Miles Mercury

Last updated

M.28 Mercury
Miles M.28 Mercury 6 Wolves 05.51.jpg
The Miles M.28 Mercury 6 at Wolverhampton (Pendeford) Airport in May 1951. This aircraft later went to Denmark.
General information
TypeTrainer & communications aircraft
Manufacturer Phillips & Powis
Designer
Ray Bournon
Statusone remains operational
Primary userprivate pilot owners
Number builtsix
History
First flight11 July 1941
Variants Miles Messenger

The Miles M.28 Mercury was a British aircraft designed to meet the need for a training and communications plane during the Second World War. It was a single-engined monoplane of wooden construction with a twin tail and a tailwheel undercarriage with retractable main units.

Contents

Development

Originally, the M.28 had been planned as a replacement for the Whitney Straight and Monarch, but this was shelved when war broke out.

In 1941, the project was revived in response to a requirement for a training and communications aircraft. The design was produced as a private venture by Ray Bournon using Miles' normal wooden construction. The resulting machine introduced several features not found on trainers: retractable undercarriage and trailing edge flaps amongst others. In the communications role, the M.28 had four seats and a range of 500 miles (800 km).

The prototype first flew on 11 July 1941 [1] and proved easy to fly, with light controls and a short landing run. Owing to Miles' heavy commitment to war-production, however, only six aircraft were built, of slightly varying specifications, the last being the Mercury 6 which first flew in early 1946. [2] Examples of the type were operated in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.

Variants

Specifications (M.28)

Data fromMiles Aircraft since 1925 [8]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Magister</span>

The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft designed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft. It was affectionately known as the Maggie. It was authorised to perform aerobatics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percival Gull</span>

The Percival Gull was a British single-engined monoplane, first flown in 1932. It was successful as a fast company transport, racing aircraft and long-range record breaker. It was developed into the Vega Gull and the Proctor.

de Havilland DH.60 Moth 1925 utility aircraft family

The de Havilland DH.60 Moth is a 1920s British two-seat touring and training aircraft that was developed into a series of aircraft by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Messenger</span>

The Miles M.38 Messenger is a British four-seat liaison and private owner aircraft built by Miles Aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foster Wikner Wicko</span>

The Foster Wikner Wicko was a 1930s British two-seat cabin monoplane built by the Foster Wikner Aircraft Company Limited at Southampton Airport, Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auster Autocrat</span>

The Auster J/1 Autocrat was a 1940s British single-engined three-seat high-wing touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auster Autocar</span> 1940s British light aircraft

The Auster J/5 Autocar was a late 1940s British single-engined four-seat high-wing touring monoplane built by Auster Aircraft Limited at Rearsby, Leicestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arrow Active</span>

The Arrow Active is a British aerobatic aircraft built in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Club Cadet</span> British biplane trainer aircraft

The Avro Club Cadet was a 1930s single-engined British biplane trainer aircraft, designed and built by Avro as a development of the earlier Cadet. It was planned for private and club use and, unlike the Cadet, was fitted with folding wings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Hawk</span> Type of aircraft

The Miles M.2 Hawk was a twin-seat light monoplane designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft Limited during the 1930s. It is the first of the company's aircraft to attain quantity production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Hawk Major</span> 1930s British monoplane

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Falcon</span> Type of aircraft

The Miles M.3 Falcon is a 1930s British three/four-seat cabin monoplane aircraft designed by Miles Aircraft Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Nighthawk</span> 1930s British civil utility aircraft

The Miles M.7 Nighthawk was a 1930s British training and communications monoplane designed by Miles Aircraft Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliotts of Newbury Eon</span> Type of aircraft

The Elliotts of Newbury EoN or Elliotts EoN A.P.4 was a 1940s British four-seat touring monoplane aircraft built by Elliotts of Newbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Gemini</span> British twin-engined four-seat touring aircraft designed and built by Miles Aircraft

The Miles M.65 Gemini was a British twin-engined four-seat touring aircraft designed and built by Miles Aircraft at Woodley Aerodrome. It was the last Miles aircraft to be produced in quantity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westland Widgeon (fixed wing)</span> Type of aircraft

The Westland Widgeon was a British light aircraft of the 1920s. A single-engined parasol monoplane, the Widgeon was built in small numbers before Westland abandoned production in 1929.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles M.18</span> Type of aircraft

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">De Bruyne Snark</span> Type of aircraft

The de Bruyne DB-2 Snark was a British experimental four-seat cabin monoplane designed by N. A de Bruyne and built by Aero Research Limited (ARL) of Cambridgeshire. It was built to test low weight, bakelite-bonded plywood, stressed skin wing and fuselage structures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auster Adventurer</span> 1940s British light aircraft

The Auster J/5 Adventurer is a British-built three-seat light high-wing monoplane of the late 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Hawk Speed Six</span> 1930s British monoplane

The Miles Hawk Speed Six was a 1930s British two-seat light monoplane, developed by Miles Aircraft from the Miles Hawk Major by fitting the longer and more powerful Gipsy Six engine and removing the forward crew member.

References

Notes

  1. Mondey 2002, p. 172.
  2. Jackson, 1974, p.271
  3. Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 474.
  4. 1 2 Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, pp. 475–476.
  5. Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 475.
  6. Mason 2010, p. 251.
  7. 1 2 Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 476.
  8. Brown 1970, pp. 195, 200

Bibliography

  • Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN   0-85177-787-2.
  • Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN   0-370-00127-3.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 - Volume 3. 1974. Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN   0-370-10014-X.
  • Jerram, Mike. "For Business And Pleasure—No. 3", Aeroplane Monthly , Vol. 14, No. 9, September 1986. pp. 474–477. ISSN   0143-7240.
  • Mason, Tim. The Secret Years: Flight Testing at Boscombe Down, 1939-1945. Crowborough, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2010. ISBN   978-1-9021-0914-5.
  • Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 2002. ISBN   1-85152-668-4.