1942 Royal Enfield 125cc - a photo on Flickriver

1942 Royal Enfield 125cc

            Royal Enfield's best, known military machine was the little two-stroke supplied for airborne forces' use and fondly called the 'Flying Flea'. It was based on the RE125 model, launched shortly before World War Two. The Redditch factory built the machine for a Jewish-owned Rotterdam company which had lost its DKW concession and wanted a substitute for a DKW's 100cc RT 3PS model that sold well in Holland. The ready-made design was produced in military guise from 1942 to 1944 and mainly used by paratroops. It was enclosed in a tubular steel frame, also made by Enfield, and dropped out of aircraft with a parachute attached. On the ground a soldier could release it from the frame and be on the move within minutes. One of the light machine's virtues was that it could be picked up and carried over obstacles.

Very similar to the DKW, the Enfield shares its inclined cylinder, hand-change three-speed gearbox, right-side kickstart and girder fork front suspension with rubber bands for springing. Approximately 8,000 units were made during the war, comprising almost a fifth of the company's military output.

When hostilities ended, Royal Enfield resumed making the 125cc single for civilian use. Starting as the RE model of 1945, it evolved into the 1951 RE2 with foot-change and telescopic fork and the 150cc Ensign with rear suspension sold from 1953 to 1955.

This 1942 125cc Royal Enfield WD/RE C15797 was seen at the National Motorcycle Museum near Birmingham Airport on 10th January 2025.

Taken on: January 10, 2025

Tags:

C-15797

1942

WD/RE

motorcycle

motobike

Britain

British

Redditch

World

War

Two

Second

Flying Flea

military

National Motorcycle Museum

classic « less

Sets appears in: • Classic vehicles

Groups appears in: • Motorcycles • Classic/collectable cars and motorcycles more » • Very rare cars and motorcycles • Classic Motorcycles UK • Motorbikes / Motorcycles - OPEN TO ALL / Moto di ogni tipo • Vintage Motorbikes (motorcycles) • CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES • British Motorcycles « less

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