The Miles M.57 Aerovan was a British twin-engined short-range low-cost transport aircraft designed and produced by
Miles Aircraft
Miles was the name used between 1943 and 1947 to market the aircraft of British engineer Frederick George Miles, who, with his wife – aviator and draughtswoman Maxine "Blossom" Miles (née Forbes-Robertson) – and his brother George Herbert ...
. It was primarily used for freight and passenger services.
Development of the Aerovan started during the latter years of 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 opposi ...
as an affordable freighter suitable for both civilian and military purposes. It was suited to austere operations, and possessed an atypically high payload capacity for its power output. Relatively large payloads, including a single car, could be transported by the aircraft, being loaded via its large
clamshell freight door. While Miles intended to produce the Aerovan for the
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 ...
as a wartime asset, development was put on hold by order of the
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 ...
until the end of the conflict.
On 26 January 1945, the
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 alw ...
of the Aerovan took place. Quantity production formally commenced during 1946, although customer demand exceeded the company's production capacity. The Aerovan was primarily flown by commercial operators, but was also operated by a number of military users. Numerous variants were developed, and further models were envisioned, including a
flying boat model; however, production was halted as a result of the company's
bankruptcy in late 1947.
Development
Background
Work on the Aerovan commenced during early 1944, being envisioned from the onset as a low-powered affordable freighter that was suited to both civilian and military purposes.
Throughout 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 opposi ...
, George Miles had advocated for the use of such an aircraft within the British military in place of the then-standard practice of largely relying on
glider
Glider may refer to:
Aircraft and transport Aircraft
* Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight
** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...
s. Following the completion of the
Miles Messenger
The Miles M.38 Messenger is a British four-seat liaison and private owner aircraft built by Miles Aircraft.
Design and development
The Messenger was designed to meet an informal request from a group of British Army officers for a robust, slow ...
's development, it was felt by Miles' design team that an aircraft of roughly double the power and weight would be a valuable pursuit; in particular, it was believed that such an aircraft would be a capable military transport for theatres such as the
Burma campaign against
Imperial Japan
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...
, as well as working in niche roles such as an
air ambulance
Air medical services is a comprehensive term covering the use of air transportation, aeroplane or helicopter, to move patients to and from healthcare facilities and accident scenes. Personnel provide comprehensive prehospital and emergency and cri ...
.
[Brown 1970, p. 289.]
To suit its intended use, it was recognised early on that such an aircraft would need to be operated from austere airstrips and less hospitable terrain.
[Brown 1970, pp. 289-290.] Furthermore, it was recognised that the type could be subsequently scaled upwards into a larger freighter, of which Miles had formulated multiple proposals even prior to the conflict's end. Beyond its military applications, the coming
post-war era would see civilian operators that would need large numbers of economic short range transports and small freighters.
A high-wing configuration selected for the aircraft, being fitted with external aerofoil
flap
Flap may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Flap'' (film), a 1970 American film
* Flap, a boss character in the arcade game ''Gaiapolis''
* Flap, a minor character in the film '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland''
Biology and he ...
s and powered by a pair of
Blackburn Cirrus Major
The Blackburn Cirrus Major is a British, inline-four aircraft engine that was developed in the late 1930s.
Design and development
The Blackburn Cirrus Major started life as a continued evolution of the original Cirrus and Hermes series of air ...
piston engines. To facilitate easy loading, the entire rear of the fuselage was a door, necessitating the use of a relatively high tail boom.
[Brown 1970, p. 290.]
The prototype was constructed at Miles'
Woodley factory in
Berkshire. On 26 January 1945, this prototype conducted the type's
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 alw ...
, piloted by Tommy Rose.
[Jackson 1974, p. 79.] The performance of the prototype was immediately positive, proving to be both comfortable and relatively easy to fly. It proved to have an atypically high payload capacity for an aircraft of such power, being capable of lifting payloads in excess of its own weight when operated in a bare configuration.
