Miles M.14 Magister. Part five. British users

 

The Miles M.14 Magister is a British two-seat basic trainer which was developed during the 1930s to the specification T.40/36.

After the success of the M.2 Hawk elementary trainer, Miles decided to produce a variant of the M.2 to satisfy the Air Ministry's specification T.40/36. 

The type submitted was very similar to the M.2. The main difference between the M.2 and the M.14 being the cockpit, which was enlarged in the M.14 and had various new features to meet military training requirements. The prototype flew for the first time on 20th March 1937 at the hands of Frederick G. Miles, and, during the following month, it received the nickname of Magister. During early flights the aircraft showed a tendency to spin. This was, however, fixed with many alterations, among them, elevating the tailplane by 6 in (15 cm), the fitting of anti-spin strakes and the adoption of a taller rudder. These changes worked so well that the Magister became the first aircraft to receive permission from the Air Ministry to perform aerobatics. 

The Magister is mainly made out of wood, the fuselage consisting of a spruce structure covered in plywood. Both wings and tail section were made out of similar materials. It is equipped with split flaps, and was the first Royal Air Force's (RAF) trainer to be equipped with them. It has also a fixed undercarriage covered in aerodynamical spats and equipped with Bendix drum brakes, in order to reduce landing distance. It is powered by a single De Havilland Gipsy Major I engine which yields 130 hp of power. 

After having won the contest of the Air Ministry, it was ordered into mass production, which began in October 1937 and continued until 1941, with 1.023 machines being manufactured by Miles. 

Initial production orders were supplied to flying clubs through the Straight Corporation, as well as many overseas private customers. At the outbreak of World War 2 more than 700 Magisters were in service with the RAF Elementary Flying Training Schools, among them the Central Flying School. 

During June 1940 as part of the British anti-invasion preparations around 15 Magisters were fitted with small bomb racks to be used as very light bombers. However, they were never used in this role. 

The Magister was also used as an experiment carried out in 1941 to include an auxiliary towed rear wing, which could carry either additional ammo or fuel. This was done to increase the range of British medium bombers at the time. The experiment was, however, a failure.

After the war, many were sold to private owners, and were known as the Hawk Trainer III. In these private hands the Magister enjoyed a reputation of being a fast racer. 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Magister

2. Scale Aircraft Modelling - October 1997 - Miles Military Trainers

3. Putnam & Co. - Miles aircraft since 1925 

Miles M.14 Magister. Part four. More European users

 

The Miles M.14 Magister is a British two-seat elementary trainer aircraft designed and built by British aircraft manufacturer Miles, which was used by many foreign users, among them, the following ones:

• Latvia: The Latvian Aviation Regiment (Latvian Air Force of the 1930s) had two Magisters in strength. When the USSR invaded in June 1940, they were captured and tested by the VVS (Soviet Air Force). Later, in June 1941, when Germany invaded, they were re-captured by the Luftwaffe which employed them in the Sonderstaffel Buschmann. Their ultimate fate is, however, unknown.
• Portugal: The Portuguese Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Military Aeronautical Arm) operated ten Miles Magister supplied by the British during the World War II. They were in active service as trainers until the early 1950s.
• USSR: The VVS evaluated some ex-Baltic Magister planes for a brief period of time. When Germany invaded, they were re-captured by the Luftwaffe.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Magister

2. http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other2/i17.html (translated - there's a mention both Latvian and Soviet Magisters)

3. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235039699-miles-m14a-magister-estonian-air-force-1938-1940-rs-model-172/

Miles M.14 Magister, part three. Some European users.

 

The Miles M.14 Magister was a British two-seat elementary trainer aircraft of the 1930s which was used mainly by the Royal Air Force (RAF) but also by many other users such as the following ones:

• Belgium: After the war, three Magisters were transferred to Belgium on 3rd October 1946. They were employed as instructional aeroframes at the technical school in Safraanberg, Flanders. During the following year, the aircraft was made airworthy and was delivered to No. 367 Squadron of the No.169 Wing, based at Evere airport in Brussels. It was employed as a courier until 1953 when it was written off and sold to a private owner. Later, during the 1970s bought by the Belgian Royal Army Museum and is nowadays in display there.
• Estonia: The Estonian Ohukaitse (Air Defence) bought a single Miles Magisters in 1938. They were assigned to the 3rd Aviation Division based in Tallinn. It served alongside with another Estonian-built and designed PTO-4 as the basic trainer for the Estonian Air Defence and during 1939 it took part, together with another two PTO-4s in an official state visit to Latvia. In 1940, when the USSR invaded the Baltic countries, they were captured by the VVS (Soviet Air Force).
• Germany: The Sonderstaffel Buschmann (a Luftwaffe unit composed of Estonian volunteers) operated a single ex-Latvian Miles Magister registered as SB+AF. 
  It was also employed by an Ausbildungswessel, an unit established by the Luftwaffe in Latvia which operated ex-Latvian Air Force aircraft. During their service with the Luftwaffe they were only used as reconnaissance planes. 
• Ireland: In 1939 (though, according to some other sources it was in 1938) the Irish Air Corps bought 27 Magisters which constituted their basic trainer throughout the whole war and the postwar, as they were retired in 1952.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Magister

2. https://www.belgian-wings.be/miles-magister

3. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235039699-miles-m14a-magister-estonian-air-force-1938-1940-rs-model-172/

4. https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonderstaffel_Buschmann (translated)

5. https://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1392

6. Scale Aircraft Modelling - October 1997 - Miles Military Trainers

7. Putnam & Co. - Miles aircraft since 1925 

Miles M.14 Magister, part two, American and African users.

 

The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat trainer monoplane designed and manufactured by Miles aircraft which was used by various Commonwealth users around the globe, among them, the following ones:

• Canada: The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) employed an unknown number of Magisters as basic trainers. As we couldn't find graphical evidence, the drawing should be considered as speculative. 
• Egypt: Forty-two Miles Magisters are known to have served with the Royal Egyptian Air Force (REAF). They constituted the main trainer of the REAF during World War 2 and the immediate post-war period. 
• South Africa: Many Magisters are known to have served with the South African Air Force (SAAF) as elementary trainers. They served along the M.2 Hawk, which was the earlier variant of the type.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Magister

2. Scale Aircraft Modelling - October 1997 - Miles Military Trainers

3. Putnam & Co. - Miles aircraft since 1925 

Miles M.14 Magister, part one, Asian and Oceanian users

 

The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat trainer monoplane designed and manufactured by Miles Aircraft. It was used by various Commonwealth users, among them the following ones:

• Australia: At least up to five Magisters are known to have served with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), some of them prior to the war and some of them during the war, with Nos. 451 and 456 Squadrons, used mainly as squadron hacks. 
• British Malaya: The Malayan Volunteer Air Force is known to have employed some 'Maggiebombers' (Magisters fitted with small practice bombs) for training roles. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of this, the drawing below should be considered as speculative.
• New Zealand: The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) employed two Magisters with Nos.1 and 42 Squadrons. After the war many were used by private aero clubs, like the one depicted below.
• Turkey: In 1941 the British government sold an initial batch of 25 Magisters Mk.I, followed by 75 more in 1942. Eventually, 76 in total were delivered in 1941, but six of them were lost en route. A Turkish aircraft manufacturer, Kayseri aircraft Ltd., obtained the rights for manufacturing the type and, therefore, five machines were built between 1941 and 1942. Those rights were transferred to THK (Türk Hava Kurumu - Turkish Aeronautical Association), in Ankara, which manufactured additional 20 machines. 
  Every Turkish Magister served with the Hava Harp Okulu (Turkish Aerial Academy), assigned to the two companies of the 1st Training Battalion. They served between the years 1942 and 1950 and, eventually some of them until 1963 after the refoundation of the Turkish Air Force in 1951.
• Thailand: Both Royal Thai Air Force and Royal Thai Navies employed an unknown number of Magisters as trainers after World War 2. 

Sources:

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Magister

2. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/magister.htm

3. https://collection.motat.nz/objects/2475/aircraft-miles-m14a-magister-zk-ayw-painted-as-l8353

4. http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/1923ve50/miles-magister.asp

5.Scale Aircraft Modelling Magazine - October 1997 - Miles Military Trainers