Miles Aircraft Ltd stands as one of British aviation's most innovative and prolific manufacturers, producing everything from elegant touring aircraft to advanced military trainers, experimental supersonic designs, and pioneering transport aircraft. Founded by Frederick George Miles and his wife Maxine "Blossom" Miles, the company became renowned for rapid design and production, creative engineering solutions, and a willingness to explore unconventional concepts.
Early Designs and the Martlet Series (1929-1931)
Miles Aircraft's origins trace back to the late 1920s with a series of experimental designs:
- Southern Martlet (1929) – 6 built – Early light aircraft design
- Metal Martlet (1930) – 1 built – Metal construction variant
- Falcon Four (1931) – Light cabin twin with two Cirrus Hermes engines in overwing pusher configuration
The Hawk Family: Establishing a Reputation (1932-1937)
The Hawk series established Miles as a serious manufacturer of light aircraft and trainers:
M.1 Satyr (1932)
- 1 built – Early experimental design
M.2 Hawk (1933)
- 55 built – Two-seat light monoplane that proved the viability of the Miles design philosophy
M.2F-T Hawk Major (1934)
- 64 built – Hawk successor with de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, offering improved performance
M.2E, L, U Hawk Speed Six (1934)
- 3 built – Racing version of Hawk Major with de Havilland Gipsy Six engine
M.2W, X, Y Hawk Trainer
- 25 built – Two-seat touring and racing monoplane variant
Falcon and Early Touring Aircraft (1934-1937)
Miles expanded their range with larger and more capable touring aircraft:
- M.3A Falcon Major (1934) – 19 built
- M.3B Falcon Six (1935) – 17 built
- M.3E Gillette Falcon (1944) – 1 modified M.3B used for research related to the supersonic M.52 project
- M.4 Merlin (1935) – 4 built
- M.5 Sparrowhawk (1935) – 5 built
- M.6 Hawcon (1935) – 1 built
- M.7 Nighthawk (1935) – 6 built
- M.8 Peregrine (1936) – 2 built
- M.9 Kestrel (1937) – 1 built
The Master Series: Advanced Military Trainers (1939-1940)
Miles Aircraft achieved major success with the Master series of advanced trainers, which became crucial to RAF pilot training during World War II:
M.9A Master I (1939)
- 900 built – Advanced trainer that formed the backbone of RAF advanced training
M.19 Master II (1939)
- 1,699 built – The most numerous variant, featuring improved performance
M.27 Master III (1940)
- 602 built – Further development of the successful Master design
Pre-War Civil Aircraft (1936-1938)
Alongside military contracts, Miles continued developing civil aircraft:
- M.11 Whitney Straight (1936) – 50 built
- M.11C – 1 built – Special variant
- M.12 Mohawk (1937) – 1 built
- M.13 Hobby (1937) – 1 built
- M.16 Mentor (1938) – 45 built – Three-seat training and communications monoplane
- M.17 Monarch (1938) – 11 built
- M.18 (1938) – 3 built
The Magister: Basic Training Legend (1937)
M.14 Magister (1937)
- 1,293 built – Basic military trainer that became one of the RAF's primary elementary trainers
M.14 Hawk Trainer III (1937)
- 52 built – Magister variant for civil and export sales
Wartime Development and Emergency Designs (1939-1944)
World War II saw Miles Aircraft respond rapidly to urgent military requirements:
Fighter and Combat Aircraft Projects
- M.15 (1939) – 2 built – Air Ministry Specification T.1/37
- M.20/2 (1940) – 2 built – Prototype low-cost emergency fighter design
- M.22A – Design only – Turret-equipped night-fighter to F.18/40 specification
- M.24 Master Fighter (1940) – 26 built – Emergency conversion of trainer design to fighter role
M.25 Martinet (1943)
- 1,724 built – Highly successful target tug that served throughout the war and beyond
M.50 Queen Martinet (1944)
- 65 built – Unmanned target drone version of the Martinet
M.33 Monitor (1944)
- 22 built – Twin-engined target tug
Experimental and Research Aircraft (1941-1944)
Miles Aircraft was known for exploring unconventional designs and advanced concepts:
