Kit plane of the late 30s, early 40s called a Texas Flea

I am searching for a picture of the kit plane called a Texas Flea. It was a triplane kit sold as a free kit if you bought their engine. My father and uncle built one and flew it. However no photos of it survived the years.

Howard

Hi Howard -

Is that the same as the American Flying Flea triplane, that was built in Texas? If so, some good friends of mine have one that they'll eventually restore:

http://www.tigerboys.com/images/flea.jpg

http://www.tigerboys.com/flea.html

And a picture of one in Brazil:

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../0/1818032.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/American-Flea-Ship/1818032/L/

And a little bit of info and another shot of that same on on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers...ican_Flea_Ship

The airplane kit was included as a giveaway if you bought a Universal engine (40hp?).

Thanks Hal,

My father and uncle bought an engine and got the kit free and built the plane in my uncles cellar in eastern PA in about 1938 to 1940. They built the plane but because they didn't measure the doorway to the outside correctly, they had to knock a foot and a half out of the door jam to get it out. The only memory of the plane I have is that my father was yelling something to me from the cockpit and I couldn't hear what he was saying so I kept inching closer. The prop blast felt like it was going to blow me away and the engine noise was loud to me. (3 to 5 year old) when I finally got close enough to hear what he was saying. "Come on, get in". I took off running away across the field.

They only flew the plane locally at the grass strip as there were hills around the area and they couldn't get enough altitude to climb out of the area. I would see the plane later in years as we visited my uncle and he had it in the upper part of his barn.

I am making a pictorial family tree on one wall in my house and I wanted a picture of that plane to be included. That must be the plane as everything matches. Thanks again Hal.

Howard Fitzcharles III
EAA #720141