The Miles M.9 Master was a British two-seat

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

advanced trainer designed and built by aviation company Miles Aircraft Ltd. It was inducted in large numbers into both the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(RAF) and

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...

(FAA) during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The Master can trace its origins back to the earlier M.9 Kestrel demonstrator aircraft. Following the failure of the rival de Havilland Don as a satisfactory trainer aircraft, the RAF ordered 500 ''M9A Master'' advanced trainers to meet its needs. Once in service, it provided a fast, strong and fully aerobatic aircraft that functioned as an excellent introduction to the high performance British fighter aircraft of the day: the

Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...

and

Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

. Throughout its production life, thousands of aircraft and various variants of the Master were produced, the latter being largely influenced by engine availability. Numerous Masters were modified to enable their use as glider tows. The Master also served as the basis for the

Miles Martinet The Miles M.25 Martinet was a target tug aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) that was in service during the Second World War. It was the first British aircraft to be designed specifically for target towing. Work o ...

, a dedicated

target tug A target tug is an aircraft which tows an unmanned drone, a fabric drogue or other kind of target, for the purposes of gun or missile target practice. Target tugs are often conversions of transport and utility aircraft, as well as obsolescent com ...

adopted by the RAF. Perhaps the most radical use of the aircraft was the ''M.24 Master Fighter''. Armed with six .303 in

machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) ar ...

s, it was intended to function as an

emergency fighter An emergency fighter is an aircraft designed or adapted for use as a fighter aircraft, fighter during an emergency period in war. While useful as a broad concept or definition, it is not easy to make the category of emergency fighter clear cut, as m ...

during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

; this model did not ultimately see combat. Ordinary trainer models could also be fitted with armaments, including a single .303 in

Vickers machine gun The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more men to move and o ...

and eight

bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the Exothermic process, exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-t ...

s, albeit intended for training purposes only. Beyond the British air services, other nations also chose to adopt the Master, including the

South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...

United States Army Air Force The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(USAAF),

Irish Air Corps "Watchful and Loyal" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = ''see list of wars'' , decorations = , battle_honours = , battle_honours_label = , fl ...

Royal Egyptian Air Force The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية المصرية, El Qūwāt El Gawīyä El Maṣrīya), is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all milit ...

Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known to ...

, and the Portuguese Air Force. While thousands of Masters were manufactured, no complete examples have been preserved.

Development

Background

The ''M.9A Master I'' was based on the M.9 Kestrel trainer that was first demonstrated at the Hendon Air show in July 1937, although this aircraft never entered production. The M.9 Kestrel, powered by a single Rolls-Royce Kestrel XVI V-12 engine, capable of generating up to 745 hp (555 kW), could attain a maximum speed of 296 mph (477 km/h).Amos ''Aeroplane Monthly'' August 1980, pp. 413–414. The British

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...

had previously selected the rival de Havilland Don to meet Specification T.6/36, which called for an advanced

trainer aircraft A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristi ...

; however, this aircraft would prove to be a failure. Still requiring an aircraft to perform the duties intended for the Don, the RAF placed a large order on 11 June 1938 for 500 examples of a modified version of the Kestrel, designated M.9A Master, at a cost of £2 million. This was claimed to be Britain's largest ever contract for a training aircraft at the time. Upon receipt of this order, Miles had the prototype M.9 rebuilt into a representative prototype for the Master. Alterations included the installation of a lower-powered (715 hp (535 kW)) Kestrel XXX engine, of which there were large surplus stocks available, along with extensive revisions to the airframe, which involved the adoption of a new cockpit

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an ...

, a modified rear fuselage and tail, along with the repositioning of the radiator from underneath the nose to the underside of the wing's centre-section. These modifications came at the cost of a significantly reduced maximum speed over the M.9; despite this, the Master was a relatively fast and manoeuvrable trainer. According to aviation periodical

Flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...

, Miles had designed the Master to fulfil their vision of an effective trainer aircraft being one that could match the performance of, and possess similar characteristics to, that of the frontline RAF

fighters of the day, these being the

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...

and the

Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...

."Milestones...1939."
''Flight'', 5 February 1942. p. vi.

Into flight

On 31 March 1939, the first true production Master I conducted its

maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...

