The Miles M.7 Nighthawk was a 1930s British training and communications monoplane designed by Miles Aircraft Limited.

M.7 Nighthawk
Miles M.7A Nighthawk wearing racing colours at Wolverhampton (Pendeford) Airport in May 1953
Role Four-seat training monoplane
Manufacturer Miles Aircraft Limited
First flight 18 December 1935
Primary users Royal Romanian Air Force
Royal Air Force
Number built 5
Developed from Miles M.3B Falcon Six
Variants Miles M.16 Mentor

Design and development

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The M.7 Nighthawk was developed from the Miles Falcon Six intended as a training and communications aircraft. The prototype, registered G-ADXA, was first flown in 1935, it was a low-wing monoplane powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine. The prototype crashed during spinning trials at Woodley Aerodrome in January 1937. Four production aircraft followed.[1]

The design was modified to meet an Air Ministry specification and produced as the M.16 Mentor.[2] In 1944 a Nighthawk fuselage was fitted with the wings from a Mohawk and fitted with a 205 hp (153 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six Series II engine with a variable pitch airscrew. It was designated the M.7A Nighthawk.[1] The last Nighthawk to remain airworthy was G-AGWT in the early 1960s. This aircraft was raced in many postwar UK air competitions, but is no longer extant.

Operational history

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Two aircraft were delivered to the Royal Romanian Air Force in 1936 and one was delivered to the Royal Air Force in May 1937 with serial number L6846.[1] It was used as a VIP transport by No. 24 Squadron RAF.[3]

Variants

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M.7
Production version with a 200 hp (149 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine, two built.
M.7A
Four-seat variant built for the Romanian Government, two built.
M.7A (Hybrid)
Hybrid version with Nighthawk fuselage and wings from a Mohawk and powered by a 205 hp (153 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six Series II engine, one built.[1]

Operators

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  Romania
Royal Romanian Air Force
  United Kingdom

Specifications (M.7)

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Data from British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972:Volume III [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
  • Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
  • Empty weight: 1,650 lb (750 kg)
  • Gross weight: 2,400 lb (1,090 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine , 200 hp (149 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 175 mph (282 km/h, 152 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 155 mph (250 km/h, 135 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 23,000 ft (7,010 m) [4]
  • Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s) [4]

See also

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Related lists

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e Jackson 1988, p.265.
  2. ^ Jackson 1988, p.341.
  3. ^ Halley 1980, p. 53.
  4. ^ a b Flight 20 February 1936, p. d.

Bibliography

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  • Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-370-00127-3.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 1980. ISBN 0-85130-083-9.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919. London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 3. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-818-6.
  • "Learning in Luxury: The Miles Nighthawk: A Cabin Monoplane Built Primarily for Instrument- and Night-flying Training". Flight, 20 February 1936, Supplement, pp. c–d.