Miles Mercury

M.28 Mercury
The Miles M.28 Mercury 6 at Wolverhampton (Pendeford) Airport in May 1951. This aircraft later went to Denmark.
Role Trainer & communications aircraft
Manufacturer Phillips & Powis
Designer Ray Bournon
First flight 11 July 1941
Status one remains operational
Primary user private pilot owners
Number built six

The Miles M.28 Mercury was a British aircraft designed to meet the need for a training and communications plane during the Second World War. It was a single-engined monoplane of wooden construction with a twin tail and a tailwheel undercarriage with retractable main units.

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 and 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 of the type were operated in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.

Variants

  • M.28 Mark I: First prototype – Two seat trainer, powered by 130 hp (97 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major I engine.[3]
  • M.28 Mark II: Three seat trainer (with dual controls) powered by 140 hp (100 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major IIA. One built 1942. Re-engined with 140 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major II and then with a 150 hp (110 kW) Cirrus Major III post-war.[4]
  • M.28 Mark III: Three seat trainer with triple controls for two students and one instructor, powered by 150 hp Cirrus Major 3 and with revised wing section. One built (PW937).[5][6]
  • M.28 Mark IV: Four seat communications aircraft powered by 145 hp (108 kW) Gipsy Major IIA. One built 1944.[4]
  • M.28 Mark V: Post-war four-seater powered by Cirrus Major III. Square rear windows. One built 1947.[7]
  • M.28 Mark VI: Post war four-seater powered by Cirrus Major III. Round rear windows. One built 1946.[7]

Specifications (M.28)

Data from The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Mondey 2002, p. 172.
  2. ↑ Jackson, 1974, p.271
  3. ↑ Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 474.
  4. 1 2 Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, pp. 475–476.
  5. ↑ Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 475.
  6. ↑ Mason 2010, p. 251.
  7. 1 2 Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 476.
  8. ↑ Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 477.

Bibliography

  • Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-2.
  • Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-370-00127-3.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 - Volume 3. 1974. Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
  • Jerram, Mike. "For Business And Pleasure—No. 3", Aeroplane Monthly, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 1986. pp. 474–477. ISSN 0143-7240.
  • Mason, Tim. The Secret Years: Flight Testing at Boscombe Down, 1939-1945. Crowborough, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2010. ISBN 978-1-9021-0914-5.
  • Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 2002. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.
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