.Amos ''Aeroplane Monthly'' August 1980, pp. 414–416.March 1998, p. 177. According to ''Flight'', the first production examples were being delivered during late July of that year.''Flight'', 27 July 1939. p. 77. The Master had entered RAF service just prior to the start of the

Eventually, 900 Mk. I and Mk. IA Masters were constructed. This total included 26 built as the ''M.24 Master Fighter'' which were modified to a single-seat configuration, and armed with six .303 in

s for use as an

; this model never saw any combat use. When production of the Kestrel engine ceased, a new variant of the Master was designed that used an air-cooled Bristol Mercury XX

radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ...

, capable of producing 870 hp (650 kW), instead. Thus configured, on 30 October 1939, the first ''M.19 Master II'' prototype made its first flight; 1,748 aircraft were eventually built. After the Lend-Lease programme provided a supply of engines from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

to Britain, a third variant of the Master, designated ''M.27 Master III'', was designed, which was powered by the American-built Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp Junior, a two-row radial engine that could generate 825 hp (615 kW). A total of 602 Master IIIs were constructed.Amos ''Aeroplane Monthly'' September 1980, p. 462. In a typical trainer configuration, the Master was equipped to carry eight practice

s, plus a single .303 in

that was mounted in the front fuselage. During 1942, it was decided to have the wings of all variants clipped by three feet (c. one metre); this modification reduced the

stress Stress may refer to: Science and medicine * Stress (biology), an organism's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition * Stress (linguistics), relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in a word, or to a word in a phrase ...

imposed upon the wings while also increasing the aircraft's manoeuvrability.

Production

A total of 3,249 Masters were built by Phillips and Powis Aircraft Limited at Woodley, Berkshire;

South Marston South Marston is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The village is about north-east of Swindon town centre. History The earliest documentary evidence for continuous settlement dates from the 13th centu ...

, Swindon, Wiltshire; and

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

, South Yorkshire. This was the largest number produced of any Miles aircraft type prior to production of the newer

taking precedence during 1942.Amos ''Aeroplane Monthly'' September 1980, pp. 432, 464. The mass production of this aeroplane at Woodley required a major expansion of the original Phillips & Powis factory, which was officially opened on 27 January 1939 by the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood. This facility was outfitted with a pioneering moving track assembly line, which is believed to be the first such facility in a British aircraft factory. A similar facility was also installed in the company's shadow factory at South Marston by the end of 1940.

Design

The Miles Master was a

tandem Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...

-seat low-wing

cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cant ...

, powered by a single

reciprocating engine A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is typically a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common fea ...

. Initial models used the Kestrel XXX engine; capable of providing up to 745 hp (555 kW), this powerplant enabled the aircraft to achieve a maximum speed of 296 mph (477 km/h), which reportedly made the Master as fast as the single-seat

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

fighters of 1935. The ''inverted gull''-shaped wing of the Master was a major distinguishing factor of the aircraft and was adopted, despite higher production costs, due to its performance benefits, permitting the stowage of both the retractable undercarriage and fuel tanks; aside from this shaping, the wing's design largely conformed with traditional approaches.''Flight'', 27 July 1939. pp. 77-78. It features

hydraulically Hydraulics (from Greek language, Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is th ...

-actuated split flaps along its

trailing edge The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge meets.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 521. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 199 ...

, their position being indicated electronically on the cockpit's instrumentation planel. The wing's center-section also accommodates a

.''Flight'', 27 July 1939. p. 78. While the Master had incorporated relatively advanced aerodynamic characteristics (intended to mimic frontline fighters) for a contemporary trainer aircraft, it used a conventional structure, comprising an oval-section fuselage covered by a plywood skin, featuring a semi-

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

approach. Forward of the tandem cockpits, the nose is strengthened by a metal former that provides protection against nose-overs, a common occurrence amongst trainee pilots when flying aircraft with a 'taildragger' undercarriage. The tail section had an orthodox

structure, the tailplane being mounted directly on top of the fuselage; according to ''Flight'', the tailplane's aerodynamics were designed to facilitate easy spin recovery. The Kestrel engine is mounted on tubular

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

bearings which was designed to facilitate engine removal for ease of maintenance via the undoing of only four main bolts along with the connecting leads. Further maintenance savings were made via the engine's derating, allowing for a longer interval between overhauls. The Master was furnished with a

constant-speed propeller In aeronautics, a variable-pitch propeller is a type of propeller (airscrew) with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change the blade pitch. A controllable-pitch propeller is one where the pitch is controlled manually by the p ...

