[2Para]

Thought you might like to see what we have at The Parachute Regiment & Airborne Forces museum at IWM Duxford for those that haven't been.

The Royal Enfield "Flying Flea" as it was known can trace its design roots back to the German DKW RT100. When the Dutch subsidiary of DKW was refused any more supplies in the late 1930s as the family owned company had Jewish roots, Royal Enfield was contacted to produce a version to fill the gap in the market.

The Royal Enfield version was initially known as the “Royal Baby” and offered to the civilian market. However, as war was declared, the model was offered to the British War Department (WD).

In 1942 the army began testing the “Flea” as it would come to be known, with a view to issuing it to the newly formed airborne forces to provide much needed transport and mobility.

The design was refined by Arthur Bourne from the original by Ted Pardoe. A twin exhaust was added and with the brakes relocated and a vent added to the fuel filler to prevent fuel spillage during transport.

A specially designed cage with a Parachute was introduced to be able to drop the Flea from aircraft such as the Dakota. For the glider borne troops it was light enough to be carried inside a glider.

Orders were placed in early 1943 and the Flea became a common sight in airborne units throughout the war.

In 2018 Royal Enfield launched the Pegasus 500 which commemorated the wartime service of the Flea.

Statistics:

Weight: 130 pounds (59 kilos)

Length: 75 inches (190 cm)

Engine: 126cc air cooled twin stroke

Speed: 45mph

                                                                                                                                                                               
Wish I could pick my current model up like the young PARA in the photo attached. The Flea in the parachute casing is outside the front door of our museum at Duxford

[Adrian II]

I don't think it would have worked with the WDCO model!

A.

[2Para]

They must have taken some heavy parts off the bike, so not sure what comparisons the WDCO mod would have had, other than heavier parts and frame!!

[axman88]

I was reading a couple of articles by folks who restored Flying Fleas and/or the later commercial 125cc variant, and they said that it was very difficult to find replacement tires.  I couldn't find a wheel or tire spec, but I did find a spec. that the overall length of the machine was 75".  Eyeball scaling the picture, I'd guess that the wheel hubs are about 22", and the seat height is around 26"?  Does that sound about right?

It appears that the forks are rigid girders that are attached via a four bar linkage to the head.  One of the articles talked about the front suspension including 3 rubber straps.  Were these present on the machine on exhibition?

I have been hankering to build myself a bike with one of those 66cc ( aka 50 cc, aka 80cc), air cooled Chinese "Whizzer" engines.     Seems like one could get closer to the Flying Flea by starting with an old 26" or 24" american fat tire bicycle, than RE did by painting ~430lb UCEs in military colors.

[cyrusb]

The 'jump fixture" looks twice as heavy than the bike itself. I have never seen one Flea in any of the archival films iv'e watched. Plenty of Zundapp's, Beemers, WDCO dispatch bikes and H.D's. However, disconnect the parachute and we finally have an R.E single capable of running the ton. 

[Carl Fenn]

I do remember them my uncle owned one up to the 70s, of course the reality is they proved versatile and very useful in deployment as far as that goes they were a success and proved their purpose.

[2Para]

Apparently very reliable too!

[GlennF]

Only ever saw one in real life, and that was at the Australian Motorcycle Museum at Nabiac on the NSW coast.

[Warwick]

i have a 50 model in preparation as a future resto

[2Para]

Nice example there what year is it?

[Warwick]

1950. Last of the early frame and first with telescopic forks

[cyrusb]

Is that a road tax stamp in front of the engine?
 

[2Para]

Probably a WD Fuel pass.