Miles M.38 Messenger Mk.I

Miles M.38 Messenger


When in 1941 originated Miles Mercury, despite the excellent maneuverability, short runway needed for take-off And landing and good behavior Even at low speeds, was not introduced into serial production. In June 1942 the company invited several air officers to the tests, after which they both agreed, that it is the ideal machine for artillery observation. Milesové got a few recommendations for improving your type, which would allow to produce in a short time and in large quantities. Positive assessment of the experts, however, clashed with the views of the officials of the air ministries, which with this type of control. Yet after three months he had finished a prototype of the modified machine, marked M.38. It was about the torso M.28 Mercury, which got a more powerful engine, the Gipsy major 1D on the performance of 103 kW, had modified the glazing of the cabin and basically a new wing. Instead of complex mechanization of the original wings took a slit of the new flap, the wing was simplified and instead of retractable undercarriage was used much easier solid, similar chassis Magisterů. To the first take-off occurred 12. September 1942.

During the tests it turned out that originally the double tail does not provide sufficient stability during heavy takeoff or landing, was therefore supplemented with a third area in the middle. The prototype with registration U-0223 then successfully passed and trials. The enthusiasm of the pilots again had to beat the reluctance of the bureaucracy, especially the ministry of aircraft production, that it was arms about the repeated violation of the rules of aircraft production, because the prototype was made without their approval (as well as before M.35). The result of a long official battle was that the Messenger, who is considered by all to be the ideal artillery observation aircraft, was ordered up to the end of 1943 - as a connecting and courier. Envisaged production of up to 250 machines and the production is supposed to contribute even a factory in Newtownards in Northern Ireland. Finally výrobla ended after the completion of 21 units. As a personal aircraft, however, Messenger use e.g. marshal Montgomery, (his machine had the serial number RG333), or marshal of the RAF Tedder. In Montgomery Messenger when you tour the Normandy flew through the also Churchill and Eisenhower.

The factory tried to create also a variation of M.38A Mariner, which would use the kratinké runway needed to start patrolling around sea convoys. It was built one prototype of the choke hook, these machines should start from the 18 m long emergency decks, looking for submarines and enemy vessels, attacking them two podvěšenými rockets and then returning to the deck, where the landing was to facilitate the detention network. Experiments with it were conducted at Woodley in 1943, the series production has not occurred.

In 1944 was still a prototype M.48 Messenger III with the engine of the Blackburn Cirrus Major performance 112 kW and a new wing mechanization, his results but they were not enough better to stand for introduction into production. After the war, the Messenger, of course, captivated and civilian customers, therefore, there was a civilian version of the Messenger IIA and later several others, which differed mainly by the used engines (in addition to the Blackburn Cirrus Major 3 also de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 and the Blackburn Bombardier 702). After the elimination of military Messengerů in 1948, these were converted to the civilian version, designated the Messenger 4A. Was built a total of 92 machines of all versions.


Source:
http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other2/m38.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Messenger
www.miles-aircraft.com
www.jaapteeuwen.com.

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