Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Two-seat military target tug

Power Plant:

One 649 kw (870 hp) Bristol Mercury XX nine-cylinder single-stage supercharged air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

History:

To meet RAF requirements for a specialised target-tug, F G Miles designed the M.25 Martinet powered by a 649 kw (870 hp) Bristol Mercury XX or XXX engine, providing accommodation for a pilot and winch operator, the aircraft to carry six flag or sleeve targets which were housed under the centre fuselage, together with space for the towing cable and winch mechanism. The prototype of the design, the M.25 Martinet (LR241), flew for the first time on 24 April 1942 and, following service trials, entered production at the Company’s Woodley, UK facility, replacing the Miles Master II on the production line.

By the time production ended some 1,724 had been supplied to the RAF and RN, and they served in their design role in various parts of the world. In the United Kingdom, 14 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation units used the type to train anti-aircraft gunners, and others served with Gunnery Schools and Operational Training Units. After World War II they served with the 2nd Tactical Air Force in Germany, four were civilianised in Sweden by Svensk Flygtjanst for target towing (SE-BCP, SE-BCO, SE-NCN and SE-AZD), and two in the United Kingdom (G-AJZB and G-AJZC) served with W S Shackleton Ltd. One (PW979) was modified to Queen Martinet configuration for radio-controlled pilotless duties, and later 65 more were converted.

In 1942 it was decided to form a new naval group known as the BPF (British Pacific Fleet) based in Australia and for it to integrate with the American Pacific Naval Forces, which became the 7th Fleet. Later the BPF became Task Force 57 and comprised 330 ships with 300 aircraft and five shore establishments. Five aircraft carriers were involved (HMSs Victorious, Formidable, Indefatigable, Indomitable and Implacable); four light fleet carriers (HMSs Colossus, Glory, Venerable and Vengeance); and eight escort carriers (HMSs Striker, Arbiter, Chaser, Ruler, Slinger, Speaker, Vindex and Reaper) as well as battleships and other vessels.

The shore stations comprised: MONAB I – HMS Nabbington (Nowra, NSW); MONAB II – HMS Nabberly (Bankstown, NSW); MONAB III – HMS Nabthorpe (Schofields, NSW); MONAB IV – HMS Nabaron (Ponam Island, New Guinea); MONAB V – HMS Nabswick (Jervis Bay, NSW); MONAB VI – HMS Nabstock (Maryborough, QLD, later Schofields, NSW); MONAB VII – HMS Nabreekie (Meendale, QLD); MONAB VIII – HMS Nabcatcher (Kai Tak, Hong Kong); MONAB IX – HMS Nabrock (Sembawangi, Singapore); MONAB X – HMS Nabhurst (Middle Wallop, England); and HMS Nabsford , a TAMY (Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard) at Archerfield, QLD.

Some 24 Royal Navy squadrons were based at these centres late in World War II, operating Grumman Hellcats, Chance Vought Corsairs, Supermarine Seafires, Fairey Barracudas, and Grumman Avengers.  To support this growing Pacific force the Royal Navy formed a number of second-line units for training and support. One of these was No 723 Squadron, known as a Fleet Requirements Unit, which was formed at Town Hill Camp in Fife, UK on 21 November 1944, leaving by ship for Australia on 22 December.

The unit re-assembled at Bankstown, NSW on 28 February 1945 with an initial establishment of eight Miles Martinets for target towing and eight Chance Vought Corsairs for high-speed gun-laying practice. As time went by the number of aircraft increased, other types attached to the unit including two Beech Expediters and a number of Grumman Hellcat IIs.

The unit’s main task was to support surface units of the BPF working-up prior to commencing operations off Okinawa and the Japanese home islands. First aircraft lost was a Martinet on a test flight from Jervis Bay attached to No 723 FRU Squadron which dived into the sea off the coast of Sydney on 27 March 1945 with the loss of the two man crew. On 1 May 1945 the unit moved to the airstrip at Jervis Bay, on the NSW south coast where it also took on charge Avro Ansons, DH.82 Tiger Moths, CAC Wirraways, a Stinson Reliant, and a number of RN Vultee Vengeance TT.IVs, the latter to assist with target towing. Records indicate at least 15 examples of the Martinet were attached to No 72 Squadron.

Following the end of the war against Japan the unit was run down, the fighter aircraft not being used any further. The unit and its Martinets moved to RNAS Schofields, NSW. On 31 May 1946 the unit was disbanded and the aircraft are believed to have been broken up or dumped at sea. On 7 April 1952 No 723 Squadron was reformed at HMAS Albatross, Nowra, as a RAN unit with Hawker Sea Fury FB.11s, a Supermarine Sea Otter, Douglas C-47, a Wirraway, and later Fairey Fireflys.