Miles Hawk Major - Misplaced Pages

1930s British monoplane

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Hawk Major

Miles M.2H Hawk Major at White Waltham Airfield, near Maidenhead Berkshire, in June 1953
Role	Two-seat touring and racing monoplaneType of aircraft
Manufacturer	Miles Aircraft Limited
Designer	Frederick George Miles
First flight	1934
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	64
Developed from	Miles Hawk
Variants	Miles Hawk Trainer
Developed into	Miles Sparrowhawk

The Miles Hawk Major was a 1930s British two-seat light monoplane, developed by Miles Aircraft from the Miles Hawk in order to take advantage of the new inverted de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. When fitted with the longer Gipsy Six in place of the forward crew member, it was known as the Miles Hawk Speed Six.

Design and development

The Hawk Major was a variant of the Miles M.2 Hawk, developed by F.G. Miles to take advantage of the new inverted de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. Other changes included metal (instead of wood) engine mounts and streamlined undercarriage. The production Hawk Major had the 130 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. The aircraft sold well to private owners, including two that were fitted with smoke generators to allow them to be used as skywriters. An improved version (the M.2H) with a trailing edge flap replaced the M.2F on the production line. A number of special one-off racing versions were also built.

Operational history

The prototype M.2F Hawk Major) was first flown in 1934 and went on to second place in the 1934 King's Cup air race at an average speed of 147.78 mph.

In October 1934, Squadron Leader Malcolm Charles McGregor flew a Hawk Major from RAF Mildenhall to Melbourne, Australia in 7 days, 15 hours while competing in the MacRobertson Air Race.

Variants

M.2F Hawk Major: Production version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine.
M.2G Hawk Major: Three-seat cabin version, one built.
M.2H Hawk Major: Production version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine.
M.2K Hawk Major: Powered by a 105 hp Cirrus Hermes II engine, one built.
M.2M Hawk Major: Three-seat version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, two built.
M.2P Hawk Major: Dual control version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, three built.
M.2R Hawk Major de Luxe: Racing version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, two built.
M.2S: Long-range version Powered by a 150 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major engine.
M.2T: Long-range single-seater powered by 150 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major engine, two built.

Hawk Speed Six

Main article: Miles Hawk Speed Six

A racing version was developed with a 200 hp de Havilland Gipsy Six engine. To make room for the longer, six-cylinder engine the front cockpit was removed, making it a single-seater, and the rear cockpit was repositioned to retain balance. The type became known as the Miles Hawk Speed Six.

Only three were built, each tailored to the buyer's requirements, but they had a significant impact on the Golden Age of British air racing.

Hawk Trainer

Main article: Miles M.2 Hawk Trainer

In 1935, an improved version for training use was developed as the Miles Hawk Trainer.

Survivors

M.2H Hawk Major registered G-ADAS and flying from Museu TAM, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil. This is the only Hawk major in flying condition.
M.2H Hawk Major (DG590) (Civilian Registration was G-ADMW) at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, Montrose, Angus, Scotland.
M.2L Speed Six G-ADGP is airworthy in 2020 and in the Shuttleworth Collection based at Old Warden.

Operators

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force

Spain

Aeronáutica Militar

Specifications (M.2F)

Data from Miles Aircraft since 1925

General characteristics

Capacity: Two
Length: 24 ft 0 in (7.32 m)
Wingspan: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m)
Height: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Wing area: 169 sq ft (15.7 m)
Empty weight: 1,150 lb (522 kg)
Gross weight: 1,800 lb (816 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Major , 200 hp (150 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kn)
Cruise speed: 135 mph (217 km/h, 117 kn)
Range: 560 mi (900 km, 490 nmi)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 1,080 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

References

Notes

"1936 | 2706 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 8 October 1936. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
"aero club | baby ruth | macpherson robertson | 1934 | 1072 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 18 October 1934. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
"lockheed vega | 1934 | 1075 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 18 October 1934. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
"1934 Miles Hawk Speed Six", Test Pilot Jim, 2020. (retrieved from archive April 2022).
Dunnell, Brian (August 2020). "Workshop: Going the Extra Miles". Aeroplane. Vol. 48, no. 8. pp. 14–18. ISSN 0143-7240.
Brown 1970, p. 73
Jackson 1988, p. 53

Bibliography

Amos, Peter (2009) Miles Aircraft – The Early Years – The Story of F G Miles and his Aeroplanes 1925-1939 (Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, Tonbridge, Kent, ISBN 978 0 85130 410 6.
Brown, Don L. (1970). Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-00127-3.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.
Jackson, A. J. (1988). British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume 3. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-818-6.

v t e Miles aircraft
Experimental	M.6 Hawcon M.13 Hobby M.30 X Minor M.35 Libellula M.39B M.52 M.76 M.105
Trainers	M.2 Hawk Trainer M.7 Nighthawk M.9 Kestrel M.9A Master I M.14 Magister M.19 Master II M.27 Master III M.15 T.1/37 M.37 Martinet Trainer M.100 Student
Sportplanes	Southern Martlet M.1 Satyr M.2 Hawk M.2 Hawk Major M.2 Hawk Speed Six M.5 Sparrowhawk M.12 Mohawk M.18 M.77 Sparrowjet
Touring aircraft	M.3A Falcon Major M.3B Falcon Six M.4 Merlin M.11 Whitney Straight M.17 Monarch M.65 Gemini M.75 Aries M.115
Airliners	M.8 Peregrine M.26 M.57 Aerovan M.60 Marathon I M.69 Marathon II M.71 Merchantman
Freighters	M.57 Aerovan M.68 Boxcar M.71 Merchantman
Utility aircraft	M.16 Mentor M.28 Mercury M.38 Messenger
Fighters	M.20 M.24 Master Fighter
Target tugs	M.25 Martinet M.33 Monitor
Drones	M.50 Queen Martinet
Type number	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.39B 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

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