- Miles Mercury
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M.28 Mercury The Miles M.28 Mercury 6 at Wolverhampton (Pendeford) Airport in May 1951 Role Trainer & communications aircraft Manufacturer Phillips & Powis Designer Ray Bournon First 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
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 (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 were operated in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.
Variants
- No.1 – 130 hp (97 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major I
- No.2 - 140 hp (100 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major IIA (later 150 hp (110 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Major III)
- No.2 - 145 hp (108 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major IIA
- all others 150 hp (110 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Major III
Specifications (M.28)
Data from The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 2/3 passengers
- 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)
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
Notes
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.
- Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 - Volume 3. 1974. Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-10014-x
- Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 2002. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.
External links
Miles aircraft Southern Martlet · M.1 Satyr · M.2 Hawk · M.2 Hawk Major · M.2 Hawk Speed Six · M.2 Hawk Trainer · M.3A Falcon Major · M.3B Falcon Six · M.4 Merlin · M.5 Sparrowhawk · M.6 Hawcon · M.7 Nighthawk · M.8 Peregrine · M.9 Kestrel · M.9A Master I · M.11 Whitney Straight · M.12 Mohawk · M.13 Hobby · M.14 Magister · M.15 T.1/37 · M.16 Mentor · M.17 Monarch · M.18 · M.19 Master II · M.20 · M.24 Master Fighter · M.25 Martinet · M.26 · M.27 Master III · M.28 Mercury · M.30 X Minor · M.33 Monitor · M.35 Libellula · M.37 Martinet Trainer · M.38 Messenger · M.39 Libellula · M.50 Queen Martinet · M.52 · M.57 Aerovan · M.60 Marathon I · M.65 Gemini · M.68 Boxcar · M.69 Marathon II · M.71 Merchantman · M.75 Aries · M.76 · M.77 Sparrowjet · M.100 Student · M.105 · M.115
Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- British military trainer aircraft 1940–1949
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- British civil utility aircraft 1940–1949
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