Royal Enfield Flying Flea Cage

[Flying10uk]

I noticed this unusual looking metal tube cage on a stall at the Malvern Militaria event today and, curiosity getting the better of me, I asked the stall holder what it was. He explained that it is known as a "Flying Flea" and that it was used to air drop Royal Enfield motor bikes out of aeroplanes, obviously, aided by a parachute. He went onto explain that the cage hinges open to allow the bike to be placed inside, within the cage.

Information

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[Flying10uk]

[WarPig1976]

There's more steal in the Flea then the Enfield!!!...

[browningautorifle]

A very scarce item for sure. Those would have been opened and kicked aside for no future consideration...

[Brit plumber]

The Flea is the nick name for the bike as far as I know. I’ve always known it as the Royal Enfield Flying Flea or WD/RE and I’ve had about 13 various Enfields in the past and still own 5. The other similar bike is the James ML.

[browningautorifle]

The Flea is the nick name for the bike as far as I know

That's correct and if you go searching the internet for it, that's the name you use...

[Flying10uk]

I'm sure that you're right B.P..

My own father did own an ex W.D. Royal Enfield bike in the late 1940's/early 1950's but when he decided that he wanted to sell it he found that nobody wanted it. He therefore decided to break it up for spare parts but then found that nobody wanted the spares either. This was possibly because a lot had been released as surplus by the military post WW2.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

My brother, the motorcycle buff, sent me this:


"The Royal Enfield Flying Flea was the paratroop motorcycle, the drop cage was just that, no fancy name.

James, made a similar spec bike for same purpose and drop method, it was known as the "Clockwork Mouse"; ( James ML Military ww2 classic motor cycle ).

S.O.E. at Welwyn* designed the folding mini-bike known as the Welbike, it was dropped in a plywood/cardboard cylinder

* See also: Welrod silenced assassin pistol etc.

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The "Welbike" had a brief reincarnation post war as the Indian "Papoose", apparently.

[bigduke6]

Thanks to Flying10uk for all the info he provided me with but Unfortunately the Cage was sold....... I managed to contact the dealer yesterday but was sold on Monday, but as strange as things are I received a TXT message yesterday evening regarding another......

I don't have a flying flea but is on the list, the cage as BR points out was a disposable item so I guess not many out there.


Bruce in Oz, the Welbike now demands a high premium, around £10,000 +..........

[Bruce_in_Oz]

The only catch is that by the time the 'Welbike" became the Papoose", a lot of parts had been redesigned / improved, thus virtually no interchangeability.