Miles Aircraft Since 1925

Ref: 4448

SOLD In stock

Price: £175.00

sadly, flyingbooks is now closed.

{detailed description}Miles Aircraft since 1925 tells the story of a company founded by two brothers with the help of a handful of friends and enthusiasts. Starting with a single Avro 504K giving five shilling joyrides, they built up an organisation which, over the next twenty years, built some 7,000 aeroplanes. Throughout this period the whole firm was characterised by enthusiasm and drive which stemmed initially from F. G. Miles and resulted in a prodigious number of designs and projects, many of which were built but some of which never saw the light of day. One, for instance, was a contender for the Brabazon I contract for the first civil transport capable of operating a regular non-stop service between London and New York in both directions. Another was the design of what should have been the world's first supersonic aeroplane which, when nearing completion, was summarily cancelled.
Owing to the successes in the King's Cup and other races, the name of Miles is usually associated with light aeroplanes, but actually about 6,000 of the 7,000 aeroplanes built were of 700 hp or over.
The first chapter, entitled 'Shoreham', describes the early 'barnstorming' days when the little band of enthusiasts eked out a precarious existence, never doubting for a moment that they would ultimately succeed in becoming designers and manufacturers in their own right. The second chapter, entitled 'Reading', describes the fifteen years during which the firm grew from a mere handful of men to an organisation with some 6,000 employees.
Thereafter follows a description, illustrated by drawings, photographs and tables of dimensions, weights and performance of every design whether built or merely projected, produced by the firm — nearly 100 in all. Also included are details of numbers of aircraft built, racing successes, contractor's numbers, civil registrations, dates of first flights and, where known, the ultimate fate of individual aircraft.
{Author / Publisher / Date}by Don L. Brown
1970 1st edn. 420pp
{condition}Please see additional images: slight damage to bottom edge of rear board with corresponding small loss to d/j. Minor edge-wear, slight distortion to binding, otherwise very good, in spine faded and price clipped d/j. Very scarce copy.
{delivery info}