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 |
[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 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.
[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
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 (15.1 m²)
- 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] See also
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Mondey 2002, p. 172.
[edit] Bibliography
- Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0.
- Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-37000-127-3.
- Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 2002. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.
[edit] External links
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