Miles Hawk Major

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Hawk Major
Miles M.2H Hawk Major G-ACYO W.Waltham 03.06.53.jpg
Miles M.2H Hawk Major at White Waltham Airfield, near Maidenhead Berkshire, in June 1953
RoleTwo-seat touring and racing monoplane
Manufacturer Miles Aircraft Limited
Designer Frederick George Miles
First flight1934
Primary user Royal Air Force
Number built64
Developed from Miles Hawk
Variants Miles Hawk Trainer
Developed into Miles Sparrowhawk

The Miles Hawk Major was a 1930s British two-seat light monoplane, developed by Miles Aircraft from the Miles Hawk in order to take advantage of the new inverted de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. When fitted with the longer Gipsy Six in place of the forward crew member, it was known as the Miles Hawk Speed Six.

Contents

Design and development

The Hawk Major was a variant of the Miles M.2 Hawk, developed by F.G. Miles to take advantage of the new inverted de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. Other changes included metal (instead of wood) engine mounts and streamlined undercarriage. The production Hawk Major had the 130 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. The aircraft sold well to private owners, including two that were fitted with smoke generators to allow them to be used as skywriters. An improved version (the M.2H) with a trailing edge flap replaced the M.2F on the production line. A number of special one-off racing versions were also built. [1]

Operational history

The prototype M.2F Hawk Major) was first flown in 1934 and went on to second place in the 1934 King's Cup air race at an average speed of 147.78 mph.

In October 1934, Squadron Leader Malcolm Charles McGregor flew a Hawk Major from RAF Mildenhall to Melbourne, Australia in 7 days, 15 hours while competing in the MacRobertson Air Race. [2] [3]

Variants

M.2F Hawk Major
Production version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine.
M.2G Hawk Major
Three-seat cabin version, one built.
M.2H Hawk Major
Production version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine.
M.2K Hawk Major
Powered by a 105 hp Cirrus Hermes II engine, one built.
M.2M Hawk Major
Three-seat version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, two built.
M.2P Hawk Major
Dual control version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, three built.
M.2R Hawk Major de Luxe
Racing version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, two built.
M.2S
Long-range version Powered by a 150 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major engine.
M.2T
Long-range single-seater powered by 150 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major engine, two built.

Hawk Speed Six

Hawk Speed Six G-ADGP wearing race No. 96 at Leeds (Yeadon) Airport in May 1955. Miles M.2L Hawk Speed Six Yeadon 05.55.jpg
Hawk Speed Six G-ADGP wearing race No. 96 at Leeds (Yeadon) Airport in May 1955.

A racing version was developed with a 200 hp de Havilland Gipsy Six engine. To make room for the longer, six-cylinder engine the front cockpit was removed, making it a single-seater, and the rear cockpit was repositioned to retain balance. The type became known as the Miles Hawk Speed Six.

Only three were built, each tailored to the buyer's requirements, but they had a significant impact on the Golden Age of British air racing. [4]

Hawk Trainer

In 1935, an improved version for training use was developed as the Miles Hawk Trainer.

Survivors

Operators

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain

Specifications (M.2F)

Data from Miles Aircraft since 1925 [6]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related lists

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References

Notes

  1. "1936 | 2706 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 8 October 1936. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  2. "aero club | baby ruth | macpherson robertson | 1934 | 1072 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 18 October 1934. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. "lockheed vega | 1934 | 1075 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 18 October 1934. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  4. "1934 Miles Hawk Speed Six", Test Pilot Jim, 2020. (retrieved from archive April 2022).
  5. Dunnell, Brian (August 2020). "Workshop: Going the Extra Miles". Aeroplane . Vol. 48, no. 8. pp. 14–18. ISSN   0143-7240.
  6. Brown 1970, p. 73
  7. Jackson 1988, p. 53

Bibliography