Miles Libellula
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The M.35 and M.39 Libellula (from Libellulidae, the taxonomic name for dragonflies) were a pair of tandem wing aircraft built by Miles Aircraft. The first was a fighter sized aircraft, the latter a scaled version of a proposed bomber version.
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[edit] Development
There were two designs, the smaller fighter-sized M.35 and the larger M.39. In the end, only prototype M.35 and a reduced-scale M.39B were built and tested. Both designs used one wing at the rear of the fuselage and a smaller one at the front in a tandem wing arrangement; the configuration was like that on canard aircraft designs, but with the front wing contributing more lift. The wings were also at different heights—the front at the top of the fuselage and the rear at the bottom on the M.35, and the other way around for the M.39B.
The Miles M.39 was a proposal by Miles to meet Air Minsitry specification B.11/41 for a fast bomber. Miles had already schemed an idea for an aircraft with exceptional forward visibility in the light of losses of carrier-based aircraft during landing. The M.35 was designed and built as a private venture and after proving the idea's validity Miles suggested it as the basis for a naval fighter. Miles felt the idea had a lot of merit and put forward a larger design the M.39 to the Ministry of Aircraft Production.
[edit] M.35
The M.35, drawn up in 1941 was powered by a single pusher engine, the pilot sat at the front with the fore wing just behind and level with his head giving a clear view in most directions. A flying example was built and flown, with typical Miles speed, in six weeks.
[edit] M.39
Though it had some problems, the M.35 proved sufficient to show the idea had merits, and the larger M.39 was drawn up. This would be a twin engined design. A scale version at 5/8ths, the M.39B, was built, flying in mid-1943. Miles continued testing privately, but passed his aircraft over to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough in 1944. It was damaged in two accidents and repaired each time, but was later broken up with the project’s cancellation.
[edit] Specifications (M.35)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.Data from [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 20 ft 4 in (6.20 m)
- Wingspan: 20 ft 5 in (6.22 m)
- Height: 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
- Wing area: 45 ft² front and 90 ft² rear (4 m², 8.3 m²)
- Empty weight: 1,460 1b (662 kg)
- Loaded weight: 1,850 lb (839 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× de Havilland Gipsy Major inline piston engine, 130 hp (97 KW)
Performance
[edit] Specifications (M.39B)
Data from [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 22 ft 2 in (6.76 m)
- Wingspan: * Front 25 ft
- Rear: 37 ft 6 in (7.6 m and 11.43 m)
- Height: 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
- Wing area: 61.7 ft² and 187.5 ft² (6.64 m² and 20.16 m²)
- Empty weight: 2,405 lb (1,091 kg)
- Loaded weight: 2,800 lb (1,270 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× de Havilland Gipsy Major IC inline piston, 140 hp (104 KW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 164 mph (264 km/h)
- Stall speed: 60 mph (97 km/h)
- Rate of climb: 1,100 ft/min (5.59 m/s)
[edit] See also
Related development
- Miles M.63
Comparable aircraft
- Kyūshū J7W
- Henschel P.75
- XP-55 Ascender
Related lists
[edit] References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0.
- Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-37000-127-3.
- Brown, Eric. "The Lovelorn Libellula." AirEnthusiast Five November 1977-February 1978. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press Ltd., 1977.
- Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 2002. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.
- "The Miles 'Dragonflies'". Aeroplane Monthly, June 1973.
[edit] External links
- Miles Aircraft History site - Original link no longer available; using archive.org copy from January 2006 instead. (Checked 3 January 2007)
- British Aircraft Directory M.35
- M.35 at British Aircraft of WW2
- British Aircraft Directory M.39B
- M.39B at British Aircraft of WW2
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