, which was interchangeable between

Rotol Dowty Propellers is a British engineering company based in Brockworth, Gloucestershire that specialises in the manufacture, repair and overhaul of propellers and propeller components for customers around the world. It is owned by General Elect ...

and de Havilland units. The Kestrel engine of early-built aircraft incorporated various auxiliary drives to power both

vacuum A vacuum is a space devoid of matter. The word is derived from the Latin adjective ''vacuus'' for "vacant" or "void". An approximation to such vacuum is a region with a gaseous pressure much less than atmospheric pressure. Physicists often dis ...

and hydraulic pumps, along with an

air compressor An air compressor is a pneumatic device that converts power (using an electric motor, diesel or gasoline engine, etc.) into potential energy stored in pressurized air (i.e., compressed air). By one of several methods, an air compressor forces m ...

and a 500-watt electrical

generator Generator may refer to: * Signal generator, electronic devices that generate repeating or non-repeating electronic signals * Electric generator, a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. * Generator (circuit theory), an eleme ...

. Cooling for the water and

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

systems was provided via a duct running underneath the fuselage. Fuel was housed in a pair of fuel tanks, each containing up to 36 gallons, accommodated within the wings; the oil tank is mounted behind a

fireproof Fireproofing is rendering something (structures, materials, etc.) resistant to fire, or incombustible; or material for use in making anything fire-proof. It is a passive fire protection measure. "Fireproof" or "fireproofing" can be used as a n ...

bulkhead while the water tank is mounted in front of the engine. The retractable undercarriage is operated via two separate hydraulic systems along with a hand-pump as backup; the brakes are also hydraulically-actuated.''Flight'', 27 July 1939. pp. 78-79. The cockpit of the Master was designed with considerable attention to best facilitate its use as a trainer aircraft, including for ease of use and comfort. The positions of the two flying crew, the student in front and the instructor behind, was staggered; the rear position is 12-inches higher to provide the instructor with greater visibility.''Flight'', 27 July 1939. pp. 79-80. Mid-flight, an instructor was able to disconnect several of the student pilot's controls, such as the brakes, using various cut-outs provided. The forward windscreen is composed of molded

Perspex Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite ...

and is furnished with a reflector-type

gun sight A sight is an aiming device used to assist in visually aligning ranged weapons, surveying instruments or optical illumination equipments with the intended target. Sights can be a simple set or system of physical markers that have to be aligne ...

, providing an optically-perfect view of a target. Two small panels can be opened to aid visibility while flying in poor weather conditions, sun blinds are also incorporated. Catches on either side of the sliding canopy allow for the panels to be rapidly detached, facilitating faster bailing-out during an emergency.''Flight'', 27 July 1939. p. 79. Other emergency equipment included a

Graviner Graviner is a British engineering company that makes oxygen (life support) and fire extinguishing systems for civil and military aircraft. The name is a portmanteau of gravity and inertia. History The company was independently operational from 1 ...

fire extinguisher A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which ha ...

mounted behind the rear seat and emergency hydraulic controls set into the floor on the cockpit.''Flight'', 27 July 1939. p. 80.

Operational history

Typical service use of the Master primarily revolved around ''(Pilot) Advanced Flying Units'', where they were used for training aircrew in preparation for service with frontline squadrons. Amongst other parts of the training syllabus, pilots would often be first exposed to fighter tactics while flying the aircraft. By 1942, advertisements claimed that the Master was being flown by every RAF fighter pilot-in-training. Several hundred Master IIs were either delivered in, or subsequently converted to, a configuration that allowed their use in the glider-towing role. Such aircraft would have the lower portion of their

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...

cut away to allow fitting of a towing hook. Starting in 1942, Miles Masters were extensively used as tugs for

General Aircraft Hotspur The General Aircraft GAL.48 Hotspur was a military glider designed and built by the British company General Aircraft Ltd during World War II. When the British airborne establishment was formed in 1940 by order of Prime Minister Winston Church ...

gliders at various Glider Training Schools. Examples were also operated by multiple Anti-aircraft Co-operation Units of the RAF as a liaison aircraft with

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

units. Initially, the type was mainly used for training, thus few aircraft entered squadron service. Known deployments were to No. 287 Squadron between February and August 1942, to No. 286 Squadron from November 1944 to February 1945,Jefford 2001, p. 85. and to No. 613 Squadron between August 1941 and October 1943. The Master II was also used for

purposes at the

Central Gunnery School Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

whilst the School was based at

RAF Sutton Bridge Royal Air Force Sutton Bridge or more simply RAF Sutton Bridge is a former Royal Air Force station found next to the village of Sutton Bridge in the south-east of Lincolnshire. The airfield was to the south of the current A17, and east of the Ri ...

from April 1942 to March 1944. In this role, they pulled the drogue targets required for aerial gunnery training by pupils at the Pilot Gunnery Instructors' Training Wing. The

, a derivative of the Master, was a developed specifically to be a target tug and would see widespread use in this capacity. RAF stocks were frequently diverted to support several of the air services of the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

and other non-hostile nations. Such diversions included 426 aircraft to the

South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...

, 52 to the

, nine to the

(USAAF) units based in Britain, 23 to the

, 23 to

, two to Portuguese Air Force, and fourteen to the

. Despite having been produced in the thousands, there are no known surviving aircraft of the type today, although a few outer wings and other parts are held by several aviation museums in Britain.

Variants

;Miles M.9A Master :Prototype modified from the private venture M.9 Kestrel trainer prototype. ;Miles M.9B Master I :Initial production of the Master with Kestrel engine, 900 built at Woodley. ;Miles M.9C Master IA :Improved design with a sliding hood and wider span tailplane, 400 built at Woodley. ;Miles M.19 Master II :Production with Bristol Mercury engines, 1748 built at Woodley and South Marston. ;Miles M.19 Master GT.II :Modified Master II as a glider tug, at least 133 conversions and 290 Master IIs were built as GT.IIs at Woodley and South Marston.Amos 2012, p. A182 ;Miles M.24 Master Fighter :Stop-gap fighter version of Master I with rear seat removed and six 0.303 Browning machine-guns in the wings, 25 conversions of Master Is on the production line.Amos 2012, pp. 135-136 ;Miles M.27 Master III :Improved Master II. 602 built at South Marston. ;Miles M.31 Master IV :Proposed improved design to give the instructor a better field of view, none built.Amos 2012, pp. 95-112

Military operators

; * Belgian Air Force ; *

– 26 aircraft supplied in 1944 from RAF stocksAmos 2012, pp. A226-A227Amos 2012, pp. A146 – A181 ; * French Air Force ; *

– 12 former RAF Master IIs were purchased (six in 1943 and six in 1945),Amos 2012, p. A228 ; * Portuguese Air Force - 4 former RAF Master IIs were delivered in 1943 and ten Master IIIs delivered form 1941.Amos 2012, pp. A224-A226 ; *

South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...

– 453 Master IIs were supplied to South Africa (including 25 which were lost at sea and did not arrive).Amos 2012, pp. A212-A223 ; *

; *

No. 4 Squadron RAF No. 4 Squadron, normally written as IV Squadron, of the Royal Air Force operates the BAE Hawk T2 in the training role from RAF Valley. History Formation and First World War IV Squadron formed at Farnborough in 1912 as part of the Royal Fly ...

:* No. 16 Squadron RAF :* No. 25 Squadron RAF :*

No. 26 Squadron RAF No. 26 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1915 and was disbanded for the last time in 1976. The squadron's motto is ''N Wagter in die Lug'' (Afrikaans) (A guard in the sky), and the badge is a springbok's head couped. History 1915 ...

No. 73 Squadron RAF No. 73 Squadron, Royal Air Force was formed on 2 July 1917 during the First World War. It was disbanded in 1969. World War I It was initially a unit of the Royal Flying Corps and was formed out of the Central Flying School, based at Upavon, Wilts ...

No. 85 Squadron RAF ("We hunt by day and night") , colors= , colors_label= Post-1950 aircraft insignia , march= , mascot= , equipment= , equipment_label= , battles= , anniversaries= , decorations= , battle_honours= Western Front, 1917–1918; France & Low Countrie ...

No. 87 Squadron RAF No. 87 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during the First World War and Second World War. World War I 87 Squadron Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was first formed on 1 September 1917 at Upavon from elements of the Central Flyi ...

No. 105 Squadron RAF No. 105 Squadron was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force, active for three periods between 1917 and 1969. It was originally established during the First World War as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and disbanded after the war. Reactivate ...

