Miles Mercury Explained

The Miles M.28 Mercury was a British aircraft designed to meet the need for a training and communications plane during the Second World War. It was a single-engined monoplane of wooden construction with a twin tail and a tailwheel undercarriage with retractable main units.

Development

Originally, the M.28 had been planned as a replacement for the Whitney Straight and Monarch, but this was shelved when war broke out.

In 1941, the project was revived in response to a requirement for a training and communications aircraft. The design was produced as a private venture by Ray Bournon using Miles' normal wooden construction. The resulting machine introduced several features not found on trainers: retractable undercarriage and trailing edge flaps amongst others. In the communications role, the M.28 had four seats and a range of 500miles.

The prototype first flew on 11 July 1941 ^[1] and proved easy to fly, with light controls and a short landing run. Owing to Miles' heavy commitment to war-production, however, only six aircraft were built, of slightly varying specifications, the last being the Mercury 6 which first flew in early 1946.^[2] Examples of the type were operated in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.

Variants

• M.28 Mark I: First prototype – Two seat trainer, powered by 130hp de Havilland Gipsy Major I engine.^[3]
• M.28 Mark II: Three seat trainer (with dual controls) powered by 140hp de Havilland Gipsy Major IIA. One built 1942. Re-engined with 140 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major II and then with a 150hp Cirrus Major III post-war.^[4]
• M.28 Mark III: Three seat trainer with triple controls for two students and one instructor, powered by 150 hp Cirrus Major 3 and with revised wing section. One built (PW937).^{[5] [6]}
• M.28 Mark IV: Four seat communications aircraft powered by 145hp Gipsy Major IIA. One built 1944.^[4]
• M.28 Mark V: Post-war four-seater powered by Cirrus Major III. Square rear windows. One built 1947.^[7]
• M.28 Mark VI: Post war four-seater powered by Cirrus Major III. Round rear windows. One built 1946.^[7]

References

Bibliography

• Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. .
• Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. .
• Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 - Volume 3. 1974. Putnam & Company Ltd. .
• Jerram, Mike. "For Business And Pleasure—No. 3", Aeroplane Monthly, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 1986. pp. 474–477. .
• Mason, Tim. The Secret Years: Flight Testing at Boscombe Down, 1939-1945. Crowborough, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2010. .
• Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 2002. .

Notes and References

1. Mondey 2002, p. 172.
2. Jackson, 1974, p.271
3. Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 474.
4. Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, pp. 475–476.
5. Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 475.
6. Mason 2010, p. 251.
7. Jerram Aeroplane Monthly September 1986, p. 476.