Anyone might think that having achieved his ambition, Alan would call it a day on home-building an aircraft from scratch. Well, despite the enjoyment of flying his own creation, time began to hang heavy in between times. He was missing the joy of using his hands creatively. So, having an empty workshop and having amassed a great deal of experience, Alan decided to go one better and sent for the plans for a Jodel D.140E Mousquetaire. This is an altogether much bigger and beefier aircraft than the Mascaret. In fact, it is the biggest Jodel that you can get your hands on, provided you could that is, and it offers a truly amazing combination of load lifting, range, spacious comfort, vice-less handling, slow landing characteristics and short field performance. Its lifting capacity is really impressive and can take five adults, their luggage and a more than useful amount of fuel aloft. In short, it is an iconic aircraft. It is

worth looking back at this point into the design origins of the D.140E. The Jodel D.11 'Club' was a two-seat trainer built at the behest of the French Government in 1948, to re-equip French flying clubs, and proved to be a great success. Production was undertaken by French entrepreneur Lucien Querey, who founded the company Société Aeronautique Normande (SAN) at a small grass airfield near to the Normandy town of Bernay. At this time Jean Delemontez had been appointed as the technical consultant to SAN; when Querey, at the Bernay factory, was invited by the French Government to submit a tender for a much larger aeroplane, Delemontez was automatically consulted. He rejected the original specification as being much too complicated, as it required the extensive use of metal, a 260 hp Potez engine and a retractable undercarriage. He felt that these features would make it far too heavy to be an effective performer.

Edouard Joly & Jean Délémontez

The first D140 Mousquetaire

He persuaded the Government to allow him a free hand by promising the performance they desired without the power, weight and cost penalties they had originally proposed. His alternative design was basically a scaled up D.117, to produce an aircraft that could carry five adults, their baggage and a huge amount of fuel and powered by the reliable 180 hp Lycoming 0-360. Since it was Delemontez’ fourteenth design, it was designated as the D.140A by SAN. The prototype was first flown by Lucien Querey himself, in July 1958 and the name ‘Mousquetaire’ was chosen. Following a disastrous fire that raged through the small factory and the death of Query, as the result of a massive heart attack, early in December 1959, production did not resume until later in the month, with the refined ‘B’ model. The much-improved ‘C’ model flew in 1963 and featured Frise ailerons, bigger flaps and a completely redesigned and enlarged swept fin and rudder.

This model was the most prolific version in numerical terms, with seventy being produced.The final version was the D.140E, which offered many further refinements, including the replacement of the fixed tailplane and elevator with an all-flying tailplane. Forty-three examples were built, which included eighteen for the Armée de l’Air, which service used them for basic pilot and navigation training, as glider tugs, communications and - slightly modified, for ‘casevac’ from the battlefield during the Algerian campaign. This latter arrangement worked so well that civilian operators adapted them in similar fashion, fitted with skis for use at ski resorts. The Armée de l’Air, as yet, has found no suitable replacement for this versatile aeroplane and as a result the Mousquetaire is a highly cherished and sought after aeroplane in mainland Europe and few come up for sale - and then only rarely the ‘E’ model.

Fuselage under construction

A work of art

At last .....

This then, is the aeroplane Alan decided to build from scratch in 1997, using plans he obtained from Avions Jodel. His previous experience of building a Jodel was invaluable in undertaking this project, as many of the problems he’d wrestled with and resolved last time, allowed for a speedier construction period for this aeroplane. However, despite his earlier experience, he also realised that he was still in for a long haul with this project. Having constructed the fuselage up to the firewall, his workshop had to be increased in size again to accommodate the wing structure. In fact the sheer size of this aeroplane took Alan by surprise, it has a wingspan of 33’ 7” and a length of 25’ 8”; and stands at 6’ 9” in height. Although he was mentally prepared, following study of the plans, the physical size came as somewhat of a shock, especially when it came to construction and assembly in an already tight space. Having seen construction in Alan’s workshop, I can vouch that it’s an ultra tight fit with only millimetres to spare. The engine, a 180 hp Lycoming 0-360 (acquired almost ‘bare’ but with a starter, carburettor and magneto), was fitted in 2006 on engine mounts of Alan's own making. The exhaust was fabricated manually (this was actually the part Alan started the process with in 1997). It was a complicated task; hand-crafted jabroc dies were used as formers for pressing out the stainless steel components, which were then welded together by a specialist.
The wiring was fitted in 2008 and the wing and fuel tanks were joined to the fuselage in early 2009.

The last major job was the fitting of the control cables in the Spring of this year - last, because the cables pass through the fuel tank. He was looking for completion in September/October 2008, but is not disappointed that things are nearly a year behind. As Alan says, “Nothing is certain - I’ve learned through experience to expect the unexpected.” The aeroplane is now complete and was weighed for C of G calculations early in July.
After a minor adjustment to the propeller (carefully crafted spacers required) the engine was started up on Thursday 23rd July. After ten years' work it was a tense moment for Alan - he had already had to clear an air-lock in the fuel system, but after just two compression strokes, the engine roared into life, as sweet as a nut! The grin on Alan's face said it all - relief, elation, triumph ..... what an end to the job - ten years' patient and dogged persistence was rewarded as she fired first time and ran as smooth as a ..... well, a smoothly-running engine. Marvellous!

At the end of July, full-power taxi tests have been carried out, and during one of these, the D.140 became briefly airborne and then settled back down with a firm bump. This activated the suspension units which exposed a minor issue with brake pipes. This has now been rectified - the first adjustments of the shake-down. There are now further fine adjustments to be made and then the next stage of course will be the maiden flight - watch this space. At the moment, reams of paperwork are to be wrestled with, but the time is close at hand!

Wing spar under construction

Tried for size ....

Wing under construction

Into the shoebox ...