No. 140 Squadron RAF No. 140 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a Second World War photo-reconnaissance squadron that operated between 1941 and 1945. History Briefly formed during the First World War on 1 May 1918 at RAF Biggin Hill as a home defence squadron with ...

:* No. 152 Squadron RAF :*

No. 168 Squadron RAF No. 168 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force squadron that operated the North American Mustang on missions over occupied Europe and in support of the D-Day landings. History The squadron was formed on 15 June 1942 at RAF Snailwel ...

No. 219 Squadron RAF No. 219 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was founded in 1918 and disbanded in 1957 after four separate periods of service. During the First World War it served as a coastal defence unit, and through most of the Second World War and the 1950s it op ...

No. 222 Squadron RAF No. 222 Squadron was a Royal Air Force fighter unit. History In World War I The squadron was formally formed at Thasos on 1 April 1918 from "A" Squadron of the former No. 2 Wing, RNAS when the Royal Air Force was formed. At this time, Richar ...

No. 225 Squadron RAF No. 225 Squadron RAF is a former Royal Air Force squadron. History World War One No. 225 Squadron RAF was formed on 1 April 1918 at Otranto, Alimini, Italy from part of No. 6 Wing Royal Naval Air Service, RNAS, and was equipped with Sopwith Cam ...

No. 238 Squadron RAF No. 238 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was first formed in 1918 by combining number 347, 348 and 349 Flights at RAF Cattewater by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. It was reformed for the Second World War, the ...

No. 239 Squadron RAF No. 239 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War I. During World War II the squadron performed as an army co-operation squadron and later as a night intruder unit. After the war the squadron was disbande ...

:* No. 242 Squadron RAF :*

No. 245 Squadron RAF No. 245 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It flew as an anti-submarine squadron during World War I and as a fighter squadron during World War II. After the war it was first a jet-fighter squadron and its last role was as a radar-cal ...

No. 249 Squadron RAF No. 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence. It was one of the top scoring fighter squadrons of the RAF in World War II. History First formation No. ...

:* No. 253 Squadron RAF :*

No. 257 Squadron RAF No. 257 Squadron RAF was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force active during the First World War, the Second World War and also the Cold War. It was finally disbanded in December 1963. History In World War I No. 257 Squadron was formed at D ...

No. 264 Squadron RAF No. 264 Squadron RAF, also known as No. 264 (Madras Presidency) Squadron, was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. World War I The squadron was first formed during the First World War, from two former Royal Naval Air Service flights, No. 439 ...

:* No. 266 Squadron RAF :* No. 286 Squadron RAF :* No. 287 Squadron RAF :* No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron :* No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron :* No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron :* No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron :*

No. 414 Squadron RCAF No. 414 Squadron RCAF is a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron. It is currently located in Ottawa and conducts electronic warfare support training for other units in the Canadian Armed Forces. History World War II On 13 August 1941, No 414 Army ...

:* No. 460 Squadron RAAF :*

No. 504 Squadron RAF No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron was one of the Special Reserve Squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force, and today is a reserve force of the RAF Regiment. It was integrated into the AAF proper in 1936. Based at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland, 504 Sq ...

No. 521 Squadron RAF No. 521 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a Second World War meteorological observation unit operating from Norfolk. History First formation The Squadron began on 4 February 1941 as No. 401 (Met) Flight of RAF Bomber Command. When all the ...

No. 600 Squadron RAF No. 600 (City of London) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force is a squadron of the RAF Reserves. It was formed in 1925 and operated as a night fighter squadron during the Second World War with great distinction. After the war, 600 Squadron went on t ...

No. 607 Squadron RAF No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron is an auxiliary squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1930 as a bomber unit in the Auxiliary Air Force and changed in 1936 to the fighter role. It fought in that role during the Second World War in ...

No. 610 Squadron RAF No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force. Comprising very high quality pilots, often ex- RAF officers and occasionally locally based company Test pilots from companies such as de Havil ...

:* No. 613 Squadron RAF :*

No. 615 Squadron RAF No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron was a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force and later the Royal Auxiliary Air Force between 1937 and 1957. History Formation and early years No. 615 squadron was formed at RAF Kenley as part of the Auxilia ...

