MILES M.14 MAGISTER AND MILES HAWK TRAINER III

MILES MAGISTER and MILES HAWK TRAINER III - Elementary trainer for the RAF, produced to Specification 40/36 on basis of Miles M.2Y Hawk Trainer II experience at No 8 E & FTS at Woodley. First low-wing monoplane trainer for the RAF. Civil prototype (U-2/G-AETJ) first flown March 20, 1937, as Miles Hawk Trainer III, with 130 hp DH Gipsy Major I. Production Miles Magister deliveries to RAF began June 1937; total contracts for 1,210 to Specification 37/37. Initial M.14 followed by definitive Miles M.14A Magister I with taller rudder, deeper rear fuselage and, eventually, anti-spin strakes on rear fuselage. Equipped 16 Elementary Flying Training Schools, and widely used for communications and 'hack' duties, including some by FAA units. M.14B designation applied to aircraft with 135 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major II; five RAF Miles Magisters to this standard. In June 1940, some 16 Miles Magisters adapted each to carry eight 25-lb (113-kg) bombs under centre-section, for emergency use against expected German invasion forces. Two Miles Magisters fitted with Maclaren castering (crosswind) undercarriages for demonstration to Army Co-operation squadrons; another used by Miles in 1941 to test-fly a 'towed wing', attached aft of tailplane by twin booms from the mainplane and intended to carry (in application on other aircraft types) extra fuel or bomb-load. RAF diverted 23 Miles Magisters to Royal Egyptian Air Force in 1940 and 15 to Irish Air Corps in 1939. In 1943, 30 ex-RAF Miles Magisters transferred to Turkish Air Force.

Max speed, 140 mph (225 km/h). Cruising speed, 122 mph (196 km/h). Initial climb, 750 ft/min (3.8 m/sec). Service ceiling, 16,500ft (5,030 m). Range 367 mis (591 km). Empty weight, 1,286 Ib (583 kg). Gross weight, 1,900 Ib (862 kg). Span, 33 ft 10 in (10.31 m). Length, 24ft 7'h in (7.51 m). Wing area 176 sq ft (16.35m2).

Miles Hawk Trainer III: Aircraft built to M.14 (later, M.14A) standard for users
other than RAF, including civil and export, identified by Miles as Miles Hawk Trainer III although some used Miles Magister name later in military service. Some 54 built, of which of eight later impressed for RAF from UK civil use. Two of latter, plus one other used by Blackburn as engine test bed, had Cirrus Major II engines as Miles M.14B Hawk Trainer IIs. Exports included one each to Estonia - and Soviet Union, six to New Zealand of which two impressed for RNZAF, eight to South Africa of which six impressed for SAAF and one to Australia in 1938 for RAAF evaluation, serving until mid-1940.
Twenty Miles Hawk Trainer Ills went to Royal Egyptian Air Force 1937/38, prior to Miles Magisters from RAF.