Miles Monitor

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 {{convert|300|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, be capable of 90 mph while streaming targets,{{Cite book|title = The Hamlyn Guide to British Aircraft of World War II|last = Mondey|first = David|publisher = Chancellor Press|year = 1982|isbn = 1851526684|pages = 173}} an endurance of 3–4 hoursBridgman (Jane's) 1998, p. 131. and - most unusually - be capable of being dismantled and fitted into standard packing crates. Two prototypes were ordered; the first prototype (Serial Number NF900) first flew on 5 April 1944, and was capable of reaching {{convert|360|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.Thetford 1978, pp. 256–257.

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. It was fitted with a novel hydraulic winch as the normal windlasses could not be used at speeds of much more than {{convert|150|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, 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, fitted with hydraulically actuated dive brakes, nose cameras for marking Fleet gunnery, a dorsal midship cupola and radar equipment was used to accurately determine height was known as the Monitor TT Mk II. The Monitor's {{cvt|10|hp}} winch was fitted with {{cvt|6000|ft}} of towing cable, and was capable of towing flag and sleeve targets as well as {{cvt|16|and|32|ft}}-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 {{cvt|250|ft}} line.

At the end of the war, contracts for 600 Monitors were cancelled and only 20 were built. As with all aircraft for service use, the Monitor was evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at RAF Boscombe Down.{{sfn|Brown|1970|p=210}} The first received at the A&AEE (NF900) caught fire during a landing in August 1944 killing one crew member, the second prototype (NF904) made a wheels up landing at the A&AEE in August 1945, and NP409 on Intensive Flying crashed into the sea in August 1945 killing both crew.Mason 2010, p. 252. None entered service and all survivors were scrapped.Sturivant, 2004.

;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.

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Miles Aircraft since 1925,{{sfn|Brown|1970|pp=207–211}} The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II.Mondey 2002, p. 173.

|prime units?=imp

|crew=2

|length ft=47

|length in=8

|length note=

|span ft=56

|span in=3

|span note=

|height ft=14

|height in=3

|height note=

|wing area sqft=500

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=6.3

|airfoil=root: NACA 23021; tip: NACA 2412

|empty weight lb=15850

|empty weight note=

|gross weight lb=21075

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity={{cvt|480|impgal|USgal l|0}} fuel ; {{cvt|32|impgal|USgal l|0}} oil

|more general=

|eng1 number=2

|eng1 name=Wright R-2600-31 Twin Cyclone

|eng1 type=14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines

|eng1 hp=1700

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=3

|prop name=constant-speed propellers

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|prop dia note=

|max speed mph=330

|max speed note=at {{cvt|15000|ft}}

|cruise speed mph=265

|cruise speed note=at {{cvt|15000|ft}}

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed note=

|minimum control speed mph=

|minimum control speed note=

|range miles=2750

|range note=

|combat range miles=

|combat range note=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling ft=29000

|ceiling note=

|climb rate ftmin=2480

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

:*{{cvt|15000|ft}} in 6 minutes 24 seconds

:*{{cvt|20000|ft}} in 10 minutes 6 seconds

|wing loading lb/sqft=42.1

|wing loading note=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|power/mass={{cvt|0.161|hp/lb}}

|more performance=

• Take-off run: {{cvt|1035|ft}}
• Take-off distance to {{cvt|50|ft|0}}: {{cvt|2430|ft}}

}}

{{aircontent

|related=

|similar aircraft=

• de Havilland Mosquito
• Short Sturgeon

|lists=

• List of aircraft of World War II

|see also=

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. {{ISBN|0-85177-787-2}}
• {{cite book |last=Brown |first=Don |title=Miles Aircraft since 1925 |year=1970 |publisher=Putnam |location=London |isbn=0-370-00127-3}}
• Bridgman, L, (ed.) (1998) Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. {{ISBN|0-517-67964-7}}.
• Mason, Tim. The Secret Years: Flight Testing at Boscombe Down, 1939–1945. Crowborough, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2010. {{ISBN|978-1-9021-0914-5}}.
• Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor press, 2002. {{ISBN|1-85152-668-4}}.
• Sturivant, Ray. Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946. Tonbridge, Kent: Air-Britain, 2004. {{ISBN|0-85130-283-1}}.
• Thetford, Owen. British Naval Aircraft since 1912 . London: Putnam, Fourth edition, 1978 {{ISBN|0-370-30021-1}}.

{{Refend}}

{{commons category|Miles Monitor}}

• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170225104531/http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Monitor.html Fleet Air Arm Archive]}}
• [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%201971.html Flight The Miles Monitor First Target-towing Twin-engined Aircraft to be Specifically Designed for the Work 4 October 1945]

{{Miles aircraft}}

Category:1940s British military utility aircraft

Monitor

Category:High-wing aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1944

Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft

Category:1940s British special-purpose aircraft

Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear