- Miles Monitor
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M.33 Monitor 
Role Target tug Manufacturer Miles Aircraft First flight 1944 Retired Scrapped Primary user None Number built 22 The Miles M.33 Monitor was a twin-engined British target tug aircraft designed and built by Miles Aircraft towards the end of the Second World War. Intended for use by the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm, the aircraft did not enter service with either.
Contents
Design and development
The Monitor came about as a response to Specification Q9/42 for a twin-engined high-speed target tug for the Royal Air Force. The specification called for a towing speed of not less than 300 mph (480 km/h) and an endurance of 3–4 hours.[1] Two prototypes were ordered; the first prototype (Serial Number NF900) first flew on 5 April 1944, and was capable of reaching 360 mph (580 km/h).[1][2]
The Monitor was a high-winged aircraft with an all-metal fuselage and wooden wings. It was originally stipulated that the aircraft would incorporate the Bristol Beaufighter wing and landing gear to speed up design and production, but owing to increased demand for the Beaufighter only the landing gear was used, and a new all-wood one-piece wing was designed. The aircraft was powered by two Wright Cyclone R-2600-31 radial engines driving Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propellers.[1] It was fitted with a novel hydraulic winch as the normal windlasses could not be used at speeds of much more than 150 mph (240 km/h),[2] while the Monitor was required to tow targets at double this speed.
The original requirement for a target towing aircraft for the RAF was abandoned, and the orders for Monitors was taken over by the Fleet Air Arm, who required an aircraft capable of simulating dive-bombing attacks on warships. To meet this requirement, the aircraft was modified with hydraulically actuated dive brakes; and for marking Fleet gunnery practices, cameras were fitted in the nose and a dorsal midship cupola, and radar equipment was used to accurately determine height.[1]
The Monitor's 10 hp (7.5 kW) winch was fitted with 6,000 ft (1,800 m) of towing cable, and was capable of towing flag and sleeve targets as well as 16 and 32 ft (4.9 and 9.8 m) -span special winged targets. Spare targets were stowed on board and could be changed in flight, while winged targets were towed off the ground on a 250 feet (76 m) line.[1]
At the end of the war, contracts for 600 Monitors were cancelled, leaving only 20 to be built.[3] These were evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at RAF Boscombe Down[3] but did not enter service and all survivors were scrapped.[4]
Variants
- Monitor TT Mk I
- Prototype target tug for the Royal Air Force, one built.
- Monitor TT Mk II
- Target tug for the Fleet Air Arm, one prototype and 20 production aircraft.
Specifications (TT.Mk.2)
Data from The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II[5]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 (pilot, target operator)
- Length: 47 ft 8 in (14.53 m)
- Wingspan: 56 ft 3 in (17.15 m)
- Height: 14 ft 3 in (4.34 m)
- Wing area: 500 ft² (46.5 m²)
- Empty weight: 15,850 lb (7,189 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 21,075 lb (9,559 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Wright Cyclone R-2600-31 radial engine, 1,700 hp (1,268 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 287 knots (330 mph, 530 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
- Cruise speed: 230 knots (265 mph, 426 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
- Range: 2,391 nm (2,750 mi, 4,430 km)
- Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,840 m)
- Rate of climb: 5 minutes to climb to 10,000 ft ()
- Wing loading: 42.2 lb/ft² (206 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.161 hp/lb (0.265 kW/kg)
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d e Bridgman (Jane's) 1998, p. 131.
- ^ a b "Fleet Air Arm Archive - Miles Monitor". http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Monitor.html. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
- ^ Sturivant, 2004.
- ^ Mondey 2002, p. 173.
Bibliography
- Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0.
- Bridgman, L, (ed.) (1998) Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7.
- Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-37000-127-3.
- Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor press, 2002. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.
- Sturivant, Ray (2004). Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946. Tonbridge, Kent: Air-Britain. ISBN 0 85130 283 1.
- Thetford, Owen (1978). British Naval Aircraft since 1912 (Fourth Edition ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 30021 1.
External links
- Fleet Air Arm Archive
- Flight The Miles Monitor First Target-towing Twin-engined Aircraft to be Specifically Designed for the Work 4 October 1945
Miles aircraft Southern Martlet · M.1 Satyr · M.2 Hawk · M.2 Hawk Major · M.2 Hawk Speed Six · M.2 Hawk Trainer · M.3A Falcon Major · M.3B Falcon Six · M.4 Merlin · M.5 Sparrowhawk · M.6 Hawcon · M.7 Nighthawk · M.8 Peregrine · M.9 Kestrel · M.9A Master I · M.11 Whitney Straight · M.12 Mohawk · M.13 Hobby · M.14 Magister · M.15 T.1/37 · M.16 Mentor · M.17 Monarch · M.18 · M.19 Master II · M.20 · M.24 Master Fighter · M.25 Martinet · M.26 · M.27 Master III · M.28 Mercury · M.30 X Minor · M.33 Monitor · M.35 Libellula · M.37 Martinet Trainer · M.38 Messenger · M.39 Libellula · M.50 Queen Martinet · M.52 · M.57 Aerovan · M.60 Marathon I · M.65 Gemini · M.68 Boxcar · M.69 Marathon II · M.71 Merchantman · M.75 Aries · M.76 · M.77 Sparrowjet · M.100 Student · M.105 · M.115
Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- British military trainer aircraft 1940–1949
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