[Brown 1970, pp. 290-291.] The results of the initial trials were submitted to the
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 ...
as the company prepared to put the Aerovan into immediate production to support the war effort. However, Miles' work was not met with approval, the company being
censured for building the aircraft without authorisation and work on the project was suspended on the ministry's orders.
[Brown 1970, p. 292.]
Into production
Work on the Aerovan was resumed shortly after
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easte ...
.
While there was immediate demand for the type amongst civilian customers, Miles were not able to keep up with the rate of orders incoming, an outcome which aviation author Don Brown attributed to the Air Ministry's decision to place the project on hold. The production model of the Aerovan featured some changes from the prototype, including an 18-inch stretch of the fuselage and the use of
porthole
A porthole, sometimes called bull's-eye window or bull's-eye, is a generally circular window used on the hull of ships to admit light and air. Though the term is of maritime origin, it is also used to describe round windows on armored vehicle ...
windows rather than rectangular ones.
Quantity production of the Aerovan properly commenced during 1946; the majority of aircraft sold were to civilian operators, both domestic and overseas, although some military customers, including
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
and
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, also emerged for the type.
[Brown 1970, pp. 292-293.]
Following negotiations, a
licence was granted for the Aerovan to be manufactured in France, but no such aircraft were ever manufactured in the country. A single
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) aircraft was converted for
aerial fertiliser spreading, while a second for aeromagnetic survey work, although it proved to be unsuccessful. A single Mark 4 was used for research with a
Hurel-Dubois high aspect ratio wing in 1957, being then known as the ''Miles HDM.105''.
[Brown 1970, p. 296.] The prototype, which was retroactively designated the Mark 1, was later fitted with a 5/6th scale replica of the
Armstrong Siddeley Mamba turboprop nacelle for the
Miles Marathon; it was also subsequently outfitted with
ailerons in line with the standard flaps.
[Brown 1970, pp. 295-296.]
Even prior to the Aerovan entering quantity production, Miles had ambitions to produce multiple derivatives of the type. One such design was a specialised aircraft for the
air observation post
Air Observation Post (AOP) is an aeroplane or helicopter used in the role of artillery spotter by the British Army and Commonwealth forces. In this role, either the pilot of the aircraft or another crew member acts as an observer watching for tar ...
role, intended to be operated by a four-man crew and featuring an enlarged glazed canopy to provide an all-round view in combination with a glazed rear fuselage section.
Work was also undertaken on a
flying boat derivative that would have had a single-step hull, keeping the rear freight door above the waterline with the assistance of two stabilising
floats carried on outriggers set on either side of the hull. Both designs would have retained significant commonality with the standard Aerovan, sharing the wing, tail, and powerplant arrangement.
Production of the Aerovan was abruptly terminated during late 1947 as a consequence of Miles'
bankruptcy and subsequent dissolution.
Design
The Miles Aerovan was a twin-engined high-wing
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 ...
of plastic-bonded plywood construction with some spruce and metal parts. It had a fixed
tricycle undercarriage
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
, three vertical tail and rudder units, one central and two as tailplane endplates, the configuration being generally reminiscent of the
Miles Messenger
The Miles M.38 Messenger is a British four-seat liaison and private owner aircraft built by Miles Aircraft.
Design and development
The Messenger was designed to meet an informal request from a group of British Army officers for a robust, slow ...
.
The wing featured electrically-actuated
flap
Flap may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Flap'' (film), a 1970 American film
* Flap, a boss character in the arcade game ''Gaiapolis''
* Flap, a minor character in the film '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland''
Biology and he ...
s that could be adjusted to any angle, which were a recent innovation. On the ground, steering was achieved either by differential braking or differential operation of the throttles.
The Aerovan had a relatively deep-sided forward fuselage, which necessitated the use of a large fin area.
A pair of pilots were accommodated within a large clear
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 ...
canopy which formed the front dorsal part of the pod, while the pod-shaped fuselage was lined with four or five circular windows on either side for use by passengers. Access to the cabin and cockpit was via a door on the starboard side.
