This aircraft started off as a Mignet HM.14 Pou du Ciel (Flying Flea), and as such, was registered as G-ADZG (C of R 6568) on 16.12.35 with the c/no EGP/SS/56. However, the registration G-ADZG was not taken up.
In 1936, together with Frank William Broughton, Perman developed a project for a small airplane called the Perman Parasol. Instead, the basic Flying Flea airframe was heavily modified and redesigned, and the aircraft was first registered (C of R 6593) on 2.5.36 as G-ADZX to E.G. Perman & Co, Gravesend Airport, Gravesend, Kent. The aircraft was described to the Air Ministry (per the aircraft’s record card) as a “Perman Parasol”. The Perman Parasol was a single seat ultra light monoplane, designed and built by E.S. Penman & Co Ltd. of London.
It was a single-seat parasol strut-wing monoplane powered by a Perman-Ford (Perman Poupower) engine with a claimed power of 32 hp with a two-bladed wooden propeller.
One only – G-ADZX – flew for the first time 23.5.36 (at Gravesend), powered by a 30 hp Perman-Ford engine, and flown by Mr A E Clouston.
Sold on for £175 and re-registered (C of R 6593) 13.10.36 to Airworthiness Ltd., Gravesend Airpoprt, Gravesend, Kent. According to the aircraft record card, they re-named the aircraft as a “Brown Pigeon” (“formerlly called Parasol”)
On the night of 31 July 1937, fire broke out in one of the hangars at Gravesend Airport. By the time it was extinguished, no fewer than five aircraft had been destroyed or damaged beyond economic repairThese were Blackburn Bluebird G-EBRF, two Robinson Redwings, G-ABDO and G-ABOK, DH60M Moth G-AAUH — and the one and only Perman Parasol, G-ADZX.
The blaze has been described elsewhere as “a firefighting exercise”. A local newspaper reported that “an aeroplane’s petrol tank exploded in a mysterious fire”. The airfield was also known as London East.
Written off (destroyed) by or on 31.7.37 when burnt out in a hangar fire at Gravesend Airport, Gravesend, Kent. Registration G-ADZX formally cancelled by the Air Ministry 31.12.38 due to “destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft”. The aircraft record card also noted “Census 1938”, which indicates that the cancellation was as a result on the Air Ministry’s 1938 Census into all surviving British-registered civilian aircraft.
The Perman Parasol was developed into the Perman Grasshopper.
Engine: Perman-Ford, 32 hp
Wingspan: 7.80 m
Wing area: 11.60 sq.m
Length: 4.75 m
Height: 1.80 m
Empty weight: 192 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 272 kg
Maximum speed: 120 km/h
Cruise speed: 109 km/h
Range: 450 km
Crew: 1
All Aero 