Miles Master M9A Trainer

Miles Master I

The Miles Master I was an advanced mono-wing trainer used by the RAF during WWII. The Mk. I (model M9A) seen above was powered by a Rolls Royce Kestrel engine, giving the nose a familiar shape, that of the Spitfire. Only the Spitfire was equipped with the far superior RR Merlin. Only the truely uninitiated would mistake the two. The side image gives you the idea of colouring for a training aircraft.

Side view Master I

The Mk.I was underpowered with the Kestrel, so that the Mk.II (M19 model) was equipped with a Bristol Mercury and the Mk. III a Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior. While the Mk.I was sluggish later models emulated the handling characteristics of contemporary fighters quite well to the point where an emergency fighter model (M24) was produced with 6 machine guns. Fortunately it did not have to see action. The Master first flew in March, 1939. Some 3302 were built.

Technical Details
The Master was a two-seat trainer powered by three different engines. The Master I was equipped with the 715hp Rolls Royce Kestrel XXX. The Mk. II featured the more powerful 870hp (650 kW) Bristol Mercury XX radial piston engine, while the Mk. III (M27) used the 825hp Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior.

Maximum speed for the Mk II was 389km/h, with a ceiling of 7650m and a range of (630km). It was armed for practice firing with a single fixed forward firing Vickers .303 machine gun and could be armed with small practice bombs.



Canadian Aces Home Page

Images From:
Miles Master I with permission of Museum of Berkshire Aviation

Information From:
Gustin’s Military Aircraft Database
British-Forces.com