Miles Peregrine
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = M.8 Peregrine
|image =Miles Peregrine.jpg
|caption =Miles Peregrine in flight with retractable undercarriage lowered. Flight- 21 January 1937.
|type = Light transport monoplane
|manufacturer = Miles Aircraft Limited
|designer =
|first_flight = 12 September 1936
|introduction =
|retired =
|status =
|primary_user = Royal Aircraft Establishment
|more_users =
|produced =
|number_built = 2
|developed_from =
|variants =
}}
The Miles M.8 Peregrine was a 1930s British twin-engined monoplane light transport designed by Miles Aircraft Limited. A promising design, the Peregrine never entered production as the company was preoccupied by fulfilling orders for other types to the RAF. Only two of the model were built, one prototype M.8 Peregrine, and one modified M.8A Peregrine II which was used for experimentation work at Royal Aircraft Establishment.
M.8 Peregrine
In the mid-1930s F. G. Miles identified a market for an eight-seat light transport. Designed by Miles, the M.8 Peregrine was his first multi-engined design, and the first with retractable undercarriage. It was a low cantilever wing, enclosed cabin monoplane of all-wood construction. The aircraft had a crew of two and was marketed as capable of being equipped with full dual controls. The fuselage was built from spruce and plywood, the cabin was {{cvt|12|ft|m|2}} long, {{cvt|4|ft|6|in|m|2}} wide and {{cvt|5|ft|m|2}} high, it could comfortably accommodate six passengers and had a further {{cvt|25|cuft|m3}} of baggage space. The wing had full split trailing edge flaps which extended under the fuselage.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=266}}{{sfn|Ord-Hume|2000|p=420}}
The M.8 Peregrine was powered by two de Havilland Gipsy Six series II piston engines, each producing {{cvt|205|hp|kW|0}}. They were fitted with de Havilland two-position variable-pitch propellers. It was equipped with two {{cvt|40|impgal|l|0}} fuel tanks in each wing, giving it the range of {{cvt|550|mi|km nmi}}. Sources vary about the M.8 Peregrine's speed, stating the top speed was either {{cvt|180|or|188|mph|km/h|0}}, and the cruising speed was either {{cvt|160|or|164|mph|km/h|0}}. The aircraft weighed {{cvt|3000|lb|kg|0}} empty, and {{cvt|5200|lb|kg|0}} all up, its stalling speed was {{cvt|48|mph|km/h kn|0}} without flaps and {{cvt|40|mph|km/h kn|0}} with the use of the flaps.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=266}}{{sfn|Ord-Hume|2000|p=421}}
The prototype M.8 Peregrine first flew on 12 September 1936 with Charles Powis at the controls. It was entered in the 1936 Schlesinger Race between England and Johannesburg, but it was not ready on time. It was registered as G-AEDE, although at the beginning it carried the markings U-9. The M.8 Peregrine showed great potential and attracted much interest, but Phillips & Powis (the manufacturer) has just won a contract to build Miles Magister trainers for the RAF and no capacity existed for the manufacturing of the M.8 Peregrine, so it never entered production. The prototype was dismantled at Woodley in December 1937.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=266}}{{sfn|Ord-Hume|2000|pp=420-421}}{{sfn|Sturtivant|1990|p=52}}
M.8A Peregrine II
In 1938 the Royal Aircraft Establishment ordered a version of the Peregrine for experimental work. The aircraft was given the designation M.8A Peregrine II, the single example produced was registered as L6346. The M.8A Peregrine II was the first metal skinned aircraft produced by Miles, it was powered by two Menasco Buccaneer B6S engines, each producing {{cvt|290|hp|kW|0}}. It had a top speed of {{cvt|194|mph|km/h kn|0}} and a cruising speed of {{cvt|172|mph|km/h kn|0}}. It was slightly heavier than the M.8 Peregrine, weighing {{cvt|3350|lb|kg|0}} empty, and {{cvt|5500|lb|kg|0}} all up.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=266}}{{sfn|Ord-Hume|2000|p=421}}{{sfn|Sturtivant|1990|p=52}}
L6346 was used by the Royal Aircraft Establishment for researching boundary layer suction. To achieve this a {{cvt|10|hp|kW|0}} Ford motor driving a large vacuum pump was installed in the fuselage, the vacuum provided suction to the upper wing through specially designed, perforated wings via a series of internal ducts extending the wings length. The tests proved promising, with a marked decrease in drag and a 29% increase in rate of climb, but the outbreak of the Second World War halted the research.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=266}}{{sfn|Ord-Hume|2000|p=421}}{{sfn|Sturtivant|1990|pp=52-53}}
Operators
;{{UK}}
Specifications (M.8 Prototype)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=266}} & British Light Aeroplanes{{sfn|Ord-Hume|2000|p=421}}
|prime units?=imp
|crew=2
|capacity=6 passengers
|length ft=32
|length in=0
|span ft=46
|span in=0
|height ft=9
|height in=6
|height note=overall
|wing area sqft=300
|empty weight lb=3000
|gross weight lb=5200
|fuel capacity={{cvt|80|impgal|l|0}}
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=de Havilland Gipsy Six series II piston engine
|eng1 type=
|eng1 hp=205
|max speed mph=180
|max speed note=or {{cvt|188|mph|km/h kn|0}}
|cruise speed mph=160
|cruise speed note=or {{cvt|164|mph|km/h kn|0}}
|stall speed mph=48
|stall speed note=no flaps / {{cvt|40|mph|km/h kn|0}} with flaps
|range miles=550
}}
See also
{{aircontent|
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|sequence=
|lists=
|see also=
}}
References
{{commons category|Miles Peregrine}}
=Citations=
{{reflist}}
=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last=Brown |first=Don Lambert |date=1970 |title=Miles Aircraft Since 1925 |location=London |publisher=Putnam & Co Ltd |isbn=0-370-00127-3}}
- {{cite book |last=Jackson |first=A. J. |date=1974 |title=British Civil Aircraft since 1919 |volume=3 |edition=2nd |location=London |publisher=Putnam & Co Ltd |isbn=0-370-10014-X}}
- {{cite book |last=Ord-Hume |first=Arthur W. J. G |date=2000 |title=British Light Aeroplanes: Their Evolution, Development and Perfection 1920-1940 |location=Bretton, Peterborough |publisher=GMS Enterprises |isbn=1-870384-76-8}}
- {{cite book |last=Sturtivant |first=Ray |date=1990 |title=British Research and Development Aircraft: Seventy Years at the Leading Edge |location=Sparkford |publisher=Haynes Publishing Group |isbn=0-85429-697-2}}
{{refend}}
{{Miles aircraft}}
Category:1930s British airliners
Category:1930s British experimental aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1936
Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear