Mignet Flying Flea G-AFFI

[Blue_2]

Ground running and taxying only. Quite keen on staying alive!

[Blue_2]

24/07/14 Update

The little Flea has seen a bit more progress this week, I wasn't in as I was at a wedding in Staffordshire. While I was in that bit of the world it would have been rude not to pop across to the RAFM Cosford, and look what I found there!

As my Mrs spotted, the mighty Flea is also immortalized on the windows of the museum cafe too!

Back to G-AFFI, I sort of mentioned in my last report that the Flea's upper wing had suffered a misfortune. Unfortunately somehow the wing had been knocked or something (I guess nobody will ever own up; hey ho...) and ended up with its trestles pushed up through the upper wing surface fabric. Fortunately the main spar stopped the damage being any worse. You can imagine my delight at discovering this damage, I'm sure...
Anyway, Rich was in at the weekend and very kindly sent me a couple of photos of the wing now well on it's way to recovery, courtesy of Marie!



I'm hoping to get this wing in paint soon, then back on the aircraft and out of harm's way...

[Blue_2]

28/07/14 Update
I hoped to get the wing panted and on the Flea yesterday but, as you can see, it still requires more doping and attention to the repair near the port wingtip. Looking much better though!

The fuselage is up on trestles once again; I've taken the wheels off for a tidy up as our French chap Kevin offered to give them some tlc before he returns to France this week.

[Blue_2]

07/08/14 Update- the Flea Lives! (sort-of...)

I didn't visit the museum over the weekend, partly due to injury and other commitments, however 3 days off work seemed to offer an opportunity for some gentle Flea-fettling. My first priority on Monday was to get the wing upper surface painted, and the wing back on the aircraft and out of harm's way...:rolleyes:
Having replenished my stock of rollers, I found where the fairies had hidden my paintpot and cracked on. Here, the starboard half of the wing is painted. Taking the picture with paint-smeared hands also resulted in half my phone being painted also!

While I had the paint and rollers out I decided to paint the silver bit in the middle of the tail logo. I had brought my modelling masking tape for the fiddly job of masking the logo up, as normal museum-issue tape is far too thick.

Soon both sides were done! I intend to repaint the logos themselves too, once I find the correct shade of blue.

After lunch the bright aluminium paint on the wing had dried nicely

So I enlisted the help of Brian the Tractor God and our new tame French engineering student to lift the wing into place, after which we wheeled the Flea out for a dust-off, some daylight and fresh air for the first time in a few weeks. The upper wing underside still needs painting, but I can do that at my leisure.

Also in this shot can be seen the refurbished mainwheels, one of the last jobs our previous French student did before he returned home last week. Merci, Kevin!
I climbed up on the wing of the Hunter to get a different angle on the 'Flea.

Tuesday, we decided to start working towards first start. As the weather was good, we wheeled her outside again. She did look rather good in the sun! And received a surprising amount of attention from visitors too.



First job was to re-fit the fuel tank tap, which despite being a fiddly job Brian and I managed with little drama. The new fuel line was then plumbed up, and the tank filled. Next we gave the engine a drink of oil, cleaned the plugs, and decided to see if she'd go. Unfortunately she showed no signs of life, we couldn't get a spark so we decided to leave it until Wednesday when our resident Genius of the Electric String, Ken, would be on site. I did get on with the job of rigging the upper wing though, after our new Frenchman restored 2 turnbuckles donated by Graham of the Dakota team I was able to get the rigging 'summat like'.

The wing control cables still need rigging though; their adjusting components require more of a bath in penetrating fluid before they'll play ball.
So yesterday the weather didn't look too hopeful for taking the Flea outside to play. Things soon brightened up though, so we wheeled her out after Ken had taken a look at the Magneto. He declared it serviceable, however he diagnosed a fault in the mag switch which we rectified and soon had a healthy spark once Brian had cleaned up the plugs

We took her out, had a few goes at starting and indeed got a few coughs and some life out of her! She seemed to be firing, however only on one cylinder. Further experimenting was curtailed by a heavy shower which snuck up on us

So that was the end of the day's play really.

I reckon she has an iffy HT lead, so if we can acquire a new pair for her she should be fine. Watch this space.
Finally, a 'pilot's eye' view from the Flea

[Dougs]

wow she is looking very good indeed nice work.

[Vulcan Bomber]

Looking at it outside Graham, do you fly them things with your feet hanging out, underneath it...? looks cramped at best!

[Blue_2]

No, the intrepid birdman's feet go forward into the fuselage, under the engine. Even for a 6-footer such as me once you're in it's surprisingly comfortable and roomy!

[Blue_2]

I was caught in the act of removing the little Flea's carb on Sunday!



Don't worry, I've not nicked it to flog on eBay! I've removed it and taken it home to overhaul it in the comfort of my own workbench.

[Spitfire]

Excellent updates ...That's a lovely wooden prop ...

[Blue_2]

It is. I had to bolt it back onto the aircraft before it wandered, seeing as someone took a fancy to it...

[Vulcan Bomber]

Graham you were obviously lying when you said you fitted in there comfortably!! Did you mean it fits in your pocket comfortably?

[Blue_2]

A comfortable fit is involved somewhere in proceedings...!

[Spitfire]

We await video of the first start up ....

[Blue_2]

01/12/14 Update

The little Flea has moved house! She has left the HP building and moved over to the T2 Hangar, where she can be found in some illustrious company

She has her carb fitted once more. So come Spring, she will hopefully sing! Or at least cough and splutter grumpily into life...

[Blue_2]

2/3/15 Update

Nearly time for the little Flea to come out of hibernation, and out from under the Halibag's wing!

On Saturday after the Dak run I finished reassembling the carb and the float chamber, lubricated and routed the throttle cable, and test-routed the nice new HT leads.

She's about ready to go, once I can get her outside...

[Blue_2]

23/03/15
Oh look, the Flea has been moved much closer to the hangar doors now...

That's handy...!

[Spitfire]

Nice looking car in the foreground

[StevenAL]

I am one of the original three members of Yeadon Aeroplanes responsible for the building of G-AFFI in the early 1970's. It is good to see the Flea looking so well and the work which has been undertaken on her. I have photographs of it at various stages of construction which may be of interest. If you can contact me I will e-mail them to you.

Regards,
Steve Langfield

sykehouse@ntlworld.com

[Vulcan Bomber]

What's been happening to the little bundle of Joy Graham? It all went quiet.

[Old Rigger]

Popped into the Malta Aviation Museum at Ta' Qali recently and saw this and thought it might be of interest: