View source for Miles Magister

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
  |name = M.14 Magister
  |image =Miles Magister.jpg 
  |caption = 
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type
  |type = Trainer
  |manufacturer = [[Miles Aircraft]]
  |designer = G.H. Miles
  |first flight = 20 March 1937
  |introduced = 
  |retired =
  |status = 
  |primary user = [[Royal Air Force]]
  |more users = [[Fleet Air Arm]]
  |produced = 
  |number built = 1,303
  |unit cost = 
  |variants with their own articles = 
}}
|}

[[File:Miles Magister, Imperial War Museum, Duxford.JPG|thumb|right|Miles Magister at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford]]

The '''Miles M.14 Magister''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] two-seat [[monoplane]] basic [[trainer aircraft]] built by the [[Miles Aircraft]] for the [[Royal Air Force]] and [[Fleet Air Arm]].  Affectionately known as the '''Maggie''', the Magister was based on Miles' civilian [[Miles Hawk Major|Hawk Major]] and [[Miles Hawk Trainer|Hawk Trainer]] and was the first monoplane designed specifically as a trainer for the RAF.  As a low-wing monoplane, it was an ideal introduction to the [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire]] and [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane]] for new pilots. Its sister design, the [[Miles Master]] was an advanced trainer also built by [[Phillips & Powis]] at [[Woodley, Berkshire|Woodley]].

==Design and development==
The Miles M.14 was designed to meet [[Air Ministry]] [[List of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification T.40/36]] and was first flown on 20 March 1937 by [[F.G. Miles]] and then christened 'Magister'.<ref name="johnson p154-5">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, pp. 154–155.</ref> Based on Miles' [[Miles Hawk Trainer|Hawk Trainer]], the Magister is an open-cockpit, low wing [[Cantilever#Aircraft|cantilever]] [[monoplane]] of [[spruce]] structure covered in [[plywood]].<ref name="johnson p154-5"/> The wing centre section has no dihedral and is of constant section with outer sections having dihedral and tapering towards the tip.<ref name="fi41 ph">''Flight'' 12 June 1941, p. h.</ref> It has a fixed [[conventional landing gear|tailwheel undercarriage]] with [[Aircraft fairing|spats]] on the main wheels.<ref name="fi41 ph"/> Split flaps are fitted as standard.<ref name="johnson p154">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, p. 154.</ref><ref name="thet raf p334">Thetford 1957, p. 334.</ref>  Early Magisters (including the first prototype) suffered a number of accidents when the aircraft could not be recovered from a spin. To solve this problem, the [[tailplane]] was raised by {{convert|6|in|cm}}, anti-spin strakes fitted to the rear fuselage, and eventually, a new taller rudder. Thus modified, the aircraft became the definitive M.14A.<ref name="johnson p155-6">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, pp. 155–156.</ref>

Notwithstanding the relatively large number built, contemporary glues used to assemble the wooden aircraft have not stood the test of time and few survive today.

==Operational history==
Production began in October 1937 and by the start of the [[World War II|Second World War]] over 700 Magisters had entered service with RAF Elementary Flying Training Schools, eventually equipping 16 such schools as well as the [[Central Flying School]]. Large numbers of civilian Hawk Majors were also pressed into service as trainers.  Production of the Magister continued until 1941 by which time 1,203 had been built by Miles and an additional 100 were built under licence in Turkey. In June 1940, as part of [[British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War|British anti-invasion preparations]], about 15 Magisters were fitted with bomb racks for eight 25 pound bombs, with the intention of using them as light bombers in the event of an invasion; a scheme called [[Operation Banquet]] which was never put into effect.<ref>Mondey, David (1994), ''The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II'', Chancellor Press, {{ISBN|978-1851526680}} (p. 168)</ref>

[[File:Miles M.14A Hawk Trainer Coupe G-AJRT Yeadon 05.55.jpg|thumb|right|Hawk Trainer Coupe ''G-AJRT'' at Leeds (Yeadon) Airport in May 1955]]
[[File:Miles M.14A MHT3 OO-NIC Ghent 25.0765 edited-2.jpg|thumb|right|Many Magisters were exported postwar, this example being registered in Belgium.]]
After the war many Magisters were converted for civilian uses and redesignated as the '''Hawk Trainer III'''. The 1950 [[Kings Cup Air Race]], in which eight Hawk Trainer IIIs competed, was won by E. Day in a modified cabin version ''G-AKRV'' at 138.5&nbsp;mph. At least two other aircraft were thus modified.<ref>Jackson 1974, p. 69.</ref>

Many Magisters were exported postwar to overseas private pilot owners and flying clubs. Countries purchasing the type included Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand and Tunisia.

In 2009, ten Hawk Trainer IIIs were registered in the United Kingdom, of which several were airworthy.

Several ex-service Magisters are preserved and on display – including an ex-RAF example at the [[Imperial War Museum]] in the UK, and an ex-Irish Air Corps example at the [[National Museum of Ireland]] in Dublin.

==Variants==
;Miles M.14 Magister / Hawk Trainer III
: Initial production version.
;Miles M.14A Magister I / Hawk Trainer III
:Improved variant.
;Miles M.14B Magister II / Hawk Trainer II
:Improved variant with a 135hp Blackburn Cirrus II engine
[[File:Miles Hawk (Magister).jpg|thumb|Hawk Trainer III]]

==Operators==
;{{AUS}}
*[[Royal Australian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />  – One aircraft.
;{{flag|Canada|1921}}
:[[Royal Canadian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
;{{flag|Egypt|1922}}
*[[Egyptian Army Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
*[[Royal Egyptian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" /> – 42 aircraft.
;{{BEL}}
*[[Belgian Air Force]] – One aircraft operated from 1946 to 1948.
;{{EST}}
*[[Estonian Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />  – One aircraft
;{{IRL}}
*[[Irish Air Corps]]<ref name="MacCarron" />  – 27 aircraft  from 1939 to 1952.
;{{LVA}}
*[[Latvian Air Force|Latvian Aviation Regiment]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
;{{flag|Malaya}}
*[[Malayan Volunteer Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
;{{NZ}}
*[[Royal New Zealand Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" /> – Two aircraft.
**[[No. 1 Squadron RNZAF]]
**[[No. 42 Squadron RNZAF]]
;{{flag|Portugal}}
*[[Portuguese Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />  – Ten aircraft.
;{{flag|South Africa|1928}}
*[[South African Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
;{{TUR}}
*[[Turkish Air Force]]
;{{THA}}
*[[Thai Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
*[[Thai Navy]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
;{{UK}}
*[[Fleet Air Arm]]
*[[Royal Air Force]]<ref name="Amos2009" />
**[[No. 24 Squadron RAF]]
**[[No. 81 Squadron RAF]]
**[[No. 173 Squadron RAF]]
**[[No. 267 Squadron RAF]]

==Specifications (Miles M.14A)==
{{aircraft specifications
|plane or copter?=plane<!-- options: plane/copter -->
|jet or prop?=prop<!-- options: jet/prop/both/neither -->
|ref=RAF Piston Trainers No 7: Miles M.14 Magister<ref name="johnson p160">Johnson ''Aeroplane Monthly'' March 1980, p. 160.</ref> 
|crew=2 (instructor and student)
|capacity=
|payload main=
|payload alt=
|length main= 24 ft 7{{frac|1|2}} in 
|length alt=7.51 m
|span main=33 ft 10 in 
|span alt=10.31 m
|height main=6 ft 8 in 
|height alt=2.03 m
|area main= 176 ft² 
|area alt= 16.3 m²
|airfoil=
|empty weight main= 1,260 lb 
|empty weight alt= 570 kg
|loaded weight main= 1,845 lb 
|loaded weight alt= 839 kg
|useful load main= 
|useful load alt= 
|max takeoff weight main= 
|max takeoff weight alt= 
|more general=
|engine (prop)=[[de Havilland Gipsy Major]] I
|type of prop=inverted air-cooled four-cylinder [[Straight engine|inline piston]]
|number of props=1
|power main= 130 hp 
|power alt=97 kW
|power original=
|max speed main= 142 mph 
|max speed alt=123 knots, 229 km/h
|max speed more=at 1,000 ft (305 m)

|cruise speed main= 124 mph
|cruise speed alt= 108 knots, 200 km/h
|stall speed main= 43 mph
|stall speed alt= 37 knots, 69 km/h
|stall speed more= (flaps down)
|never exceed speed main= 
|never exceed speed alt= 
|range main= 380 miles
|range alt=330 nmi, 612 km
|ceiling main= 18,000 ft
|ceiling alt= 5,490 m
|climb rate main=850 ft/min 
|climb rate alt= 4.3 m/s
|loading main=
|loading alt=
|thrust/weight=
|power/mass main=
|power/mass alt=
|more performance=
|armament=
|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Royal Air Force}}
{{aircontent|
|related=
*[[Miles Hawk Major]]
|similar aircraft=
* [[Caudron Aiglon]]
* [[de Havilland Moth Minor]]
* [[Fairchild PT-19]]
* [[Ikarus Aero 2]]
* [[Klemm Kl 35]]
* [[PTO-4]]
* [[RWD 23]]
* [[Valmet Tuuli]]
* [[Yakovlev UT-2]]
|lists=
* [[List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force]]
* [[List of aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal New Zealand Navy]]
}}

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="Amos2009">Amos 2009, pp. 367–406</ref>
<ref name="MacCarron">MacCarron 1996, p. 138</ref>
}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* Amos, Peter. ''Miles Aircraft – The early years''. Tonbridge: [[Air-Britain]], 2009. {{ISBN|978-0-85130-410-6}}.
* Amos, Peter. ''Miles Aircraft – The Wartime Years 1939 to 1945''. Tonbridge: [[Air-Britain]], 2012. {{ISBN|978 0 85130 430 4}}.
* Brown, Don Lambert. ''Miles Aircraft Since 1925''. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. {{ISBN|0-370-00127-3}}.
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1941/1941%20-%201330.html "Friend or Foe: Two Familiar British Trainers: Tiger Moth and Miles Magister"]. ''[[Flight International|Flight]]'', Vol. XXXIX, No. 1694, 12 June 1941. p. h.
* Green, William and Gerald Pollinger. ''The Aircraft of the World''. London: Macdonald, 1955.
* Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 2''. London: Putnam, 1973. {{ISBN|0-370-10010-7}}.
* Johnson, Graham H.R. "RAF Piston Trainers No. 7: Miles M.14 Magister". ''[[Aeroplane Monthly]]'', Vol. 8 No. 3, March 1980. pp.&nbsp;154–161. 
* Lukins, A.H. and D.A. Russell. ''The Book of Miles Aircraft''. Leicester, UK: The Harborough Publishing Company Ltd., 1946.
* MacCarron, Donal. ''Wings Over Ireland''. Leicester: Midland Publishing, 1996. {{ISBN|1-85780-057-5}}.
* Ovčáčík, Michal and Karel Susa. ''Miles Magister: M.14, M14A, M14B''. Prague: Mark I Ltd., 2001. {{ISBN|80-902559-4-9}}.
* Simpson, Rod ''The Archive Photographs Series Miles Aircraft'' Stroud: Chalford Publishing Ltd, 1998.
* Swanborough, Gordon. ''British Aircraft at War, 1939–1945''. East Sussex, UK: HPC Publishing, 1997. {{ISBN|0-9531421-0-8}}.
* Temple, Julian C. ''Wings over Woodley – The Story of Miles Aircraft & and the Adwest Group'' Bourne End: Aston Publications, 1987.
* Thetford, Owen. ''Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918–57''. London: Putnam, 1957.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090101155203/http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/MILES%20M14%20MAGISTER%20AND%20HAWK%20TRAINER%20III.htm Miles Magister and Miles Hawk Trainer IIIs] – British Aircraft of World War III
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56fbgWMcFZk Miles Magister Video]

{{Miles aircraft}}

[[Category:Miles aircraft|Magister]]
[[Category:British military trainer aircraft 1930–1939]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:World War II British trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1937]]