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By: - 24th July 2013 at 18:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Museum of Berkshire Aviation on the old Woodley aerodrome have several Miles airframes and their website lists Miles survivors. http://home.comcast.net/~aero51/html/index.htm
mmitch.
By: - 24th July 2013 at 18:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
That is a very interesting website but note that the survivors list is far from exhaustive. M.18 G-AHKY survives at East Fortune; Monarch G-AFJU left last year for restoration in France, I believe; Monarch G-AFLW is stored somewhere or other in England; Magister G-AHUJ is probably still stored at Strathallan; Messenger G-AJOC is in Ulster and I think there are a few survivors abroad - Hawk Majors in Madrid and Chile, for example. I don't believe any Masters survive however:(
By: - 24th July 2013 at 18:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Peter Amos is writing a three part history of the Miles Company and it's aircraft. The first two parts "THE EARLY YEARS" and "THE WARTIME YEARS" have been published. Publisher Air Britain Publications.
Yes, Shell did operate a Miles Gemini, often flown by DB. Later replaced by Beech Travelair G-APUB.
Whitney Straight G-AERV is also an airworthy survivor. M17 Monarch G-AFRZ/G-AIDE still survives.
Just dug out a "survivors" list dating back to 2007. It shows:-
M.2 5 A/c M.3 4 A/c M.5 1 A/c
M.11 4 A/c M.12 1 A/c M.14 16 A/c
M.18 1 A/c M.28 1 A/c M.38 27 A/c (Messengers)
M.65 23 A/c (Geminis)
Planemike
By: - 24th July 2013 at 18:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Does the Chester-Miles Leopard count ???
G-BRNM photographed at the Midland Air Museum, Coventry in 2011....
Ken
By: - 24th July 2013 at 19:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It doesn't seem that many years (perhaps I am getting old!) since Miles aircraft were a major part of the UK light aircraft scene. So a supplementary question to this thread could be what happened to "recent" survivors no longer with us?
By: - 24th July 2013 at 19:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Could of sworn there is a Miles Magister in the museum of science and industry in Manchester, i had the pleasure of sitting in it while on a behind closed doors tour with my Grandad some 15/16 years ago. Trying to dig up some info on it but cant find anything...... :confused:
By: - 24th July 2013 at 21:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
My Miles Videos
By: - 25th July 2013 at 00:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Could of sworn there is a Miles Magister in the museum of science and industry in Manchester, i had the pleasure of sitting in it while on a behind closed doors tour with my Grandad some 15/16 years ago. Trying to dig up some info on it but cant find anything...... :confused:
Yes, quite correct a Magister (T9707) was on display at MOSI. The aircraft was on loan from the RAF Museum. It was returned to the RAFM and is currently with Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop.
Planemike
By: - 25th July 2013 at 07:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
In New Zealand:
Whilney Straight ZK-AUK c/n 507 ex G-AFJX in storage damaged
Messenger 4 ZK-ATT c/n 6343 ex G-AIRY in storage dismantled
Hawk Trainer III ZK-AYW c/n 779 ex L8353 G-AMMC static display at MoTAT
Gemini 1a ZK-ANT c/n 6322 static display at MoTAT
Messenger 2a c/n 6707 ex G-AKEZ restoration to airworthy
Gemini 1a c/n 6524 ex G-AKHW restoration to airworthy
Messenger 2A ZK-CMM c/n 6372 ex G-AJVL VH-BJM VH-BJH VH-ZMM airworthy
By: - 25th July 2013 at 07:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What a shame no Master exists.
It played a significan part both as a trainer and a 'station hack'
Moggy
By: - 25th July 2013 at 08:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Miles Messenger VH-AVQ still exists in Australia as part of the collection of the Moorabbin Air Museum. This machine originally belonged to Lord Richard Casey of Berwick; a former Governor General of Australia. Moorabbin also has Lord Caseys Hangar which was relocated to the Moorabbin site some 15 years ago. The ultimate aim is to reunite the Messenger with its old hangar.
By: - 25th July 2013 at 08:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just arrived in Oz, Gemini, [ATTACH=CONFIG]219144[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]219145[/ATTACH]former SE-BMG / G-AISD, soon to be VH-BMN
By: - 25th July 2013 at 13:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Some time ago, I started compiling a list of the pre-war civil Miles aircraft that had survived WWII but it's been languishing for some years and I suspect that it's incomplete and/or inaccurate. However for what it's worth, I'll attach it and I'll be grateful to anyone who can contribute additions, deletions and amendments to it.
By: - 25th July 2013 at 14:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Don't forget the flying Maggie in Argentina.
By: - 25th July 2013 at 16:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I've been told there is a Whitney Straight in the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Alberta, Canada. Can anyone confirm?
Moggy, I agree, I think the Master I is a great looking plane. Odd none have survived. Usually some trainers get saved as sport planes.
By: - 25th July 2013 at 19:39 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Mohawk was on display at Hendon, but appears to be back in storage again?
By: - 25th July 2013 at 19:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I was never quite sure what it was doing in Hendon in the first place.
By: - 25th July 2013 at 19:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I probably missed it, but has anybody mentioned the Martinet slowly being pieced back together at Woodley, recovered as a crashed civil target tug in Iceland?
By: - 25th July 2013 at 19:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
J Boyle:
The Wetaskiwin Whitney Straight was there to 2008 at least...
http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=CF-FGK&u=reg
By: - 25th July 2013 at 19:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Canadian Whitney Straight is listed (c/n 509) J Boyle, but hasn't flown in quite a few years now.
C/n 307 (G-AERV) is now airworthy
When you cross all the airframes that are no longer extant, that is a remarkably short list. :(
Posts: 9,827
By: J Boyle - 24th July 2013 at 17:23
I've finished reading my latest addition in the old Putnam series, Miles Aircraft since 1925 by Don L. Brown.
I was really impressed by the scope of their aircraft and projects, especially for a small firm. Like most younger enthusiasts, I only knew them from the Magister, Messenger and Gemini...so several of their aircraft were new to me (aside from brief coverage in books like Aircraft of the RAF since 1918, Jane's, etc).
Do many Miles aircraft survive...aside from places like Shuttleworth?
The Master I is particularly interesting and good looking, any of those left?
Also, I recall Douglas Bader flying a GA type for Shell. IIRC was that a Gemini?