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Aviation History
1935
1935 - 0918.PDF
442 FLIGHT. APRIL 25, 1935. PAVING the WAY for the "POU" " The Pou Club " and British Constructors : An Engine Difficulty : Wheels Too Expensive : The Supply of Materials These are the first complete general arrangement draw ings of the Pou-du-Ciel to be published in an English journal. A front wing span of 6 m. is shown, but a shorter wing can be used if desired. THINGS are beginning to move in the Pou World. Some time ago we announced, following a suggestion made by a Flight reader, the formation of "The Pou Club" within the Air League of the British Empire, Air Comdre. J. A. Chamier, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., O.B.E., Secretary-General of the Air League, appointing himself as first president and committee. Negotiations with M. Henri Mignet, the designer of the "Pou-du-Ciel," and author of the book Le Sport de VAir: pourquoi et comment j'ai construit le Pou-du-Ciel, have been begun, and will, it is hoped, lead to better infor mation and greater facilities becoming available to poten tial British builders of the Pou. In the first place, the Pou Club, which is to say Air Comdre. Chamier, has ap proached a publishing firm with the object of bringing out an English translation of the constructional chapters of M. Mignet's book. In the second place, the Club has obtained quotations from a number of British firms for the different materials required for the construction of the machine. In the third place, the Club has got in touch with a British firm concerning the marketing of a suitable engine at what is regarded as a reasonble price. Here it might be pointed out that engines are already in exist ence which would probably suit the Pou, such as the A.B.C. "Scorpion" of 34 h.p., and the Douglas motor cycle engine fitted in the B.A.C. "Drone," which is of some 17 b.h.p. The former is rather more powerful than necessary, but would probably give the machine a very good take-off, while the latter is a little under the power used by M. Mignet, a more serious objection to its use being, perhaps, that it is direct-drive, and cannot, there fore, be expected to give quite as good a take-off as M. Mignet's geared Aubier-Dunne two-stroke. To make an English text of M. Mignet's constructional chapters available quickly, it has been decided, pending the publication of the English book, to translate the essen tial chapters into English. This work will be done by the Pou Club for the benefit of its members, who are advised to obtain the original French book for the sake of the drawings and sketches. This will enable them to get on with the work, even if they do not read French. A charge of 7s. 6d. is made for the translation. This amount will go towards the price of the English book when it is pub lished. Should negotiations with the publishers fall through, the amount will be retained by the Pou Club as the translation fee. And, finally, should M. Mignet object to English translations of some of his chapters, the money will be returned, and the expense incurred will be " written off" as part of the Air League's service to the Pou Club. All of which sounds complicated and rather as if the Pou Club had failed to make proper arrangements with M. Mignet. A list of prices of materials for the Pou, obtained by the club from manufacturers, indicates that it should be possible to buy all wood, tubing, sheet, bolts, fabric, etc., for approximately £25. The two largest items, as might have been expected, have proved to be the engine and the wheels. It is expected that a suitable engine may be available for a price of approximately ^60. A well-known firm has quoted £4 13s. 6d. per wheel and tyre, which seems rather expensive in view of the fact that serviceable wheels can be bought in France for about 25s. each.
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