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1930s British monoplane From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2016) |
| Hawk Major | |
|---|---|
| |
| Miles M.2H Hawk Major at White Waltham Airfield, near Maidenhead Berkshire, in June 1953 | |
| Role | Two-seat touring and racing monoplane |
| 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 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.[1]
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.[2][3]
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.[4]
In 1935, an improved version for training use was developed as the Miles Hawk Trainer.
Data from Miles Aircraft since 1925[6]
General characteristics
Performance
Related lists
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