Photograph:
Miles M.2H Hawk VH-UAI ((c/n 155) over Melbourne, VIC in 1936 (CAHS Collection)
Country of origin:
United Kingdom
Description:
Two-seat light sport and touring aircraft
Power Plant:
One 71 kw (95 hp) ADC Cirrus IIIA four-cylinder in-line air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10.05 m (33 ft)
- Length: 7.31 m (24 ft)
- Height: 2.07 m (6 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 15.70 m² (169 sq ft)
- Max speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Cruising speed: 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 262 m/min (860 ft/min)
- Ceiling: 4,877 m (16,000 ft)
- Range: 724 km (450 miles)
- Empty weight: 460 kg (1,014 lb)
- Loaded weight: 816 kg (1,800 lb)
History:
The Miles M.2 Hawk was a two-seat, low-wing, cantilever monoplane designed by Frederick Geoge Miles in 1933, which, like most Miles aircraft, was built in some numbers by Phillips & Powis Ltd in Berkshire, UK. Of wooden construction, it was popular in the 1930s due to its good performance on the 71 kw (95 hp) Cirrus IIIA engine, its price, and the fact, amongst other things, that the wings could be folded for ease of storage.
The prototype G-ACGH (c/n 1) made its first flight on 29 March 1930 in the hands of the designer, F G Miles. So popular was the design that 47 examples had been delivered to operators in the United Kingdom within the first 15 months. The first production machine G-ACHJ (c/n 3) flew in the 1933 King’s Cup Race, and later won the Cinque Ports Wakefield Cup Race at 185.87 km/h (115.5 mph). Another, G-ACJC was flown by H R A Edwards from Woodley, Berkshire in the United Kingdom to Baghdad in Iraq in 47 hrs flying time.
Four Hawk variants were built, these being: M.2A and M.2C with the 90 kw (120 hp) de Havilland Gipsy III engine; the M.2B with the 90 kw (120 hp) ADC Cirrus Hermes IV engine; and the M.2D with the ADC Cirrus IIIA engine. Modifications were made to the design to meet customer requirements. One M.2A had an enclosed cabin (G-ACLI); one M.2B was a single seater with a Hermes engine (VT-AES); and the M.2D had seating for three.
One example was imported to Australia. VH-UAI (c/n 155) was registered in June 1935 to the Aero Club of South Australia at Parafield, this later becoming known as the Royal Aero Club of South Australia. It crashed at Port Lincoln, SA on 1 May 1936 but was rebuilt and registered to G H Mitchell of Hindmarsh, SA. It was impressed by the RAAF (as A37-5) on 19 November 1940, being operated by No 1 EFTS at Parafield. It was damaged when an undercarriage leg was bent in an accident on 24 April 1942. It returned to Point Cook, VIC on 26 July 1945 and was returned to civil ownership with H P Davis of Hamilton Downs Station via Alice Springs, NT in January 1947. It was sold to K G Johannsen of Alice Springs on 28 January 1948. It crashed whilst landing at Mount Eba, SA on 10 March 1948, was damaged extensively and was not rebuilt.