How many Miles M.20 fighter prototypes were built?

[Larry]

Miles Aircraft at Woodley are said to have built several M.20 types. The first M.20/1 was only a wooden mock up and possibly had a gull wing and retractable undercarriage and is said to date from September 1939? Was this a private venture? Was this the aircraft seen by Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood, in the early months of the war. Most references suggest the M.20 fighter was conceived only at the state of the Battle of Britain?

There is mention of a Contract B140247/40 which doesn't look very accurate? Can anyone help on this

Then after it is said that 65 days from the Specification that an M.20/2 (now with fixed undercarriage) flew on 15th September 1940, under Contract F.19/40. It had the serial AX834

After that there was M.20/3 potentially for the Fleet Air Arm, with a serial of U0228 and later DR616. The RN Specification was N.1/41. I thought this was the last M.20 but I have seen drawings and spec for a Miles M.20/4?

Any help gratefully received

Larry

[Stig Jarlevik]

Larry

What is known about the initial Miles design (M.20/1) is not much since what remains with
photos and basically no documentation at all is very little. The only photo I have seen of it
is undated and it has been guesstimated as taken in late 1938. The only date known is 27 Jan 1939
when it was shown by Miles and Skinner to the Secretary of State for Air.

When that project stalled and resurrected as a totally different design in June 1940, now as the M.20/2

A seemingly dedicated specification was thus drawn up for Miles (F19/40) dated 29 Aug 1940.

The prototype marked U9 made its first flight 15 Sep 1940
It was then assigned the serial number AX834 and flew as such for the first time 2 Oct 1940.
The fighter had quite severe spinning problems and I am not sure these were entirely solved when
it had a landing accident at Woodley 6 Feb 1941 and ended up in a gravel pit.
It never flew again and was SOC. The fuselage survived at Woodley until ca March 1948 when it
disappears.
The contract number you mention is correct!

A further design study was the Miles M.20/3 (a fighter bomber) which came to nothing.

The final design was the Miles M.20/4 which was given the RN specification N1/41 and used the
same contract number (B.140247/40)
This aircraft was first flown on 8 April 1941 as U-0228. It was later given the serial number DR616 .
Tested at various places it was finally SOC 22 May 1943 and broken up in Nov that same year.

No Miles c/n for any of the two aircraft are known.

Source for all this is Peter Amos and his thrilling three (well now four) Miles books published by
Air Britain

Cheers
Stig

[Larry]

Great thanks.

I was in contact with Peter before Christmas regarding his national service days.

I hope he is still with us. He joined Air Britain Historians in 1948 and from memory was member 14!

[edwest2]

I hope the following is useful.

https://www.air-britain.co.uk/actboo...ears--196.html