Miles Mercury

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M.28 Mercury
Type	Trainer or communications aircraft
Manufacturer	Phillips & Powis
Designed by	Ray Bournon
Maiden flight	11 July 1941
Number built	6

The Miles M.28 Mercury was a British aircraft designed for either training or communications during the Second World War. It was a single-engine, monoplane of wooden construction with a twin tail and a tailwheel undercarriage with retractable main units.

Contents 1 Development 2 Variants 3 Aircraft markings 4 Specifications (M.28) 5 References 6 External links 7 Related content

[edit] 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, trailing edge flaps amongst others. In the communications role, the M.28 had four seats and a range of 500 miles.

The prototype first flew on 11 July 1942 ^[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.

[edit] Variants

• No.1 – 130-hp de Havilland Gipsy Major I
• No.2 - 140-hp de Havilland Gipsy Major IIA (later 150-hp Blackburn Cirrus Major III)
• No.2 - 145-hp de Havilland Gipsy Major IIA
• all others 150-hp Blackburn Cirrus Major III

[edit] Aircraft markings

[edit] Specifications (M.28)

Data from The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2-4 seats
• Length: 24 ft (7.32 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 8 in (9.35 m)
• Height: ft in (m)
• Wing area: 162 ft² (15.05 nm²)
• Empty weight: 1,658 lb (752 kg)
• Loaded weight: lb (kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,500 lb (1,134 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Blackburn Cirrus Major III inline, 150 hp (112 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 138 knots (159 mph, 256 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 132 knots (152 mph, 245 km/h)
• Range: 355 nm (408 mi, 657 km)
• Service ceiling: ft (m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
• Power/mass: hp/lb (W/kg)

Armament

none

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Mondey, David (1994). The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. Chancellor Press. ISBN 1 85152 668 4. 

[edit] External links

[edit] Related content

Comparable aircraft

• Bücker Bü 181
• Percival Proctor