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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0416.PDF
162 FLIGHT FEBRUARY IOTH, 1942 THE MILES MASTER III ' New Advanced R.A.F. Trainer with American Engine T HE latest advanced trainer to be taken 9fcj. "^, 'fd into service by the R.A.F. is the Miles Master III. This machine—a low wing monoplane—is similar in design to the Master •-¥ II, but is powered with a Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp Junior S.B.4G. engine. This engine, which is of slightly larger cubic capacity than the Bristol Mercury fitted to the Master II, has 14 cylinders arranged in a M double row (the Mercury, of course, is a 9-cyl. single-row unit), with an international rating of 750 h.p. and develolping 825 h.p. for take-off. It is slightly heavier than the Mercury, but, against that, its diameter is only 44|in. as compared with the 55.5m. circum ference of the Mercury, so the small increase in weight is-more than offset by the appreciable Ijjjj^jlr -reduction in drag. B In all but top speed, the performance is com- mJS H parable to the present-day fighters, and the fly ing characteristics are very similar. The wing HL«I loading, for example, is the same as that of _" ••" _• ' t. • „„ . " .. _. ,'- -- - .... ... the Soitfire Pratt & Whitney Twin-Wasp Junior (SB-4G) 14 cylinder engine T, "„ XTT • L.jna j makes a neat installation on the nose of the Miles Master. A De Havilland The Master III is built of wood-spruce mem- controllable-pitch airscrew is fitted, bers covered with three ply—which gives a rigid structure. It is designed to provide training in bomb- with a push-out panel for use should the view through the ing, gunnery, navigation, high-speed flying and instrument windscreen become obscured. The rear cockpit hooding flying. The operational equipment may be varied to suit incorporates hinged side panels and a roof panel which can the particular type of instruction required. Except for be tilted to form a windscreen for the occupant of the navigational training, the pupil occupies the front cockpit, cockpit. The portion of the hooding between the cockpits which is fitted with an instrument-flying hood. is specially constructed of metal to form a crash frame for Advantages of Wood thc Prc*ecti°n of the crew in the event of the aeroplane B overturning on the ground. Metal has long been the only material used in the K.A.F. for high-performance aircraft, but wood, for a high-per- Details fcrmance trainer, retains its advantages in the Miles type of s _ H • machine The same strength and safety factors are there, HP™M ^ down) :"][".][ ™h] J£; the wood aircraft is often easier to repair, and there is un- Length (tail up) 30ft 2in likely to be a shortage of this material. There is thus no Undercarriage track .... .... 12ft. An competition with important Service needs for metal. Airscrew diameter ......... 10ft. om. The wings are fitted with hydraulically operated flaps, Wing area (gross) 235 sq. it. and the depth of the centre section accommodates the fuel All-up weight 5,400 lb. tanks and-undercarriage in its retracted position. Tare weight 4,210 lb. The front cockpit hood slides aft on rollers, and is fitted Petrol 525 lb. (70 gallons) Spotters will find it anything but easy to differentiate between the Pratt & Whitney engined Master in and its predecessor, the Mercury engined Master It, although the P. & W. is a twin-row engine some n inches smaller in diameter. The seat in the rear cockpit can be raised by the instructor, for landings, so that he can get a good view of his pupil's performance.
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