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At the private request of
certain army officers in June
1942, George Miles designed and
built the prototype of an air
observation post (AOP) aircraft.
It was required to carry a crew
of two, radio, armour protection
and other military equipment,
and to be able to operate out of
and into small tree-surrounded
fields in all weathers.
The resulting Miles M.38
prototype (U-0223) was a
cantilever low-wing monoplane
with fixed tailwheel landing
gear, powered by a 140 hp de
Havilland Gipsy Major inline
engine. The wing incorporated
fixed aerofoil trailing-edge
flaps and when flown on 12th
September 1942 it was found that
these provided the requisite
STOL performance. Great
enthusiasm for its capability
was shown by an AOP squadron
which Miles allowed to flight
test the aircraft, but shocked
by the design, construction and
testing of a military aeroplane
without its knowledge, the
Ministry of Aircraft Production
refused to order this prototype
into production for the AOP
role.
In late 1943 a small order was
placed for the aircraft for use
in a VIP transport role under
the designation M.38 Messenger
and eventually a total of 21 was
built. Among VIP operators
allocated personal Messengers
were Field Marshal Sir Bernard
Montgomery and Marshal of the
RAF Lord Tedder. An additional
71 were built post-war for civil
use, bringing total production
to 92. One aircraft was modified
in 1944 by introducing
conventional trailing-edge flaps
and installing a 150 hp
Blackburn Cirrus Major engine.
When tested this machine,
designated M48 Messenger 3,
was found to offer so little
improvement in performance over
the standard M.38 that no
production followed. In its role
as a VIP transport the 36 ft 2
in span Messenger had a maximum
speed of 116 mph and range of
260 miles.
|
Design Company: |
Phillips & Powis
Aircraft Ltd |
|
First Flight: |
12 September
1942 |
|
Messenger I: |
11 - Miles
Aircraft Ltd, Woodley
10 - Miles Aircraft Ltd,
Newtownards |
|
Messenger 2: |
67 - Miles
Aircraft Ltd, Newtownards |
|
Messenger 3: |
1 - Miles
Aircraft Ltd, Newtownards |
|
Messenger 4: |
4 - Miles
Aircraft Ltd, Newtownards
19 - Converted from Messenger
I |
|
Type
Specification |
|
Applies to: |
Miles M.38
Messenger I |
|
Type: |
VIP
communications aircraft to
specification 17/43 after
design as AOP aircraft |
|
Wing: |
Low wing
cantilever monoplane of spruce
structure covered in plywood.
Flaps fitted as standard
|
|
Fuselage: |
Fuselage of
spruce structure with plywood
covering |
|
Tail Unit: |
Cantilever
tailplane with elevator at top
of fuselage with three fins
and rudders. Outer fins are on
ends of tailplane |
|
Landing Gear: |
Single wheel on
each main leg. Tailwheel
|
|
Power Plant: |
One 140 hp de
Havilland Gipsy Major engine
in nose |
|
Accommodation: |
Seating for up
to four in enclosed cabin
above the wing |
|
Dimensions |
|
Span: |
36 ft 2 in |
|
Length: |
24 ft |
|
Height: |
9 ft 6 in |
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Wing Area: |
191 sq ft |
|
Weights |
|
Empty: |
1,518 lb |
|
All-up: |
1,900 lb |
|
Performance |
|
Max Speed: |
116 mph |
|
Rate of Climb: |
660 ft/min |
|
Service Ceiling: |
14,000 ft |
|
Range: |
260 miles |
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