Miles Nighthawk

M.7 Nighthawk

Picture - Miles M.7A Nighthawk wearing racing colours at Wolverhampton (Pendeford) Airport in May 1953

Role: Four-seat training monoplane
Manufacturer: Miles Aircraft Limited
First flight: 1935
Primary users: Romanian Air Force Royal Air Force
Number built: 6
Developed from: Miles M.3B Falcon Six
Variants: Miles M.16 Mentor

The Miles M.7 Nighthawk was a 1930s British training and communications monoplane designed by Miles Aircraft Limited.

Design and development

The M.7 Nighthawk was developed from the Miles Falcon Six intended as a training and communications aircraft. The prototype, registered G-ADXA, was first flown in 1935, it was a low-wing monoplane powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine. The prototype crashed during spinning trials at Woodley Aerodrome in January 1937. Four production aircraft followed.

The design was modified to meet an Air Ministry specification and produced as the M.16 Mentor. In 1944 a Nighthawk fuselage was fitted with the wings from a Mohawk and fitted with a 205 hp (153 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six Series II engine with a variable pitch airscrew. It was designated the M.7A Nighthawk. The last Monarch to remain airworthy was G-AGWT in the early 1960s. This aircraft was raced in many postwar UK air competitions.

Operational history

Two aircraft were delivered to the Romanian Air Force in 1936 and one was delivered to the Royal Air Force with serial number L6846.

Variants

M.7 Production version with a 200 hp (149 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine, five built. M.7A Hybrid version with Nighthawk fuselage and wings from a Mohawk and powered by a 205 hp (153 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six Series II engine, one built.

Operators

Romania Romanian Air Force United Kingdom

Royal Air Force
No. 24 Squadron RAF

Specifications (M.7)

Data from British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972:Volume III

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
Empty weight: 1,650 lb (750 kg)
Gross weight: 2,400 lb (1,090 kg)
Powerplant: 1 x— de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine, 200 hp (149 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 175 mph (282 km/h)
Cruise speed: 155 mph (250 km/h)

Related lists

List of aircraft of the RAF

Bibliography

Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0.
Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-37000-127-3.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919. London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 3. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-818-6.

Miles Nighthawk Pictures and Miles Nighthawk for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia