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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{|{{Infobox aircraft begin
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = M.14 Magister
|name = M.14 Magister
|image = File:Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Miles M.14 Magister. CH140.jpg
|image = File:Miles M.14A Magister 'N3788' (G-AKPF) (20987129445).jpg
|caption =
|caption =A restored Miles Magister in flight
}}{{Infobox aircraft type
|type = Trainer
|type = Trainer
|manufacturer = [[Miles Aircraft]]
|manufacturer = [[Miles Aircraft]]
|designer = G.H. Miles
|designer = G. H. Miles
|first flight = 20 March 1937
|first_flight = 20 March 1937
|introduced =
|introduction =
|retired =
|retired =
|status =
|status =
|primary user = [[Royal Air Force]]
|primary_user = [[Royal Air Force]]
|more users = [[Fleet Air Arm]]
|more_users = [[Fleet Air Arm]]
|produced =
|produced =
|number built = 1,303
|number_built = 1,303
|unit cost =
|unit cost =
|developed_from = [[Miles Hawk Trainer]]
|variants with their own articles =
}}
}}
|}


The '''Miles M.14 Magister''' is a two-seat [[monoplane]] basic [[trainer aircraft]] designed and built by the [[United Kingdom|British]] aircraft manufacturer [[Miles Aircraft]] It was affectionately known as the ''Maggie''. It was the only low-wing cantilever monoplane ever to be authorised to perform [[aerobatics]].<ref name="Brown 136"/>
The '''Miles M.14 Magister''' is a two-seat [[monoplane]] basic [[trainer aircraft]] designed and built by the [[United Kingdom|British]] aircraft manufacturer [[Miles Aircraft]]. It was affectionately known as the ''Maggie''.{{cn|date=April 2022|reason=unofficial}} It was authorised to perform [[aerobatics]].<ref name="Brown 136"/>


The Magister was developed during the 1930s to [[List of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification T.40/36]] and had been deliberately based on Miles' civilian [[Miles Hawk Major|Hawk Major]] and [[Miles Hawk Trainer|Hawk Trainer]] aircraft. The first prototype conducted the type's [[maiden flight]] on 20 March 1937. It quickly became praised for its handling qualities, increasing the safety and ease of pilot training, while also delivering comparable performance to contemporary monoplane frontline fighters of the era. Having suitably impressed British officials, the Magister was promptly ordered and rapidly pushed into quantity production.
The Magister was developed during the 1930s to [[List of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification T.40/36]], itself based on the existing [[Miles Hawk Trainer]] which had been ordered in small numbers.<ref>"[https://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/aircraft-month/miles-magister Miles Magister]", Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, September 2009. (Retrieved 28 April 2022)</ref> The first prototype's [[maiden flight]] was on 20 March 1937. It quickly became praised for its handling qualities, and was ordered into quantity production.


Entering service barely a year prior to the start of the [[Second World War]], the Magister became a key training aircraft. It was the first [[monoplane]] designed as a trainer to be inducted by the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). Amid the war, it was purchased in large numbers for the RAF, [[Fleet Air Arm]] (FAA) and various overseas military operators. It was an ideal introduction to the [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire]] and [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane]] for new pilots. Its sister design, the [[Miles Master]], was an advanced trainer also designed and produced by [[Phillips & Powis]] at [[Woodley, Berkshire|Woodley]]. During the [[postwar]] years, surplus Magisters were exported in large numbers, often following a conversion to suit civilian uses.
Entering service barely a year before the start of the [[Second World War]], the Magister became a key training aircraft. It was the first [[monoplane]] designed as a trainer to be used by the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). During the war it was purchased in large numbers for the RAF, the [[Fleet Air Arm]] and various overseas military operators. It proved an ideal introduction to the [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire]] and [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane]] for new pilots.{{cn|date=April 2022|reason=the value judgement is not obvious}}
After the war surplus Magisters were exported in large numbers, with many converted for civilian use.


==Development==
==Development==
===Background===
===Background===
The origins of the Miles Magister can be traced back to a decision made by the company's management in 1936 to further develop its military trainer range.<ref name="Brown 135"/> According to aviation author Don Brown, the choice to proceed had been influenced by the firm's recent success with the [[Miles M.2 Hawk Trainer]] as an elementary trainer, which had been the first low-wing monoplane to be adopted as a trainer by the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF).<ref name="Brown 135">Brown 1970, p. 135.</ref> It was decided to produce a derivative of the Hawk Trainer to satisfy the [[Air Ministry]]'s [[List of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification T.40/36]]. The submission disregarded an established convention of only procuring metal aircraft that the RAF practiced at that time.<ref name="Brown 1356">Brown 1970, pp. 135-136.</ref>
The origin of the Miles Magister was a decision made by the company's management in 1936 to further develop its military trainer range;<ref name="Brown 135"/> this decision was influenced by the firm's recent success with the [[Miles M.2 Hawk Trainer]] as an elementary trainer, the first low-wing monoplane to be adopted as a trainer by the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF).<ref name="Brown 135">Brown 1970, p. 135.</ref> It was decided to produce a derivative of the Hawk Trainer to satisfy the [[Air Ministry]]'s [[List of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification T.40/36]]. The submission ignored the policy of only procuring metal aircraft which the RAF had at the time.<ref name="Brown 1356">Brown 1970, pp. 135-136.</ref>


Being derived from the Hawk Trainer, the new aircraft was broadly similar, the majority of the differences between the two types pertained to the cockpit, which was expanded and featured numerous new features better to conform to military training requirements.<ref name="Brown 136"/> On 20 March 1937, the first prototype conducted its [[maiden flight]], flown by [[F.G. Miles]].<ref name="johnson p154-5">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, pp. 154–155.</ref> During the following month, the aircraft was named ''Magister''. During early flights, the aircraft exhibited an adverse tendency to spin. The problem was solved by several modifications, including elevating the [[tailplane]] by {{cvt|6|in|cm|0}}, the fitting of anti-spin [[Strake (aeronautics)|strake]]s to the rear fuselage and the adoption of a taller [[rudder]].<ref name="Brown 136"/><ref name="johnson p155-6">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, pp. 155–156.</ref> The alterations worked so well that the Magister became the only low-wing cantilever monoplane to ever be authorised by the Air Ministry to perform [[aerobatics]].<ref name="Brown 136">Brown 1970, p. 136.</ref>
The new type was broadly similar to the Hawk Trainer: the majority of the differences between the two pertained to the cockpit, which was enlarged and had numerous new features to better meet military training requirements.<ref name="Brown 136"/> The first prototype made its [[maiden flight]] on 20 March 1937, flown by [[F.G. Miles]].<ref name="johnson p154-5">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, pp. 154–155.</ref> During the following month, the aircraft was named the ''Magister''. During early flights the aircraft exhibited a tendency to spin; this problem was solved by several modifications, including elevating the [[tailplane]] by {{cvt|6|in|cm|0}}, the fitting of anti-spin [[Strake (aeronautics)|strake]]s to the rear fuselage and the adoption of a taller [[rudder]].<ref name="Brown 136"/><ref name="johnson p155-6">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, pp. 155–156.</ref> The alterations worked so well that the Magister became the first low-wing cantilever monoplane to be authorised by the Air Ministry to perform [[aerobatics]].<ref name="Brown 136">Brown 1970, p. 136.</ref>


===Into production===
===Design===
⚫
The Magister is a low wing [[Cantilever#Aircraft|cantilever]] [[monoplane]] whose design is derived from Miles' [[Miles Hawk Trainer|Hawk Trainer]]. Noticeable differences include the significant enlargement of the cockpit, since a more spacious cockpit was required to reasonably accommodate the presence of [[parachute]]s and various training aids, including the provision of blind-flying apparatus.<ref name="Brown 136"/> The open cockpits have windscreens made of [[Perspex]]; baggage and unused equipment can be stored in a sizable bay aft of the rear cockpit via an exterior door.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/> Pilots are required to enter and exit the aircraft via a wingroot walkway on the starboard side.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/>
⚫
Having been suitably impressed by the prototype's performance during trials, the Air Ministry opted to select the Magister to fulfil the specification.<ref name="Brown 1369">Brown 1970, pp. 136, 139.</ref> Shortly after receiving an order for the type, quantity production of the Magister commenced during October 1937. Recognising the importance and value represented by the order, the company committed a significant portion of its manufacturing base to solely producing the type, abandoning its plans to produce other aircraft, such as the [[Miles Peregrine]] to concentrate resources on the mass production effort.<ref name="Brown 1369"/>


⚫
The Magister is largely built of wood, the fuselage consisting of a [[spruce]] structure with a [[plywood]] covering; similar materials were used for the three-piece wing and the tail unit.<ref name="johnson p154-5"/><ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/> The wing centre section has no dihedral and is of constant section with outer sections having dihedral and tapering towards the tip.<ref name="fi41 ph">''Flight'' 12 June 1941, p. h.</ref> It has [[Flap (aeronautics)#Split_flap|split flap]]s as standard; it was the first RAF trainer to have flaps.<ref name="johnson p154">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, p. 154.</ref><ref name="thet raf p334">Thetford 1957, p. 334.</ref><ref name = "pilotweb 2013">{{cite web |url = https://www.pilotweb.aero/features/flight-tests/miles-magister-1-1973861 |title = Miles Magister |publisher = pilotweb.aero |first = Dave |last = Unwin |date = 11 April 2013}}</ref> It has a fixed [[conventional landing gear|tailwheel undercarriage]] with drag-reducing [[Aircraft fairing|spats]] on the main wheels; to reduce the landing distance, the undercarriage was fitted with [[Bendix Aviation|Bendix]] [[drum brake]]s.<ref name="fi41 ph"/><ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/> Power is provided by a 130 hp [[de Havilland Gipsy Major]] engine and the fuel is contained in a pair of tanks in the centre section.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/>
⚫
Production of the Magister continued until 1941, by which time 1,203 aircraft had been built by Miles.<ref name="Brown 1445">Brown 1970, pp. 144-145.</ref> More than a hundred Magisters were [[licensed production|licence built]] in [[Turkey]].<ref name="Brown 145"/> Contemporary glues used to assemble the wooden aircraft have not stood the test of time and few Magisters have survived.{{CN|date=December 2020}}


⚫
The flying characteristics and performance of the Magister lent themselves well to the trainer role; the Magister possessed superior performance to any contemporary elementary trainer.<ref name="Brown 139"/> It readily enabled trainee pilots to safely learn the handling techniques of modern frontline fighter aircraft. Its ease of handling and safety were attributes that were vigorously demonstrated by Frederick Miles performing stunts such as hands-free landings and formation flying while inverted.<ref name="Brown 139">Brown 1970, p. 139.</ref> The flight controls are cable-actuated; some of the controls, such as the rudder pedals, can be adjusted to suit the individual pilot.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/>
==Design==
⚫
The ''Miles M.14 Magister'' is an low wing [[Cantilever#Aircraft|cantilever]] [[monoplane]] designed for military training. Its design is largely derived from Miles' [[Miles Hawk Trainer|Hawk Trainer]], although there are some noticeable differences, such as the significant enlargement of the cockpit. A more spacious cockpit was required to reasonably accommodate the presence of [[parachute]]s and various training aids, which included the provision of blind-flying apparatus.<ref name="Brown 136"/> For convenience, the open cockpits are furnished with forward windscreens made of [[Perspex]], while baggage and unused equipment may be stored in a sizable bay aft of the rear cockpit via an exterior door.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/> Pilots are required to enter and exit the aircraft via a wingroot walkway on the starboard side.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/>


===Into production===
⚫
The Magister is largely composed of wood, its fuselage consisting of a [[spruce]] structure topped by a [[plywood]] covering, similar materials were used for its three-piece wing and tail unit.<ref name="johnson p154-5"/><ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/> The wing centre section has no dihedral and is of constant section with outer sections having dihedral and tapering towards the tip.<ref name="fi41 ph">''Flight'' 12 June 1941, p. h.</ref> The Magister is furnished with [[split flap]]s as standard; upon entering RAF service, it became the first RAF trainer with flaps.<ref name="johnson p154">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, p. 154.</ref><ref name="thet raf p334">Thetford 1957, p. 334.</ref><ref name = "pilotweb 2013">{{cite web |url = https://www.pilotweb.aero/features/flight-tests/miles-magister-1-1973861 |title = Miles Magister |publisher = pilotweb.aero |first = Dave |last = Unwin |date = 11 April 2013}}</ref> It has a fixed [[conventional landing gear|tailwheel undercarriage]], complete with drag-reducing [[Aircraft fairing|spats]] on the main wheels; to reduce the required landing distance, the undercarriage was equipped with [[Bendix Aviation|Bendix]] [[drum brake]]s.<ref name="fi41 ph"/><ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/> Power is provided by the ubiquitous 130 hp [[de Havilland Gipsy Major]] engine and the fuel is housed in a pair of tanks in the aircraft's center section.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/>
⚫
Having been impressed by the prototype's performance during trials, the Air Ministry selected the Magister to fulfil the specification.<ref name="Brown 1369">Brown 1970, pp. 136, 139.</ref> Production began in October 1937. Recognising the importance and value represented by the order, the company committed a significant portion of its manufacturing capacity to producing the type, abandoning its plans to produce other aircraft, such as the [[Miles Peregrine]], to concentrate resources on the mass production effort.<ref name="Brown 1369"/>


⚫
Production of the Magister continued until 1941, by which time 1,203 aircraft had been built by Miles.<ref name="Brown 1445">Brown 1970, pp. 144-145.</ref> More than a hundred Magisters were [[licensed production|licence built]] in [[Turkey]].<ref name="Brown 145"/> Contemporary glues used to assemble the wooden aircraft have not stood the test of time and few Magisters have survived.{{CN|date=December 2020}}
⚫
The flying characteristics and performance of the Magister lent themselves well to the trainer role; according to Brown, the Magister possessed superior performance to any contemporary elementary trainer.<ref name="Brown 139"/> It readily enabled trainee pilots to safely learn the handling techniques of modern frontline fighter aircraft. Its ease of handling and safety were attributes that were vigorously demonstrated by [[Frederick George Miles|Frederick Miles]] by performing stunts such as hands-free landings and formation flight with other aircraft while inverted.<ref name="Brown 139">Brown 1970, p. 139.</ref> The flight controls are cable-actuated; some of the controls, such as the rudder peddles, can be adjusted optimally to suit the individual pilot.<ref name = "pilotweb 2013"/>


==Operational history==
==Operational history==
Initially, production Magisters were supplied to [[flying club]]s operated by the [[Straight Corporation]], as well as to several overseas government customers.<ref name="Brown 139"/> By the [[Second World War]], in excess of 700 Magisters had entered service with RAF [[List of Royal Air Force schools|Elementary Flying Training School]]s; the type would eventually equip 16 such schools as well as the [[Central Flying School]]. The bulk of civilian-owned Hawk Majors were also [[Impressment|pressed]] into military service as trainers alongside the type.{{CN|date=December 2020}}
Initially, production Magisters were supplied to [[flying club]]s operated by the [[Straight Corporation]], as well as to several overseas government customers.<ref name="Brown 139"/> By the [[Second World War]], in excess of 700 Magisters had entered service with RAF [[List of Royal Air Force schools|Elementary Flying Training School]]s; the type would eventually equip 16 such schools as well as the [[Central Flying School]]. The bulk of civilian-owned Hawk Majors were also [[Impressment|pressed]] into military service as trainers alongside the type.{{CN|date=December 2020}}


During June 1940, as part of [[British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War|British anti-invasion preparations]], roughly 15 Magisters were fitted with [[bomb rack]]s for the carriage of up to eight {{cvt|25|lb|kg|round=0.5}} [[bomb]]s, to fly as a [[light bomber]]s under a scheme called [[Operation Banquet]]. The preparations were was never put into effect and the type never saw active combat use in this capacity.<ref>Mondey 1994, p. 168.</ref><ref name="Brown 140">Brown 1970, p. 140.</ref>
During June 1940, as part of [[British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War|British anti-invasion preparations]], roughly 15 Magisters were fitted with [[bomb rack]]s for the carriage of up to eight {{cvt|25|lb|kg|round=0.5}} [[bomb]]s, to fly as a [[light bomber]]s under a scheme called [[Operation Banquet]]. The preparations were never put into effect and the type never saw active combat use in this capacity.<ref>Mondey 1994, p. 168.</ref><ref name="Brown 140">Brown 1970, p. 140.</ref>


[[File:Miles M.14A Hawk Trainer Coupe G-AJRT Yeadon 05.55.jpg|thumb|right|Hawk Trainer Coupe ''G-AJRT'' at Leeds (Yeadon) Airport in May 1955]]
[[File:Miles M.14A Hawk Trainer Coupe G-AJRT Yeadon 05.55.jpg|thumb|right|Hawk Trainer Coupe ''G-AJRT'' at Leeds (Yeadon) Airport in May 1955]]
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==Operators==
==Operators==
;{{AUS}}
;{{AUS}}
* [[Royal Australian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" /> – One aircraft.
* [[Royal Australian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" /> – One Magister Mk.I purchased in 1938 for comparison with [[de Havilland Tiger Moth]] in the basic trainer role <ref>Aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force, 2021. p 94</ref>
;{{flag|Canada|1921}}
;{{flag|Canada|1921}}
:[[Royal Canadian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
:[[Royal Canadian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
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** [[No. 267 Squadron RAF]]
** [[No. 267 Squadron RAF]]


==Preserved aircraft==
==Surviving aircraft==
{{expand section|date=December 2020}}
{{expand section|date=December 2020}}
[[File:Miles Magister, Imperial War Museum, Duxford.JPG|thumb|right|Miles Magister at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford]]
[[File:Miles Magister, Imperial War Museum, Duxford.JPG|thumb|right|Miles Magister at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford]]
By 2009, ten Hawk Trainer IIIs were registered in the United Kingdom, of which several were airworthy.{{CN|date=December 2020}} Furthermore, several ex-service Magisters have been preserved and on display – including an ex-RAF example at the [[Imperial War Museum]] in the UK, and an ex-Irish Air Corps example at the [[National Museum of Ireland]] in Dublin.{{CN|date=December 2020}}
By 2009, ten Hawk Trainer IIIs were registered in the United Kingdom, of which several were airworthy.{{CN|date=December 2020}} Furthermore, several ex-service Magisters have been preserved and on display – including an ex-RAF example at the [[Imperial War Museum]] in the UK,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/70000202|website=Imperial War Museum|title=Miles M14A Magister Trainer Mk III (Hawk)}}</ref> and an ex-Irish Air Corps example at the [[National Museum of Ireland]] in Dublin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aviationmuseum.eu/Blogvorm/national-museum-of-ireland/miles-magister-1/|website=aviationmuseum.eu|title=Miles Magister I}}</ref>

One Miles Magister was restored to airworthy in the Aeroclub of San Martín, Mendoza, Argentina.<ref>{{Citation |title=Un avión Miles Magister de 1938 vuela por los cielos de San Martín, en Mendoza. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvF911FOL8A |access-date=2021-03-23 |language=en}}</ref> Since 2019, this aircraft has been under Czech ownership and is operated by [https://www.tigermoth.cz/en/collection/miles-magister-mk-i-n3827 R.A.F. Station Czechoslovakia] at Podhořany airport, in the Pardubice region of the Czech Republic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miles Magister Mk.I N3827 - R.A.F. Station Czechoslovakia |url=https://www.tigermoth.cz/en/collection/miles-magister-mk-i-n3827 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=www.tigermoth.cz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Czech Miles Magister flies following restoration |url=https://www.key.aero/article/czech-miles-magister-flies-following-restoration#:~:text=Having%20been%20acquired%20by%20RAF,major%20renovation%20by%20Kevin%20Crumplin. |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=www.key.aero |language=en}}</ref>

ZK-AWY is preserved in the [[Museum of Transport and Technology]], New Zealand.


TC-KAY is preserved in the Turkish Air Force Museum.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1493933|website=ABPic|title=TURK HAVA KURUMU M.14 MAGISTER, TC-KAY / 5060, ISTANBUL AVIATION MUSEUM / TURKISH AIR FORCE MUSEUM}}</ref>
One Miles Magister was restored and is still airworthy in the Aeroclub of [[San Martín, Mendoza]]<ref>{{Citation|title=Un avión Miles Magister de 1938 vuela por los cielos de San Martín, en Mendoza.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvF911FOL8A|language=en|access-date=2021-03-23}}</ref>


==Specifications (Miles M.14A)==
==Specifications (Miles M.14A)==
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-->
-->
|max speed mph= 142
|max speed mph= 142
|max speed note= at {{cvt|1000|ft|0}}
|max speed note= at {{cvt|1000|ft}}
::::{{cvt|140|mph|kn km/h|0}} at sea level
::::{{cvt|140|mph|kn km/h|0}} at sea level
::::{{cvt|130|mph|kn km/h|0}} at {{cvt|5000|ft|0}}
::::{{cvt|130|mph|kn km/h|0}} at {{cvt|5000|ft}}
::::{{cvt|125|mph|kn km/h|0}} at {{cvt|10000|ft|0}}
::::{{cvt|125|mph|kn km/h|0}} at {{cvt|10000|ft}}
|cruise speed mph= 122
|cruise speed mph= 122
|cruise speed note=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed mph= 43
|stall speed mph= 43
|stall speed note= flaps down
|stall speed note= flaps down
::::{{cvt|52|mph|kn km/h|0}} flaps up
::::{{cvt|52|mph|kn km/h}} flaps up
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed note=
|never exceed speed note=
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|ceiling ft= 16,500
|ceiling ft= 16,500
|ceiling note=
|ceiling note=
* '''Absolute ceiling:''' {{cvt|19000|ft|0}}
* '''Absolute ceiling:''' {{cvt|19000|ft}}
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
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|power/weight=
|power/weight=
|more performance=
|more performance=
* '''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|630|ft|0}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|1}} wind
* '''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|630|ft}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|sigfig=1}} wind
* '''Take-off distance to {{cvt|50|ft|0}}:''' {{cvt|1200|ft|0}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|1}} wind
* '''Take-off distance to {{cvt|50|ft}}:''' {{cvt|1200|ft}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|sigfig=1}} wind
* '''Landing run:''' {{cvt|420|ft|0}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|1}} wind
* '''Landing run:''' {{cvt|420|ft}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|sigfig=1}} wind
* '''Landing distance from {{cvt|50|ft|0}}:''' {{cvt|975|ft|0}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|1}} wind
* '''Landing distance from {{cvt|50|ft}}:''' {{cvt|975|ft|-1}} in {{cvt|5|mph|kn km/h|sigfig=1}} wind


|avionics=
|avionics=
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==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom|Aviation|War}}
{{Portal|United Kingdom|Aviation}}
{{aircontent|
{{aircontent|
|related=
|related=
* [[Miles Hawk Major]]
* [[Miles Hawk Major]]
* [[THK-15]]
|similar aircraft=
|similar aircraft=
* [[Caudron C.600 Aiglon]]
* [[Caudron C.600 Aiglon]]
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* Amos, Peter. ''Miles Aircraft – The Wartime Years 1939 to 1945''. Tonbridge: [[Air-Britain]], 2012. {{ISBN|978 0 85130 430 4}}.
* Amos, Peter. ''Miles Aircraft – The Wartime Years 1939 to 1945''. Tonbridge: [[Air-Britain]], 2012. {{ISBN|978 0 85130 430 4}}.
* {{cite book |last=Brown |first=Don L. |title=Miles Aircraft since 1925 |publisher=Putnam & Company Ltd. |location=London |year=1970 |edition=1st |isbn=0-370-00127-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Brown |first=Don L. |title=Miles Aircraft since 1925 |publisher=Putnam & Company Ltd. |location=London |year=1970 |edition=1st |isbn=0-370-00127-3}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Comas|first1=Matthieu|title=So British!: 1939–1940, les avions britanniques dans l'Armée de l'Air|journal=Avions |date=September-October 2020 |issue=236 |pages=38–61 |trans-title=So British!: British Aircraft in the French Air Force 1939–1940|language=French |issn=1243-8650}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Comas|first1=Matthieu|title=So British!: 1939–1940, les avions britanniques dans l'Armée de l'Air|journal=Avions |date=September–October 2020 |issue=236 |pages=38–61 |trans-title=So British!: British Aircraft in the French Air Force 1939–1940|language=French |issn=1243-8650}}
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1941/1941%20-%201330.html "Friend or Foe: Two Familiar British Trainers: Tiger Moth and Miles Magister"]. ''[[Flight International|Flight]]'', Vol. XXXIX, No. 1694, 12 June 1941. p. h.
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1941/1941%20-%201330.html "Friend or Foe: Two Familiar British Trainers: Tiger Moth and Miles Magister"]. ''[[Flight International|Flight]]'', Vol. XXXIX, No. 1694, 12 June 1941. p. h.
* Gerdessen, Frederik. "Estonian Air Power 1918 – 1945". ''[[Air Enthusiast]]'', No. 18, April – July 1982. pp. 61–76. {{ISSN|0143-5450}}.
* Gerdessen, Frederik. "Estonian Air Power 1918 – 1945". ''[[Air Enthusiast]]'', No. 18, April – July 1982. pp. 61–76. {{ISSN|0143-5450}}.
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* Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 2''. London: Putnam, 1973. {{ISBN|0-370-10010-7}}.
* Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 2''. London: Putnam, 1973. {{ISBN|0-370-10010-7}}.
* Johnson, Graham H.R. "RAF Piston Trainers No. 7: Miles M.14 Magister". ''[[Aeroplane Monthly]]'', Vol. 8 No. 3, March 1980. pp.&nbsp;154–161.
* Johnson, Graham H.R. "RAF Piston Trainers No. 7: Miles M.14 Magister". ''[[Aeroplane Monthly]]'', Vol. 8 No. 3, March 1980. pp.&nbsp;154–161.
* {{cite book |last = Lawrence |first = Joseph |title = The Observer's Book Of Airplanes |location = London and New York |publisher = Frederick Warne & Co |year = 1945}}
* Lukins, A.H. and D.A. Russell. ''The Book of Miles Aircraft''. Leicester, UK: The Harborough Publishing Company Ltd., 1946.
* Lukins, A.H. and D.A. Russell. ''The Book of Miles Aircraft''. Leicester, UK: The Harborough Publishing Company Ltd., 1946.
* MacCarron, Donal. ''Wings Over Ireland''. Leicester: Midland Publishing, 1996. {{ISBN|1-85780-057-5}}.
* MacCarron, Donal. ''Wings Over Ireland''. Leicester: Midland Publishing, 1996. {{ISBN|1-85780-057-5}}.
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[[Category:Miles aircraft|Magister]]
[[Category:Miles aircraft|Magister]]
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[[Category:World War II British trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:World War II British trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1937]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1937]]
[[Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear]]

Latest revision as of 16:09, 20 December 2024

M.14 Magister
A restored Miles Magister in flight
General information
TypeTrainer
ManufacturerMiles Aircraft
Designer
G. H. Miles
Primary usersRoyal Air Force
Number built1,303
History
First flight20 March 1937
Developed fromMiles Hawk Trainer

The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft designed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft. It was affectionately known as the Maggie.[citation needed] It was authorised to perform aerobatics.[1]

The Magister was developed during the 1930s to Specification T.40/36, itself based on the existing Miles Hawk Trainer which had been ordered in small numbers.[2] The first prototype's maiden flight was on 20 March 1937. It quickly became praised for its handling qualities, and was ordered into quantity production.

Entering service barely a year before the start of the Second World War, the Magister became a key training aircraft. It was the first monoplane designed as a trainer to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF). During the war it was purchased in large numbers for the RAF, the Fleet Air Arm and various overseas military operators. It proved an ideal introduction to the Spitfire and Hurricane for new pilots.[citation needed]

After the war surplus Magisters were exported in large numbers, with many converted for civilian use.

Development

[edit]

Background

[edit]

The origin of the Miles Magister was a decision made by the company's management in 1936 to further develop its military trainer range;[3] this decision was influenced by the firm's recent success with the Miles M.2 Hawk Trainer as an elementary trainer, the first low-wing monoplane to be adopted as a trainer by the Royal Air Force (RAF).[3] It was decided to produce a derivative of the Hawk Trainer to satisfy the Air Ministry's Specification T.40/36. The submission ignored the policy of only procuring metal aircraft which the RAF had at the time.[4]

The new type was broadly similar to the Hawk Trainer: the majority of the differences between the two pertained to the cockpit, which was enlarged and had numerous new features to better meet military training requirements.[1] The first prototype made its maiden flight on 20 March 1937, flown by F.G. Miles.[5] During the following month, the aircraft was named the Magister. During early flights the aircraft exhibited a tendency to spin; this problem was solved by several modifications, including elevating the tailplane by 6 in (15 cm), the fitting of anti-spin strakes to the rear fuselage and the adoption of a taller rudder.[1][6] The alterations worked so well that the Magister became the first low-wing cantilever monoplane to be authorised by the Air Ministry to perform aerobatics.[1]

Design

[edit]

The Magister is a low wing cantilever monoplane whose design is derived from Miles' Hawk Trainer. Noticeable differences include the significant enlargement of the cockpit, since a more spacious cockpit was required to reasonably accommodate the presence of parachutes and various training aids, including the provision of blind-flying apparatus.[1] The open cockpits have windscreens made of Perspex; baggage and unused equipment can be stored in a sizable bay aft of the rear cockpit via an exterior door.[7] Pilots are required to enter and exit the aircraft via a wingroot walkway on the starboard side.[7]

The Magister is largely built of wood, the fuselage consisting of a spruce structure with a plywood covering; similar materials were used for the three-piece wing and the tail unit.[5][7] The wing centre section has no dihedral and is of constant section with outer sections having dihedral and tapering towards the tip.[8] It has split flaps as standard; it was the first RAF trainer to have flaps.[9][10][7] It has a fixed tailwheel undercarriage with drag-reducing spats on the main wheels; to reduce the landing distance, the undercarriage was fitted with Bendix drum brakes.[8][7] Power is provided by a 130 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major engine and the fuel is contained in a pair of tanks in the centre section.[7]

The flying characteristics and performance of the Magister lent themselves well to the trainer role; the Magister possessed superior performance to any contemporary elementary trainer.[11] It readily enabled trainee pilots to safely learn the handling techniques of modern frontline fighter aircraft. Its ease of handling and safety were attributes that were vigorously demonstrated by Frederick Miles performing stunts such as hands-free landings and formation flying while inverted.[11] The flight controls are cable-actuated; some of the controls, such as the rudder pedals, can be adjusted to suit the individual pilot.[7]

Into production

[edit]

Having been impressed by the prototype's performance during trials, the Air Ministry selected the Magister to fulfil the specification.[12] Production began in October 1937. Recognising the importance and value represented by the order, the company committed a significant portion of its manufacturing capacity to producing the type, abandoning its plans to produce other aircraft, such as the Miles Peregrine, to concentrate resources on the mass production effort.[12]

Production of the Magister continued until 1941, by which time 1,203 aircraft had been built by Miles.[13] More than a hundred Magisters were licence built in Turkey.[14] Contemporary glues used to assemble the wooden aircraft have not stood the test of time and few Magisters have survived.[citation needed]

Operational history

[edit]

Initially, production Magisters were supplied to flying clubs operated by the Straight Corporation, as well as to several overseas government customers.[11] By the Second World War, in excess of 700 Magisters had entered service with RAF Elementary Flying Training Schools; the type would eventually equip 16 such schools as well as the Central Flying School. The bulk of civilian-owned Hawk Majors were also pressed into military service as trainers alongside the type.[citation needed]

During June 1940, as part of British anti-invasion preparations, roughly 15 Magisters were fitted with bomb racks for the carriage of up to eight 25 lb (11.5 kg) bombs, to fly as a light bombers under a scheme called Operation Banquet. The preparations were never put into effect and the type never saw active combat use in this capacity.[15][16]

Hawk Trainer Coupe G-AJRT at Leeds (Yeadon) Airport in May 1955
Many Magisters were exported postwar, this example being registered in Belgium.

The Magister also participated in experimental wartime research, such as to evaluate a long range ground attack platform during 1941.[16] Seeking to increase the payloads of conventional medium bombers, British military planners suggested the use of a so-called 'auxiliary wing' that could be towed like a glider behind a bomber; this wing would be loaded with either additional fuel or munitions. To test this concept, a modified Magister was produced; by the time testing had reached an advanced stage, the RAF had significantly bolstered its offensive forces with heavy bombers, removing the need to deploy the auxiliary wing concept.[17] Other aircraft received experimental modifications to evaluate new equipment or aerodynamic features.[18]

Following the end of the conflict, large numbers of Magisters were disposed of, leading to many being converted for civilian use. Such aircraft were renamed the Hawk Trainer III.[14] Amongst its civil uses was air racing; during the 1950 Kings Cup Air Race alone, eight Hawk Trainer IIIs were entered, one of which (a modified cabin version G-AKRV), piloted by E. Day, was awarded first place, having achieved a recorded speed of 138.5 mph while doing so. At least two other aircraft were thus modified.[19]

During the postwar years, many Magisters were exported to overseas customers, including private pilot owners and flying clubs. Countries that purchased the type included Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand and Tunisia.

Variants

[edit]
Miles M.14 Magister / Hawk Trainer III
Initial production version.
Miles M.14A Magister I / Hawk Trainer III
Improved variant.
Miles M.14B Magister II / Hawk Trainer II
Improved variant with a 135 hp (100 kW) Blackburn Cirrus II engine
Hawk Trainer III

Operators

[edit]
 Australia
 Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force[20]
 Egypt
 Belgium
 Estonia
 Ireland
 Latvia
 Malaya
 New Zealand
 Portugal
 South Africa
 Turkey
 Thailand
 United Kingdom

Surviving aircraft

[edit]
Miles Magister at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford

By 2009, ten Hawk Trainer IIIs were registered in the United Kingdom, of which several were airworthy.[citation needed] Furthermore, several ex-service Magisters have been preserved and on display – including an ex-RAF example at the Imperial War Museum in the UK,[23] and an ex-Irish Air Corps example at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.[24]

One Miles Magister was restored to airworthy in the Aeroclub of San Martín, Mendoza, Argentina.[25] Since 2019, this aircraft has been under Czech ownership and is operated by R.A.F. Station Czechoslovakia at Podhořany airport, in the Pardubice region of the Czech Republic.[26][27]

ZK-AWY is preserved in the Museum of Transport and Technology, New Zealand.

TC-KAY is preserved in the Turkish Air Force Museum.[28]

Specifications (Miles M.14A)

[edit]

Data from Miles Aircraft since 1925,[29]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 24 ft 7.5 in (7.506 m)
  • Wingspan: 33 ft 10 in (10.31 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
  • Wing area: 176 sq ft (16.4 m2)
  • Airfoil: root: Clark YH mod (19%) ; tip: Clark YH mod (9%)[30]
  • Empty weight: 1,286 lb (583 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1,900 lb (862 kg) normal
1,845 lb (837 kg) for aerobatics
  • Fuel capacity: 21.5 imp gal (25.8 US gal; 98 L) ; oil 2.5 imp gal (3.0 US gal; 11 L)
  • Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Major I four cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engine, 130 hp (97 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 142 mph (229 km/h, 123 kn) at 1,000 ft (300 m)
140 mph (122 kn; 225 km/h) at sea level
130 mph (113 kn; 209 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
125 mph (109 kn; 201 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
  • Cruise speed: 122 mph (196 km/h, 106 kn)
  • Stall speed: 43 mph (69 km/h, 37 kn) flaps down
52 mph (45 kn; 84 km/h) flaps up
  • Range: 367 mi (591 km, 319 nmi)
  • Endurance: 3 hours
  • Service ceiling: 16,500 ft (5,000 m) * Absolute ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
  • Rate of climb: 850 ft/min (4.3 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 10.7 lb/sq ft (52 kg/m2)
  • Take-off run: 630 ft (190 m) in 5 mph (4 kn; 8 km/h) wind
  • Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 1,200 ft (370 m) in 5 mph (4 kn; 8 km/h) wind
  • Landing run: 420 ft (130 m) in 5 mph (4 kn; 8 km/h) wind
  • Landing distance from 50 ft (15 m): 975 ft (300 m) in 5 mph (4 kn; 8 km/h) wind

See also

[edit]

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Brown 1970, p. 136.
  2. ^ "Miles Magister", Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, September 2009. (Retrieved 28 April 2022)
  3. ^ a b Brown 1970, p. 135.
  4. ^ Brown 1970, pp. 135-136.
  5. ^ a b Johnson Aeroplane Monthly March 1980, pp. 154–155.
  6. ^ Johnson Aeroplane Monthly March 1980, pp. 155–156.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Unwin, Dave (11 April 2013). "Miles Magister". pilotweb.aero.
  8. ^ a b Flight 12 June 1941, p. h.
  9. ^ Johnson Aeroplane Monthly March 1980, p. 154.
  10. ^ Thetford 1957, p. 334.
  11. ^ a b c Brown 1970, p. 139.
  12. ^ a b Brown 1970, pp. 136, 139.
  13. ^ Brown 1970, pp. 144-145.
  14. ^ a b Brown 1970, p. 145.
  15. ^ Mondey 1994, p. 168.
  16. ^ a b Brown 1970, p. 140.
  17. ^ Brown 1970, pp. 140-141.
  18. ^ Brown 1970, pp. 141-144.
  19. ^ Jackson 1974, p. 69.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Amos 2009, pp. 367–406.
  21. ^ Aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force, 2021. p 94
  22. ^ MacCarron 1996, p. 138.
  23. ^ "Miles M14A Magister Trainer Mk III (Hawk)". Imperial War Museum.
  24. ^ "Miles Magister I". aviationmuseum.eu.
  25. ^ Un avión Miles Magister de 1938 vuela por los cielos de San Martín, en Mendoza., retrieved 23 March 2021
  26. ^ "Miles Magister Mk.I N3827 - R.A.F. Station Czechoslovakia". www.tigermoth.cz. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  27. ^ "Czech Miles Magister flies following restoration". www.key.aero. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  28. ^ "TURK HAVA KURUMU M.14 MAGISTER, TC-KAY / 5060, ISTANBUL AVIATION MUSEUM / TURKISH AIR FORCE MUSEUM". ABPic.
  29. ^ Brown 1970, p. 146.
  30. ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Amos, Peter. Miles Aircraft – The early years. Tonbridge: Air-Britain, 2009. ISBN 978-0-85130-410-6.
  • Amos, Peter. Miles Aircraft – The Wartime Years 1939 to 1945. Tonbridge: Air-Britain, 2012. ISBN 978 0 85130 430 4.
  • Brown, Don L. (1970). Miles Aircraft since 1925 (1st ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-00127-3.
  • Comas, Matthieu (September–October 2020). "So British!: 1939–1940, les avions britanniques dans l'Armée de l'Air" [So British!: British Aircraft in the French Air Force 1939–1940]. Avions (in French) (236): 38–61. ISSN 1243-8650.
  • "Friend or Foe: Two Familiar British Trainers: Tiger Moth and Miles Magister". Flight, Vol. XXXIX, No. 1694, 12 June 1941. p. h.
  • Gerdessen, Frederik. "Estonian Air Power 1918 – 1945". Air Enthusiast, No. 18, April – July 1982. pp. 61–76. ISSN 0143-5450.
  • Green, William and Gerald Pollinger. The Aircraft of the World. London: Macdonald, 1955.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 2. London: Putnam, 1973. ISBN 0-370-10010-7.
  • Johnson, Graham H.R. "RAF Piston Trainers No. 7: Miles M.14 Magister". Aeroplane Monthly, Vol. 8 No. 3, March 1980. pp. 154–161.
  • Lawrence, Joseph (1945). The Observer's Book Of Airplanes. London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co.
  • Lukins, A.H. and D.A. Russell. The Book of Miles Aircraft. Leicester, UK: The Harborough Publishing Company Ltd., 1946.
  • MacCarron, Donal. Wings Over Ireland. Leicester: Midland Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-85780-057-5.
  • Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 978-1851526680.
  • Ovčáčík, Michal and Karel Susa. Miles Magister: M.14, M14A, M14B. Prague: Mark I Ltd., 2001. ISBN 80-902559-4-9.
  • Simpson, Rod The Archive Photographs Series Miles Aircraft Stroud: Chalford Publishing Ltd, 1998.
  • Swanborough, Gordon. British Aircraft at War, 1939–1945. East Sussex, UK: HPC Publishing, 1997. ISBN 0-9531421-0-8.
  • Temple, Julian C. Wings over Woodley – The Story of Miles Aircraft & and the Adwest Group Bourne End: Aston Publications, 1987.
  • Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918–57. London: Putnam, 1957.
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