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White Waltham in 1950.
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In 1960.
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The
engine waiting to be installed.
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Type History
The M.38 Miles Messenger is an evolution of the M.28 developed
in 1941 to fulfil the role of side-by-side trainer and hack aircraft.
It was not to be mass-produced because of the more urgent needs
for other aircraft type like the Miles Magister. Nevertheless,
Army officers that were looking for an observation airplane earmarked
the M.28.
They wanted an aircraft capable of taking off and landing on
very short distance. For that, Miles modified the M28 by increasing
the wing surface and fitting large flaps. A third fin improved
the lateral stability.
Baptised M.38 Messenger, it met perfectly the requirements of
the Army officers but was not part of any official program. That's
why the War ministry was quite piss-off when they found out.
The officers at the origin of this " plot " were assigned to
post in North Africa (we are in 1942) and the observation units
(AOP) were told that this plane, ideal for their tasks, will not
be delivered to them and used only as hack aircraft!
It is so that Field Marshal Montgomery was to use two of them
as well as RAF Marshal Lord Tedder.
Finally, a contract for 250 exemplars was agreed but the end
of the war cut it to 21 built for the RAF.
Several civilian versions were developed, differing from the
military version by their motorization, windscreen and back cockpit
windows form.
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