For additional comfort, amenities such as
soundproofing
Soundproofing is any means of impeding sound propagation. There are several basic approaches to reducing sound: increasing the distance between source and receiver, decoupling, using noise barriers to reflect or absorb the energy of the sound ...
were typically installed.
The Aerovan's lifting capabilities were such that payloads could weigh up to one tonne, along with sufficient volume to enable the carriage of a typical family
car, which could be loaded through the
clamshell doors set to the rear.
[Brown 1970, p. 291.]
Various aspects of the Aerovan's configuration could be adjusted to meet customer demand; such alterations included the addition of
skis
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partial ...
for operations within snowy climates.
[Brown 1970, p. 294.] The standard Aerovan was powered by a pair of
Blackburn Cirrus Major
The Blackburn Cirrus Major is a British, inline-four aircraft engine that was developed in the late 1930s.
Design and development
The Blackburn Cirrus Major started life as a continued evolution of the original Cirrus and Hermes series of air ...
piston engines; alternative powerplants included the
de Havilland Gipsy Major
The de Havilland Gipsy Major or Gipsy IIIA is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, inverted inline engine used in a variety of light aircraft produced in the 1930s, including the famous Tiger Moth biplane. Many Gipsy Major engines still power vintag ...
and the
Lycoming O-435
The Lycoming O-435 is an American six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engine made by Lycoming Engines
Lycoming Engines is a major American manufacturer of aircraft engines. With a factory in Williamspor ...
, often necessitating the use of enlarged fins and rudders to cope with the increased power under all circumstances. By swapping the engines, the maximum speed could be increased by up to 20 mph and the rate of climb by up to 50 per cent.
[Brown 1970, p. 295.]
Operational history
The Aerovan was principally operated by civilian customers, with demand for the type from such operators outstripping Miles' production capacity. These aircraft were often used for a diverse range of operations; more obscure uses included the movement of
livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...
across the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
and as a flying
removal van
A moving company, removalist or van line is a company that helps people and businesses move their goods from one place to another. It offers all-inclusive services for relocations, like packing, loading, moving, unloading, unpacking, and a ...
.
[Brown 1970, pp. 293-294.]
The majority of Mk 3 and 4 Aerovans were employed on passenger and freight services, charter work and joyriding in the UK and in the
Near East. Meridian Air Maps operated Aerovan 4 ''G-AISF'' on
aerial survey
Aerial survey is a method of collecting geomatics or other imagery by using airplanes, helicopters, UAVs, balloons or other aerial methods. Typical types of data collected include aerial photography, Lidar, remote sensing (using various visible ...
work from October 1955 until it crashed on takeoff from
Manchester (Ringway) on 29 April 1957. The accident resulted in the deaths of two passengers and pilot
Jean Lennox Bird, the first woman to receive RAF wings.
The RNZAF evaluated a pair of Aerovan 4s during 1950.
The newly formed
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defens ...
acquired a single Aerovan ''G-AJWI'' from Britain, which entered service during June 1948. Able to use relatively short landing strips, it was repeatedly flown into settlements and Jerusalem airport in the face of defensive rifle fire. On 17 July 1948, the aircraft made a forced landing south of
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
and was destroyed by Palestinians.
[Dor 2004, pp. 26–28.]
Variants
''Source:''
![Miles M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Miles_M.57_Aerovan_1_G-AGOZ_Air_Contrs_RWY_25.7.46.jpg)
;Aerovan 1
:First prototype ''G-AGOZ''. The short fuselage prototype had four square windows. Like the Aerovan 2, 3 and 4 it was powered by two 150 hp (112 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Major III piston engines.
;Aerovan 2
:Second prototype ''G-AGWO'' had a lower empty weight (by 410 lb) and an longer fuselage with five round windows. The outer fin balance was modified.
;Aerovan 3
:Essentially identical to the Mk 2. Seven built, with six registered in the UK at one time or another,
[Jackson 1960, p. 551.] the other going to Belgium.
;Aerovan 4
:Mark 3 with detailed improvements; the main production variant distinguished by four circular windows. 43 built, including one originally built as a Mk 3. 40 of these were registered in the U.K.
Two were later converted into the Mk 5 and HDM.105. Three further machines were built, one going to Iraq and two to the RNZAF (later sold on the civil market).
;Aerovan 5
:Powered by two 145 hp (108 kW)
de Havilland Gipsy Major
The de Havilland Gipsy Major or Gipsy IIIA is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, inverted inline engine used in a variety of light aircraft produced in the 1930s, including the famous Tiger Moth biplane. Many Gipsy Major engines still power vintag ...
10 piston engines. One built.
;Aerovan 6
:Powered by two 195 hp (145 kW)
Avco Lycoming O-435-A piston engines. One built with enlarged outer fins taken from a scrapped
Miles M.68.
;
Hurel-Dubois Miles HDM.105
:Venture between Miles and ''
Societe des Avions Hurel-Dubois'' through joint company H.D. et M. (Aviation), Ltd. Aerovan fitted with high-aspect ratio (20.5:1) wing of span of almost the same area as earlier marks, designed by
Hurel-Dubois; influenced the design of the
Shorts Skyvan.
[Barnes 1989 p478.] Former Mark 4 ''G-AJOF'' first flew as the HDM.105 on 31 March 1957 as ''G-35-3'' (subsequently re-registered ''G-AHDM'')
[Jackson 1974, p. 82.] with similar performance to earlier marks. Damaged and then dismantled in June 1958.
:An 8,000 lb, 75 ft span HDM.106 with 290 hp Lycoming engines was proposed but not developed.
Operators
Civil operators
''Sources:''
[Jackson pp. 168-170.]
;
;
*
Belgian Air Service
;
*Compagnie General de T.S.F
;
;
*
Societe Transporti Aerei Mediterranei
;
*Airwork (East Africa)
;
;
;
*
Aerotechnica
*Compañía Auxilar de Navegación Aérea
;
;
*
Turkish State Airlines
*
Hurkus Hava Yollari
;
*Air Contractors
*
Airwork
Airwork is an aviation business based in Auckland, New Zealand. The Airwork Group is New Zealand's largest general aviation company. It focuses on fixed wing and helicopter maintenance, leasing, and operations working with private and public e ...
*Arab Contracting and Trading Company
*
Air Transport (Charter)
*
British Nederland Airservices
*
Channel Islands Air Freight
*Culliford Airlines
*East Anglian Flying Services
*Island Air Charters
*Kenning Aviation Ltd
*
Lancashire Aircraft Corporation
*Lockwoods Flying Services
*Meridan Air Maps
*
North Sea Air Transport
*North West Airlines
*Patrick-Duval Aviation
*Sivewright Airways
*
Skyfreight
*
Skytravel
*
Ulster Aviation
*Universal Flying Services
Military operators
;
*
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defens ...
;
*
Royal New Zealand Air Force
**Research and Development Flight of
No. 41 Squadron RNZAF
Specifications (Aerovan Marks 2, 3, 4)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. ''Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1''. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. .
* Barnes C.H. and James Derek N. ''Shorts Aircraft since 1900''. London: Putnam, 1989. .
* Brown, Don Lambert. ''Miles Aircraft Since 1925''. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. .
* Dor, Amos. "Short-Lived 'Duck'": Israel's One-off Miles Aerovan. ''
Air Enthusiast
''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to ''Air International'' maga ...
'', No. 109, January/February 2004, pp. 26–28.
* Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft 1919–1959, Volume 2.'' London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1960.
* Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 3.'' London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1974. .
* ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956-7.'' London: Jane's PublishingCo. Ltd.
*
*
External links
*
Hurel-Dubois on Fr wikipedia''Flight'' 1958 the Hurel-Dubois wing on the Aerovan
{{Miles aircraft
1940s British civil utility aircraft
Aerovan
Aircraft first flown in 1945
High-wing aircraft
Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft
Triple-tail aircraft