Miles M.18

Miles M.18

Picture - The Miles M.18 Mark 2 wearing racing No. 39 at Leeds (Yeadon) Airport in May 1956

Role: civil utility aircraft
National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Miles Aircraft
Designed by: W. Capley
First flight: 4 December 1938
Introduced: 1938
Retired: 1989
Status: 1 preserved
Primary user: Miles Aircraft and private owners
Number built: 3

The Miles M.18 was a single-engine twin-seat low-winged light British civil utility aircraft of the 1930s.

Development

The Miles M.18 was a series of three single prototype aircraft, each differing slightly from each other.

Variants

The M.18 Mk.1 was a two-seat tandem training aircraft, powered by a 130 h.p. de Havilland Gipsy Major which was first flown on 4 December 1938 from Woodley Aerodrome near Reading by F.G. Miles. The sole example G-AFRO was converted to a single seater in 1941, with a fixed tricycle undercarriage and with the fin and rudder moved forward by 22 in. It later reverted to a tail wheel undercarriage layout and flew during 1946-1947 with its span reduced from 31 ft 0 in to 22 ft 0 in and a 110 h.p. Jameson FF engine was installed. It was scrapped in December 1947.

The M.18 Mk.2 had the fin and rudder moved forward by 22 in and was fitted with a 150 h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Major III. The sole example first flew at Woodley in November 1939. It was evaluated by the Air Ministry and was used through the Second World War as a communications aircraft by Miles Aircraft. It was civilianised as G-AHKY and won the Goodyear Trophy air race in 1956 at 130 mph and the Kings Cup Air Race in 1961 at 142 mph. After ownership by several private pilots, it was retired in 1989 and from 1996 to date, the aircraft has been on display at the National Museum of Flight in Scotland.

The M.18 Mk.3 was fitted with enclosed tandem cockpits and powered by one 150 h.p. Blackburn Cirrus III. The sole aircraft first flew at Woodley in October 1942. It was used by Miles for wartime communications, before civil sale as G-AHOA in 1946. It had two private owners before crashing at Littondale, Yorkshire on 25 May 1950.

Specifications (M.18 Mk.2)

Picture - The Miles M.18 Mk.3 at Wolverhampton (Pendeford) Airport in 1950

Data from Jackson, 1974

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 1 passenger
Length: 24 ft 10 in ( m)
Wingspan: 31 ft 0 in ( m)
Empty weight: 1,36 lb ( kg)
Gross weight: 1,925 lb ( kg)
Powerplant: 1 x— Blackburn Cirrus Major III, 150 hp ( kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 142 mph ( km/h)
Cruise speed: 120 mph ( km/h)

Bibliography

Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919. Putnam & Co Ltd. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.

Miles M.18 Pictures and Miles M.18 for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia