MMMMiles

Miles did make some very pretty aircraft. Alas, less than 20 are still flying worldwidedespite a total production of over 7000 aircraft AFAIAA.

Having sold my Messenger G-AKBO a few years back I nevertheless enjoy my Magister G-AKPF and Falcon G-AEEG enormously – both currently at Old Warden.

There are very few restorable Miles aircraft around these days.

Peter Bishop is restoring the Monarch in Germany. The RAF museum have a Hawk Trainer in their reserve collection that they have no plans for but wont swap for cash to support current projects ( I can be drawn into a long conversation about that one…).

There is the sad looking Monarch at White Waltham – very dusty(but with some interesting and highly amusing graffiti), tyres flat . I believe the Sleap (ex Cosford) Monarch and Witney Straight may at last be in line for rebuild but these will need a lot of work.

There is also another Hawk Trainer in store somewhere in Canada.

The trouble with restoring old wooden aeroplanes is that you have to replace…well..the wood really….

The cost of doing this far outweighs the end value big time, so you really need deep pockets and a pair of rose coloured spectacles.

The Witney Straight at Turdy is indeed very nice ( but not as drop dead gorgeous as my Falcon??)

Another interesting project is the recently finished Maggie replica in Turkey. It looks great but is reported to be underpowered and tail heavy. Might be something to do with the choice of all-aluminium construction rather than the original tree…..

All the best

Hairyplane

Hi all,
My Storch is unique for sure.
The controls and their defection are both massive in order to provide full control at very low speeds. It is therefore possible to perform extreme, seemingly impossible manoeuvres by using them to their fullest extent. Coarse rudder inputs at low speeds and with flap plus aileron droop enable the thing to be turned with negligible bank, if at all. Properly balanced turns are simple, achieving incredibly small radii, however, the flat ones look bizarre – so thats why we do it.
It is also an aeroplane that doesn’t stall in the conventional sense, with or without power. Huge rudder inputs at low speeds are therefore possible without this concern. the risk of a stall is hard wired into us all – it takes a lot of practice to overcome it.
Sideways flying – In essence a coarse sideslip with power added to stop the descent. Dial in its slow speed and the angles are extreme. The effect is even more marked in an off-crowd wind.
Slow flying – Is simply a case of slowing, dropping everything ( 40 degrees of flap and 20 aileron droop), hauling the stick back and adding power to prevent the descent. You get to an optimum point where you have full power at an extreme nose-high attitude and thing just starts to come down. You ‘pin’ it there and work hard on the controls to sustain it.
The Storch is utterly amazing. It is a massive privilege to own it and a blast for everybody who flies it.
All the best.
HP

The Shuttleworth Collection, a Charitable Trust, operate a Provost. We rely heavily on donations, including parts, to keep our machines flying.
I am certain our engineers would be very pleased to receive what you have and have passed the information on.
If we can use them I guarantee a ride in my Storch!
HP

Do27,
The type is of course a development of the Storch, or, more accurately, a development of the Fi256 – a larger, more streamlined version of the Fi156 Storch that never went into production. AFAIAA 6 were built, none survive.
I’ll try to make N Weald in the Storch on the Saturday, we have an airshow at Old Warden on the Sunday so that isn’t an option I’m afraid..
HP

Storch.

Hi Propstrike,

It was fun.

I hope you are happy with the images of my aircraft. Its just the maddest thang…..!

Best

HP

Tricky aeroplane….
Landing out of wind on a first flight, especially with a tailwheel instead of a far more effective skid…Testicular wheelbarrow required for the pilot.
A tricky aeroplane that will end up on its back in a heartbeat, as happened here ‘Up over’ during the season in similar conditions. Be careful with it guys.
HP

scrap…?

Bearing in mind I was on record as having openly stated I would eat a whole tub of jellied eels ( argh!) if the Vulcan ever flew, I’m loath to make any rash statements these days.

Not sure if the bloke who agreed to run around a certain peri-track naked with a daffodil stuck up his xxxxxe ( infinately more agreeable than jellied eels..) ever did it??

I think we are all in for a big disappointment.

HP