Gerry discussing alternative ways of covering the centre section.
in its infancy, information was limited and records about the construction details scarce. If I built a version of the Demoiselle, faithful to that designed by Santos, would the public be aware of it? Would anybody care?
Where do I start?
It was December 1995 and we were expecting our first child when, with the agreement of my wife Kareen, the construction started. But, how do you go about building an aeroplane? I am an economist by training not an engineer.
Contacting the Popular Flying Association (PFA) and explaining my intensions was a good starting point, I thought. Not only would the PFA give me advice but also encourage me. When the PFA saw the project, it was clear that there was no way they would give me a permit to fly ‘an aeroplane made out of bamboo’! A recommendation was made to make a replica of the replica made for the film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. However, I wanted to build something faithful to the original and
this was the last push and incentive to go ahead with the project. Challenges give me energy, motivation and determination. The tail was relatively easy to build, principally made of garden bamboos. While building it, I realised it had an intricate crucifix linking it to the fuselage, allowing the tail, consisting of elevator and rudder in unison, to move in all directions. Once the tail was completed, it was time to move on to the fuselage, which is made of bamboo longerons and mild steel oval tubes brazed together. A friend talked to me about Nuneaton college, which provided car restoration courses. I registered but I could not do the complete course because I was working full time in London. My boss would allow me to take days off to go to Nuneaton to braze struts. Going very early in the morning, I would spend the whole day at the college welding as many pieces as I could. By the time I went home, I had the impression I was floating probably from the oxy- acetylene welding gas.
Eventually a place was identified in
Haywards Heath where bamboos could be bought. Typically, bamboos were sold for furniture making. It was a major discovery as the internet barely existed at the time. I asked if I could select the bamboos myself and I carefully looked at many but selected only a few.
Heavily modified DAF engine kindly given by John Penney is fitted to the Demoiselle. MARCH - APRIL 2020 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN 25
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