| B.218 / B.242 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Light transport monoplane |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Beagle Aircraft Limited |
| First flight | 19 August 1962 |
| Status | Destroyed |
| Produced | 1961-1962 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Beagle B.218X (also known as the Beagle-Miles M.218) was a 1960s British four-seat twin-engined light transport monoplane built by Beagle Aircraft Limited at Shoreham Airport.[1][2] The prototype was modified into the Beagle B.242X but neither variant entered production.[1][2]
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Before it became part of Beagle Miles Aircraft had looked at producing a replacement for the Miles Messenger and Gemini.[1] Three twin-engined low-wing monoplane designs were considered, the fixed landing gear Miles 114 in two and four-seat versions and the retractable landing gear four-seat Miles 115.[1] When Beagle was formed it was decided to build a prototype of the Miles 115 design designated the Beagle-Miles M.218, it was also decided to build a prototype of the Miles 114 as the M.117 but in the end it was not built.[1]
The M.218 was of plastic construction and was a powered by two 145 hp (108 kW) Rolls Royce Continental O-300 piston engines and had a retractable tricycle landing gear.[1] Construction started at the end of 1961 and it made its first flight at Shoreham on 19 August 1962.[1] Registered G-ASCX[3] it was displayed at the 1962 Farnborough Air Show priced at £9,800, it did create interest from customers although they had a preference for metal built aircraft rather than the plastic M.218.[1]
The production aircraft were to be named Martlet but the company did not have the money to put it into production and it was withdrawn in 1963 for modification.[1] A lot of the plastic parts were changed to metal and more powerful 195 hp (145 kW) IO-360 engines were fitted.[1] Now re-registered G-ASTX[4] it reflew again on the 27 August 1963 and was re-designated the Beagle B.242.[1] The aircraft was issued with a certificate of airworthiness on 18 June 1965 but the company was busy with the production of the twin-engined Beagle B.206 and single-engined Beagle Pup and could not afford to further develop the type or put it into production.[1] The aircraft was withdrawn from use in 1966 and subsequently destroyed in a fire in August 1969.[1]
Data from [2]British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1
General characteristics
Performance
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