Summer 2006 Edi Skinning, We Have Now Moved on to the Pellers Were to Have Been Driven Through Tion of the MBA Newsletter
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sites continue to grow thanks to web mas no existing engine of the necessary spe ter Trevor. cification to fulfil this requirement, it was decided that Phillips and Powis Aircraft Engineering Report Ltd would build special engines 'to suit (Geoff Etridge) the job.' The use of such engines would We have been kept busy during the last not, of course, be confined to the X.9, but six months getting on with our existing would also fulfil a long felt need. They projects also some other things that we were planned to be of approximately the have had to cope with. same power and weight as the 1,740 hp Rolls-Royce Griffon II, but they were to Firstly the miles martinet: we have now have the cylinders arranged in two banks, covered the wing leading edges, also the horizontally opposed, with direct injec chaps have finished applying the wing re- tion and compression ignition. The pro Welcome to Summer 2006 edi skinning, we have now moved on to the pellers were to have been driven through tion of the MBA Newsletter. trailing edge flap reconstruction. This is extension shafts. very complex because they have got some Editorial. very weird curves, so it is proving quite So, in early 1942, George Miles, who (Brian Lloyd) hard to do them again. The next thing is had always been interested in aero-en the aileron drive system, of which there is gines, together with a small team, set out We thank all members who kindly nothing left, so we are having to remake to design a six cylinder horizontally op provide us with cover during our opening the whole of it from scratch. The engine posed engine. The design was under hours. New faces are very welcome so if bulkhead and bearer frame is now com taken in the dispersed drawing office at you can spare a few hours of your time plete. The aeroplane is now painted silver Binfield Manor and I recently had the during the year please contact our good as it was during its time in Icelandic ser good fortune to be introduced to Mi friend and organiser, John Bold on 0118 vice. chael S. Wooding, one of the design 969 4582. team engaged on the project. The Fairey Gannet wing tips are now re Later in this edition you will find an art moved to allow us to eventually move it Michael told me that the team was led icle written by Mr. Ken Wells. We thank for the fencing to be started, ready for the by Arthur Ham, who had previously Ken for this informative item. Many read start of the hangar extension to get under been an expert on the design of ticket ers will be familiar with some of the way. We intend to re-fold the wings after machines. Four draughtsmen were in achievements of F.G. Miles. Ken worked refitting the wingtips. volved in the project, including Sid for Miles at Shoreham for many years. Porter, who had been an illustrator for This article clearly illustrates the diversity The Miles Student is still ticking along 'Autocar' and whose artist's impressions and ingenuity of the Miles organisation nicely; the lads managed to produce an of Miles aircraft appeared in many which will remain for ever as an import English Wheel to roll the new curved works publications. Michael was re ant part of aviation history. skinning for the nose section. sponsible for the camshaft, tappets and Chairman’s Report The mini-link trainer is now operating valve gear and each of the team had a (Ken Fostekew) O.K and we will put it to good use at the portion of the engine to produce. Mi Woodley carnival. chael also recalled that he was respons We are pleased to announce that Mr. John ible for installing the completed engine Fairey has accepted our invitation to be a Thanks to everybody for their efforts dur for test on a dynamometer, in what was Patron of the Museum. This we very ing the winter months. laughingly called a test house, which much appreciate and look forward to his The Shop was, in reality a small shed on the side wise counsel from time to time. of the airfield adjacent to the gravel (Margaret Etridge) pits! He also confirmed that the date of Publicity Report Hopefully we will be able to make a good the first engine runs was May 1942, as (Brian Lloyd) day of sales at the Woodley carnival; he remembers having a grandstand view Recently things have been fairly quiet on there are some bargains to be had as we of George Miles trying to fly the M.35 the publicity and press front. Information are reducing the prices on some of the Libellula at the time. stock about the Museum has been published in A Ministry, Confidential 'Miles Aircraft some publications where they make no Ltd - Second Report - Aircraft -ii', dated charge. Whenever an occasion arises The Miles Engine (Peter Amos) 30th May 1945 (Ref: BT28/1195, repro members are asked to publicise the Mu duced at Appendix No.4), stated under seum, as we very much rely upon word of In 1942, Miles proposed that the design Appendix 5 - 'Unofficial development mouth. Should any member have any of the engines for the Miles M.26 X.9 work, initiated by the firm without any publicity ideas or a publicity opportunity Transport be laid down in conjunctionI known official recognition' (!), dated please contact Brian Lloyd so that the with the design of the aircraft. A great 30th May 1945, stated in Appendix 5 idea can be developed deal of attention had been paid to the (3) (m) 'Engine Development' that: 'Re There is a slight change to our web ad aerodynamic efficiency in the layout of ports have come to hand that this firm is dress which is published on the back the aircraft, which envisaged the engines developing a 6 cylinder aero engine, as page. Exchange of links with other “like” buried in the wing. However, as there was a private venture'. This is the first (and Museum of Berkshire Aviation Newsletter – Summer 2006 only?) recorded reference to a six cylin Not so great escape F G Miles was one of the last of the sec der aero engine being under develop ond generation of British aviation pio ment at Miles Aircraft. We all know the one about ‘the one that neers, having been responsible for many got away’ - Franz von Werra who es successful light aircraft in the 1930s, in The development of such an engine caped from England to Germany in cluding several King's Cup race winners, would have given the firm independence WWII. The book and film about the es and Miles Magister and Master trainers in from the only two main engine suppli cape are well known. WW2. He had tried to move into larger ers, one of whom, de Havilland Aircraft, aircraft at the end of the war, and built were also producing their own light How many know about the two German one aircraft, the Miles Marathon to the transport - the D.H.104 Dove - powered pilots that tried to escape in 1941 back to specifications of the Brabazon committee. by their Gipsy Queen engine, the only Germany from RAF Kingstown, Carlisle, As with most of the Brabazon commit other suitable aircraft engine available at in a stolen aircraft? The story was related tee's requirements the aircraft was not the time. Not unnaturally, any priority to me by John Gibson, ex-RAF Lanark competitive against American designs for the supply of this engine would have shire. As a flying instructor at RAF and the original Miles Aircraft based at been given to the Dove. Kingstown, one lunchtime he had parked his dual control Miles Magister training Woodley near Reading failed in 1949. Nothing further is known about the aircraft on the taxi track for refuelling. The new company F G Miles Ltd was Miles engine or even what became of it. When he returned from a bite to eat at the started at Shoreham using existing build However, it is of interest to note that NAAFI, his aircraft was missing. He ings and gradually expanded to fill most two Phillips and Powis/Miles Aircraft asked around and ascertained that it had of the buildings on the site Ltd photographs (unfortunately, untitled not been put into a hangar. Further en F G Miles was also very good at finding and undated) show an eight-cylinder quiries revealed that a mechanic had start markets for new products before the big horizontally-opposed, water-cooled en ed it up for two pupils who then taxied companies had realised the markets exist gine and its component parts. Nothing out and took off. ed, and at various times manufactured is known about this engine but the pho John Gibson said there were Polish pupils glass fibre transparent roof sheeting, glass tographs were sent to George Miles by on the flying course, which could explain fibre speed boats and yacht instruments, Julian Temple in 1985 in the hope that why they were allowed to do this, even leaving the market when competition he might have been able to recall though two escaped Luftwaffe officers built up. The Drawing office was an old whether this was a Miles engine devel had walked straight in through the main garage with transparent roof sheeting, but opment or not. George returned the gate. very few windows. Heated by paraffin photograph with the comment: 'I have stoves in the middle of the office.