Tandem-Wing Libellula Series
- M.35 Libellula (1942) – 1 built – Tandem-wing fighter design demonstrator
- M.39B Libellula (1943) – 1 built – Scale aircraft of tandem-wing M.39 fast bomber design
Ground Attack Aircraft Designs
- M.42 and M.43 – Not built – Designs tendered for "Army Direct Support Aircraft" (ground attack). Both tandem wing, one with twin Merlin, other with single Griffon engine
- M.44 – Not built – Conventional design with twin Merlins for the ground attack specification
Communications and Liaison Aircraft
- M.28 Mercury (1941) – 6 built – Training or communications aircraft
- M.38 Messenger (1942) – 80 built – Liaison and private owner aircraft
- M.48 Messenger 3 (1945) – 1 built – Messenger development
Post-War Civil Aviation (1945-1949)
After the war, Miles Aircraft pivoted to civil aviation with innovative transport and private aircraft designs:
Transport Aircraft
- M.26 "X" – Not built – Planned 55-seat trans-Atlantic airliner
- M.30 X Minor (1942) – 1 built – Small-scale prototype for Miles X airline design
- M.57 Aerovan (1945) – 48 built – STOL transport with distinctive high-wing design
- M.68 Boxcar (1947) – 1 built – Transport with detachable cargo container concept
- M.71 Merchantman (1947) – 1 built – 4-engined development of Aerovan layout
M.60 Marathon I (1945)
- 42 built – Civil airliner design that would eventually become the Handley Page Marathon
M.69 Marathon II (1949)
- 1 built – Mamba turboprop powered project
Light Aircraft
- M.37 Martinet Trainer (1946) – 2 built – Two-seat trainer
- M.64 L.R.5 (1945) – 1 built – Single-engined two-seat light aircraft
- M.65 Gemini (1945) – 170 built – Popular private small aircraft
- M.75 Aries (1951) – 2 built – Development of Gemini with more powerful engines
The M.52: Britain's Supersonic Dream (1946)
M.52 (1946)
- Design only – Revolutionary supersonic research aircraft design that was cancelled before completion, despite being one of the most advanced aircraft projects of its era
Late Designs and Experimental Projects (1951-1957)
Miles Aircraft continued to innovate in the 1950s with specialized designs:
- M.63B – Not built – Tandem-wing jet mailplane
- M.76 (1953) – 1 built – Development of 2-seat glider for the British Gliding Association
- M.77 Sparrowjet (1953) – 1 built – Jet conversion of M.5 Sparrowhawk
- M.100 Student (1957) – 1 built – Single-engined two-seat jet trainer
- M.105 H.D.M.105 (1957) – 1 built – Aerovan conversion with Hurel Dubois wing
Legacy and Impact
Miles Aircraft Ltd produced over 7,000 aircraft during its existence, making it one of Britain's most prolific manufacturers. The company was particularly noted for:
- Rapid design and production – Miles could design, build, and fly prototypes faster than almost any contemporary manufacturer
- Training aircraft excellence – The Magister and Master series trained thousands of RAF pilots during World War II
- Innovative thinking – From tandem-wing designs to supersonic research, Miles was never afraid to explore unconventional concepts
- Versatility – The company successfully produced everything from light touring aircraft to military trainers, target tugs, and transport aircraft
The Magister and Master trainers remain particularly significant, having played crucial roles in preparing pilots for combat during World War II. The cancelled M.52 supersonic project represented Britain's lost opportunity to lead the world into the supersonic age, with many of its innovations later appearing in successful American designs.
Today, several Miles aircraft remain airworthy and are cherished by enthusiasts, particularly the Gemini, Messenger, and various Hawk variants, serving as testaments to the company's engineering excellence and innovative spirit.
For comprehensive technical documentation, manuals, and historical materials related to Miles Aircraft designs, explore our extensive collection at Online Aviation Library.