Miles M65 Gemini IA - Shuttleworth Vintage Airshow 2020

Описание: The Miles M.65 Gemini, a twin-engined four-seat touring aircraft designed and built by Miles Aircraft at Woodley Aerodrome, was the last Miles aircraft to be produced in quantity.

Development was conducted rapidly following the end of the Second World War, in order to take advantage of growth in the postwar civil aviation sector. The speed of development was bolstered by basing the design on the single-engined Miles Messenger. First flying on 26 October 1945, sales demonstrations using the prototype started only days later and efforts to start large scale production began immediately.

Within its first production year 130 Geminis had been sold. It became a successful racing aircraft, with one example alone winning numerous competitions. The company endeavoured to introduce many improvements, along with early work to produce a successor design. These ambitions were cut short by the company's collapse in 1947. Efforts to revive production were made, including development of the improved Miles M.75 Aries, but it was never able to regain momentum.

There 9 mark variants of the Gemini of which this is the Gemini 1A
with two 100 hp Blackburn Cirrus Minor 2 engines. 134 of these were built, plus one assembled by Handley Page (Reading).

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 3 passengers
Length: 22 ft 3 in (6.78 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 2 in (11.02 m)
Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Wing area: 191 sq ft (17.7 m2)
Aspect ratio: 6.86
Empty weight: 1,910 lb (866 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 3,000 lb (1,361 kg)
Fuel capacity: 36 imp gal (43 US gal; 160 l) in two centre-section tanks + optional 24 imp gal (29 US gal; 110 l) in two cabin tanks; 4 imp gal (4.8 US gal; 18 l) oil
Powerplant: 2 × Blackburn Cirrus Minor II 4-cyl inverted air-cooled in-line piston engines, 100 hp (75 kW) each
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch airscrews
Performance

Maximum speed: 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kn) at 2,800 lb (1,300 kg)
Cruise speed: 130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn)
Stall speed: 35 mph (56 km/h, 30 kn)
Range: 520 mi (840 km, 450 nmi) still air with 36 imp gal (43 US gal; 160 l) fuel
Ferry range: 820 mi (1,320 km, 710 nmi) still air with 60 imp gal (72 US gal; 270 l) fuel
Endurance: 5.8 hours
Service ceiling: 13,500 ft (4,100 m)
Rate of climb: 870 ft/min (4.4 m/s)
Wing loading: 15.7 lb/sq ft (77 kg/m2) at MTOW
Power/mass: 15 lb/hp (9.124 kg/kW)

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