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The Miles M.9 Master was a British two-seat monoplane 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) an ...
(RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. 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 Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 ...
and Hurricane. 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, 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 c ...
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 rifl ...
s, it was intended to function as an emergency fighter during the Battle of Britain; this model did not ultimately see combat. Ordinary trainer models could also be fitted with armaments, including a single .303 in Vickers machine gun and eight
bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechan ...
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 (USAAF), Irish Air Corps, Royal Egyptian Air Force,
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 t ...
, 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; 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, 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 b ...
, 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 monoplane 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 Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 ...
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 b ...
."Milestones...1939."
''Flight'', 5 February 1942. p. vi.


Into flight

On 31 March 1939, the first true production Master I conducted its maiden flight.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
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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
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
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 rifl ...
s for use as an emergency fighter; 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 Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
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 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
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
bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechan ...
s, plus a single .303 in Vickers machine gun 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 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, 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 i ...
, South Yorkshire. This was the largest number produced of any Miles aircraft type prior to production of the newer Miles Martinet 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 The Secretary of State for Air was a secretary of state position in the British government, which existed from 1919 to 1964. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry. The Secretary of State for Air was supported by ...
,
Sir Kingsley Wood Sir Howard Kingsley Wood (19 August 1881 – 21 September 1943) was a British Conservative politician. The son of a Wesleyan Methodist minister, he qualified as a solicitor, and successfully specialised in industrial insurance. He became a membe ...
. 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 ...
monoplane, 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 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-actuated split flaps along its trailing edge, their position being indicated electronically on the cockpit's instrumentation planel. The wing's center-section also accommodates a
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 rifl ...
.''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 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
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 ...
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 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, which was interchangeable between Rotol 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 di ...
and hydraulic pumps, along with an air compressor and a 500-watt electrical generator. Cooling for the water and oil 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 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
brake A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction. Backgroun ...
s 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 and is furnished with a reflector-type gun sight, 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
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 air or water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw a ...
cut away to allow fitting of a towing hook. Starting in 1942, Miles Masters were extensively used as tugs for General Aircraft Hotspur 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 Gur ...
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
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 c ...
purposes at the Central Gunnery School whilst the School was based at RAF Sutton Bridge 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 Miles Martinet, 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 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 Fleet Air Arm, nine to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) units based in Britain, 23 to the Royal Egyptian Air Force, 23 to
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 t ...
, two to Portuguese Air Force, and fourteen to the Irish Air Corps. 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 ; * Royal Egyptian Air Force – 26 aircraft supplied in 1944 from RAF stocksAmos 2012, pp. A226-A227Amos 2012, pp. A146 – A181 ; *
French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Ar ...
; * Irish Air Corps – 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 ; *
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 t ...
; *
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) an ...
:* No. 4 Squadron RAF :* No. 16 Squadron RAF :*
No. 25 Squadron RAF Number 25 (Fighter) Squadron (alternatively Number XXV (F) Squadron) is squadron of the Royal Air Force, having reformed on 8 September 2018. During the First World War, No. 25 Squadron operated as a fighter-reconnaissance unit and later as a ...
:* No. 26 Squadron RAF :* No. 73 Squadron RAF :* No. 85 Squadron RAF :* No. 87 Squadron RAF :* No. 105 Squadron RAF :* No. 140 Squadron RAF :* No. 152 Squadron RAF :* No. 168 Squadron RAF :* No. 219 Squadron RAF :* No. 222 Squadron RAF :* No. 225 Squadron RAF :* No. 238 Squadron RAF :* No. 239 Squadron RAF :*
No. 242 Squadron RAF ("Always ready") , colors= , colors_label= , march= , mascot= , equipment= , equipment_label= , battles= Battle of Britain, Invasion of Sicily, Berlin Airlift , anniversaries= , decorations= , battle_honours= , commander1= , commander1_label= , co ...
:* No. 245 Squadron RAF :* No. 249 Squadron RAF :*
No. 253 Squadron RAF No. 253 (Hyderabad State) Squadron was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force between 1918 and 1947. Originally formed in 1918, it served in WW1 flying coastal reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrols. Later in WW2 it took part in the Battle ...
:* No. 257 Squadron RAF :* No. 264 Squadron RAF :* No. 266 Squadron RAF :*
No. 286 Squadron RAF No. 286 Squadron RAF was a non-operational Second World War Royal Air Force squadron that operated a variety of aircraft to provide targets for anti-aircraft gun practice in the West Country of England. History The squadron was formed at RAF Fil ...
:*
No. 287 Squadron RAF No. 287 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1941 to 1946. History The squadron was formed at RAF Croydon on 19 November 1941 from No. 11 Group RAFs Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation Flight. The squadron flew va ...
:*
No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron No. 302 (City of Poznan) Polish Fighter Squadron RAF ( pl, 302 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Poznański") was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 194 ...
:* No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron :*
No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron No. 307 (Polish) Squadron, also known as No. 307 (City of Lwów) Squadron ( pl, 307 Dywizjon Myśliwski Nocny "Lwowskich Puchaczy" ) was one of several Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. It was formed as p ...
:*
No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron No. 308 "City of Kraków" Polish Fighter Squadron RAF ( pl, 308 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Krakowski") was one of several Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. It was formed as part of an agreement between the Po ...
:* No. 414 Squadron RCAF :*
No. 460 Squadron RAAF No. 460 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force intelligence unit active within the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO). It was first formed as a heavy bomber squadron during World War II on 15 November 1941 and disbanded on 10 O ...
:* No. 504 Squadron RAF :* No. 521 Squadron RAF :* No. 600 Squadron RAF :* No. 607 Squadron RAF :* No. 610 Squadron RAF :*
No. 613 Squadron RAF No. 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force later Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron formed on 1 February 1939 at the then new municipal airport at Ringway, nine miles south of Manchester. The squadron served at first in th ...
:* No. 615 Squadron RAF :*
No. 616 Squadron RAF No. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron is an active Reserve unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) assigned to the RAF ISTAR Force at RAF Waddington. It was originally formed as a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force in 1938, active throu ...
:* No. 5 Flying Training School RAF :* No. 8 Flying Training School RAF :*
No. 9 Flying Training School RAF No. 9 Flying Training School (9 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 independent air ...
:* No. 14 Flying Training School RAF :*
No. 15 Flying Training School RAF No. 15 Flying Training School (15 FTS) is a former Royal Air Force flying training school that operated between 1939 and 1952. References Citations Bibliography * External links {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Military units and form ...
:* No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 41 Operational Training Unit RAF :* No. 52 Operational Training Unit RAF :*
No. 53 Operational Training Unit RAF No. 53 Operational Training Unit RAF was an Operational Training Unit of the Royal Air Force, formed in 1941 to train Spitfire pilots, and disbanded in 1945. History 53 OTU RAF was an Operational Training Unit of the Royal Air Force. It was fo ...
:*
No. 55 Operational Training Unit RAF No. 55 Operational Training Unit RAF was an Operational Training Unit of the Royal Air Force, formed in November 1940 at RAF Aston Down to train fighter pilots. History 55 OTU RAF was an Operational Training Unit of the Royal Air Force, formed i ...
:*
No. 56 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. 57 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. 58 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. 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 Typography, typographic abbreviation of the word ''number''(''s'') indicating ordinal number, ordinal numeration, especially in names and titles. For exampl ...
:* Central Flying School * Fleet Air Arm – 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 760 Naval Air Squadron (760 NAS) is a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. The squadron first formed on 1 April 1940 as No.1 Fleet Fighter Pool with a variety of aircraft types before standardising in 1941 on the Sea Hurricane ...
:* 761 Naval Air Squadron :* 762 Naval Air Squadron :* 780 Naval Air Squadron :* 781 Naval Air Squadron :*
785 Naval Air Squadron 785 Naval Air Squadron (785 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 ...
:* 798 Naval Air Squadron ; *
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)


See also


Notes


References


Citations


Bibliography

* Amos, Peter. "RAF Piston Trainer No. 10: Miles M.9A Master I". '' Aeroplane Monthly'', 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". '' Aeroplane Monthly'', 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 Glider tugs Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1939 Inverted gull-wing aircraft