, coming to rest upside down. The propeller broke and a wing was damaged. It must have been repaired and eventually stored somewhere because it was eventually struck off the register after the Second World War (though was probably broken up well before this date).
A major problem with the design of the Flying Flea was later discovered after tests following a number of fatal crashes within a short period of time. The positions of the forward wing and the tail became a issue for aerodynamics in a dive with the air flowing around the wing effecting the tail and pushing it higher. The problem is described elsewhere on the internet. The use of engines outside of the scope to which the original design was tested was also a problem, often more powerful engines were fitted to these home-built aeroplanes, this additional speed made the aerodynamic problem worse. It is possible that this incident involving G-ADPP was down to these problems.
Pilot - Mr Arthur Morton.
Those behind the building of G-ADPZ were cousins Philip and Allen Priest (of Huddersfield) and two other young men. Their aeroplane had a very similar start to that of G-ADPP in that both were complete apart the engine, on paper this was complete on 10th July 1935 and was sat waiting at Sherburn in Elmet for an engine. The constructors of G-ADPP and G-ADPZ shared tooling and they also made metal fittings together (and extras which may have been sold to fund the projects). In August 1935 G-ADPZ was displayed in the Leeds store "Lewis". In September 1935 it was taken back to Sherburn and fitted with a temporary Humber motorcycle engine before the Squirrel one was probably used. After this date I have found no other reference to it, whether it crashed on test I have yet to learn. It was struck off the civilian register in June 1938.
Mr R.A.Vinter made a Flying Flea in Shipley and later transported it to Yeadon aerodrome, it was test flown with a Scott Squirrel engine in November 1935 by F/Lt Cowell. After the I have not located any reference to it.
At least two other Flying Fleas were made in the West Riding during 1935. I cannot locate any reference to any being damaged in flying accidents that were reported in newspapers but that is not to say they were not damaged. I shall record the basics of what I have researched about both on this webpage until I do.