The Royal Enfield WD/RE, known as the Flying Flea, was a lightweight British motorcycle developed for the British War Office to carry messages between airborne and assault troops where radio communication was not in place, small enough to be dropped by parachute or carried in gliders. It grew from a 125 cc two-stroke civilian model that Ted Pardoe designed after the German government stopped supplies of the DKW RT100 to the Dutch importer in 1938. The War Office ordered twenty for testing in early 1942 and production began in December 1942 at the Calton Hill factory in Edinburgh, with folding handlebars, a folding kick-start and folding footrests so that it packed small. It could run on any petrol. After the war surplus machines were repainted for civilian use and a civilian RE 125 followed, and in 2024 Royal Enfield revived the Flying Flea name for a range of lightweight electric motorcycles.
Facts
Engine Class Engine125 cc two-stroke engine 1 Connections
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Source Royal Enfield WD/RE (Wikipedia)
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Source Royal Enfield WD/RE (Wikipedia)
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was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office
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was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office
Sources
1. Royal Enfield WD/RE (Wikipedia)
Development, production start
In December 1942, production began at Royal Enfield's Calton Hill factory in Edinburgh.
Development, fuel
The WD/RE could run on any petrol, and its light weight meant that soldiers could carry it over otherwise impassable terrain.
Development, 125 cc engine
Royal Enfield's replacement for the RT100 was designed by Ted Pardoe, who enlarged the engine to 125cc.
Development, two-stroke
Using a less sophisticated but increased-capacity two-stroke engine in the same frame
Post war, military service
A few military Royal Enfield WD/RE motorcycles remained in limited military use until the end of the 1940s.
Lead, manufacturer
was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office
Lead, country
was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office
Of Make: Royal Enfield, Lead, make
was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office
In Group: Classic British Motorcycles, Lead, group
was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office
Exemplifies: Motorcycle Transport, Lead, mode
was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office
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