11
The Canadian HM-8 Replica
Project--Page 11
by
- 2004 August 4
Today, we have VIPs with us. Our visitors are Patrick Campbell and Richard Plante, the 2 Blériot builders of the Heritage museum of Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue .
They work with our team all day long. They are for us a real help. It is easy to see at first glance that they are accurate builders. They know what they are doing.
We install again the wing on the cabane, take some pictures on the parkway and make the weight and balance.
We see with pleasure that the centre of gravity is in the limits given by the airfoil.
As the engine is not as heavy as most of the prewar engine, we will have to move the wing 6 inches to the rear, the corresponding holes to fit the long bolt were already drilled in the cabane horizontal member, as shown in Mignet's book.
For static display or in case of heavier engine the wing will be placed back in the foremost position.
- 2004 August 7
Paul Fournier and Jean-Pierre Gagnon convince me to go with them to deliver and assemble the HM-8. Gerry will also try to fly to Brodhead in the same time. All a moving! We will leave Tuesday in the afternoon as soon as the plane is loaded in the truck. Jean-Pierre is in charge of doing a perfect loading and the driver considers this trip as a personal problem. Everything should be fine and we should arrive in Brodhead Wednesday afternoon. André Saint-Pierre, the president of the Louiseville flying club volunteered to go with the driver. Very delicate thought from him that we appreciate.
- 2004 August 9
A call from Jean-Pierre. They worked all day long on the HM-8, installed the windshield and prepared everything for the TV (History channel) interview tomorrow morning before leaving for the States.
- 2004 August 10
Jean-Pierre Gagnon and Paul Fournier pick me up early morning at a gas station between Louiseville and Beloeil . Our three suitcases are ready, as we are going to drive straight from Beloeil to Brodhead after the TV shooting.
The HM-8 is ready in the hangar.
Three guys of the History Channel arrive about 9:30 AM .
They make a very conscientious interview and film the HM-8 from every angle till noon .
Then we all have a drink offered by André Létourneau and eat lunch altogether.
Exactly as planned, the truck arrives at 1:00 PM. Maurice Mc Duff, the truck driver is very enthusiastic and helps us to make a perfect loading. As everything was planned in advance by Jean-Pierre Gagnon, we have no problem and the truck leaves at 3:00 PM after a last group photograph.
André Saint-Pierre, the Louiseville Club president is in the right seat.
Jean-Pierre, Paul and I leave soon after in Jean-Pierre's Focus.
- 2004 August 11.
After a good night with a snoring contest in a motel and an uneventful drive*, we arrive in Brodhead late in the evening.
* Except that Paul Fournier, who owns a small apple orchard had daringly brought with him 4 of his apples. He was solemnly explained by the customs officer that no fruit can be imported to the States without labelling and proper documents.
The trucker, on his cell phone, told us that he had to wait 3 hours, but for no special reason.
The HMS staff is waiting for us and we have a superb American dinner in the best restaurant of Brodhead. Gerry, arrived earlier in his car, is also present.
Then we go to sleep, dead tired!
- 2004 August 12
Maurice, the truck driver, had told us: "I will unload first thing in the morning". So, we all arrive at 8:00 on the airport. My God! Maurice and André Saint-Pierre are already pacing up and down, waiting for us!
The driver let the back door of the truck down. Everything is in order. We heave a sigh of relief and the HMS staff scrutinizes the inside of the truck to see "their" HM-8.
Unloading and unpacking take less than one hour. We carefully check that nothing suffered from the transport. Maurice, who was hoping to stay a few hours with us, receives a call from his boss. He has to go immediately to Chicago for an urgent load. So is the trucker's life!
We let him go with our thanks for his kindness and his professionalism.
Assembling starts. Jean-Pierre and Paul had brought their tools with them and they know exactly what they have to do. Placing the wing on the cabane, installing the strut cables, readjusting and rechecking everything takes a part of the day.
The look of the gas line installed in Beloeil being really too futurist, we remove it and replace it with a vintage looking one, which we had purchased at a hardware shop on the way to Brodhead.
While Jean-Pierre drives full speed on the runway with his car, Paul calibrates the beautiful ÉTÉVÉ (vintage speed indicator) fixed at the tip of a long pole through the car window.
Gerry installs the missing tubing needed to lubricate the valves.
No time for lunch, but HMS had thought of everything and an improvised buffet appeases our appetite.
At about 4:00 , everything is ready. Two missing parts which had been ordered a few days before from Wicks Aircraft Supplies arrive in Chicago and Jim, the editor of this diary and an officer of HMS, is kind enough to bring them to us.
We are ready for the first taxi (and, who knows, a short leap). The tank is given a last rinse and filled up.
Gerry expertly hand props the engine. Jean-Pierre is at the controls in the cockpit.
The engine starts up first time and purrs beautifully.
Ready for a fast taxi! Unfortunately, smoke comes from the exhaust and Jean-Pierre has to stop the engine. The valve lubrication is too important. Gerry lessens the oil flow by crushing the tuning, but it is not enough and a special adjustment will be needed. For today, we have to content ourselves with short taxies which nevertheless show the perfect behaviour of the plane.
Altogether this day is very satisfactory.
I am lucky enough to drive Jim's Maserati, a lifetime experience and we all have a ride on HMS's Model T Ford.
A goblet of Champagne closes this hard day of work in the most magnificent manner and, after a last look at "our" HM-8, we all leave the hangar for a good dinner and a good night of sleep.
Before we drive back home the next morning, still tired but so happy, we receive from HMS the following testimony which will stay in our memory forever:
"Many thanks for your countless hours of dedication and expert workmanship in the pursuit of our mutual dream.
Your labor of love has fostered the rebirth of an important participant in aviation history, Henri Mignet's glorious HM-8. But ours is built for the first time ever in North America !
In the years to come, many will gaze upon your creation and experience first-hand the same excitement that must have been felt by all who challenged the skies of France seventy-five years ago, armed only with their courage and determination but guided by Henri Mignet's remarkable spirit and ingenuity.
You are truly his descendants, creating a-new this beautiful Avionnette which will break the shackles of gravity and soar with its sisters over the skies of a new world, an ocean distant from its predecessors, but inseparable in spirit with them."
(Page 11 of 14)