:* No. 616 Squadron RAF :*

No. 5 Flying Training School RAF No. 5 Flying Training School (5 FTS) is a former Royal Air Force flying training school that operated between 1920 and 1974. History First formation The school was formed on 26 April 1920 at MoD Sealand, RAF Shotwick and redesignated No. 5 Serv ...

:* No. 8 Flying Training School RAF :* No. 9 Flying Training School RAF :*

No. 14 Flying Training School RAF No. 14 (Advanced) Flying Training School (14 (A)FTS) is a former Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first ...

:* No. 15 Flying Training School RAF :*

No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF The numero sign or numero symbol, №, (also represented as Nº, No, No. or no.), is a typographic abbreviation of the word ''number''(''s'') indicating ordinal numeration, especially in names and titles. For example, using the numero sign, t ...

:* No. 41 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 52 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 53 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 55 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 56 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 57 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 58 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 60 Operational Training Unit RAF :*

No. 61 Operational Training Unit RAF The numero sign or numero symbol, №, (also represented as Nº, No, No. or no.), is a typographic abbreviation of the word ''number''(''s'') indicating ordinal numeration, especially in names and titles. For example, using the numero sign, t ...

Central Flying School The Central Flying School (CFS) is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 at the Upavon Aerodrome, it is the longest existing flying training school. The school was based at ...

– about 200 Master Is transferred from the Royal Air Force. :* 748 Naval Air Squadron :* 759 Naval Air SquadronAmos 2012, pp. A28-A69 :* 760 Naval Air Squadron :*

761 Naval Air Squadron 761 Naval Air Squadron (761 NAS) was a List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadrons, Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was formed at HMS ''Heron'', RNAS Yeovilton, as the Advanced Training Squadron of the Fleet Fighter School ...

:* 762 Naval Air Squadron :*

780 Naval Air Squadron 780 Naval Air Squadron (780 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land ...

781 Naval Air Squadron 781 Naval Air Squadron (781 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. Aircraft operated The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions between 1947 & 1981: * North American Harvard T.2b & T.3 * Hawker ...

:* 785 Naval Air Squadron :*

798 Naval Air Squadron 798 Naval Air Squadron (798 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land a ...

; *

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

– A total of 44 Masters were loaned to the USAAF for communications duties and target tugs for use in the United Kingdom.Amos 2012, p. A231-A233

Specifications (M.19 Master Mk.II)

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

* Amos, Peter. "RAF Piston Trainer No. 10: Miles M.9A Master I". ''

Aeroplane Monthly ''Aeroplane'' (formerly ''Aeroplane Monthly'') is a British magazine devoted to aviation, with a focus on aviation history and preservation. __TOC__ ''The Aeroplane'' The weekly ''The Aeroplane'' launched in June 1911 under founding edito ...

'', August 1980, Vol. 8, No. 8. pp. 412–418. * Amos, Peter. "RAF Piston Trainer No. 10: Miles M.19 and M.27 Master II and III". ''

'', September 1980, Vol. 8, No. 9. pp. 460–464. * Amos, Peter and Don Lambert Brown. ''Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1''. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. . * Amos, Peter ''Miles Aircraft – The Wartime Years'' Tonbridge, Kent, England: Air-Britain Historians Ltd, 2012. * Brown, Don Lambert. ''Miles Aircraft Since 1925''. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. . * Jane, Fred T. ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1945/6''. London: Sampson Low Marston, 1946. (1970 David & Charles reprint). * Jefford, C.G. ''RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912''. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. . * Lukins, A.H. and D.A. Russell. ''The Book of Miles Aircraft''. Leicester, UK: The Harborough Publishing Company Ltd., 1946. * March, Daniel M. ''British Warplanes of World War II''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1998. . * Mondey, David. ''The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II''. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. . * Temple, Julian C. ''Wings Over Woodley – The Story of Miles Aircraft and the Adwest Group''. Bourne End, Bucks, UK: Aston Publications, 1987. .
"Trainer De Luxe."
''Flight'', 27 July 1939. pp. 77–80.

External links

Austin & Longbridge Aircraft Production

{{Miles aircraft 1930s British military trainer aircraft World War II British trainer aircraft

Master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

Glider tugs Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1939 Inverted gull-wing aircraft

Development

Background

Into flight

Production

Design

Operational history

Variants

Military operators

Specifications (M.19 Master Mk.II)

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links