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"The Miles M.39B Libellula " Topic


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Tango0101 Jul 2016 10:13 p.m. PST

"The M.39B Libellula (from Libellulidae, a taxonomic family of dragonflies) was a Second World War tandem wing experimental aircraft built by Miles Aircraft, designed to give the pilot the best view possible for landing on aircraft carriers. A scale version of the M.39 design was proposed by Miles to meet Air Ministry specification B.11/41 for a fast bomber. The M.39B was used by Miles to generate data from which the M.39 design was improved, but the M.39 project was cancelled and the B.39B broken up.

Though it had some problems, the earlier M.35 proved sufficient to show the idea had merits, and the larger M.39 was drawn up as a twin-engined design prepared to meet Specification B.11/41 which had been issued by the Air Ministry for a high speed bomber. The specification had been written for the P.1005 proposal by Hawker, powered by two Napier Sabre engines, estimated to achieve 400+ mph at 25,000 ft and deliver a 2,000 lb bomb load over 1,600 miles. The P.1005 was cancelled after several delays on behalf of the Air Ministry and before Miles submitted his design to the Ministry in July. In November 1943 a full-size prototype (to use the serial RR910) was ordered, but not built.

Until the intended (three) Power Jets W.2/500 turbojets were available the M.39 would have had two Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 inline or Bristol Hercules VIII radial piston engines. The M.39 would have a crew of three in a pressurized cabin. As well as the bomb-bay amidships, the M.39 would carry two fixed 20 mm cannon in the roots of the forward wings…"

picture

More here
link

Are there any model in 1/72 of this rare plane?

Amicalement
Armand

Patrick R01 Jul 2016 10:35 p.m. PST

Oh look, another example of an allied plane with swept wings, but they couldn't have come up with that since all they knew about planes was copied from Hitler's super nazi killer planes after the war ?

Generalstoner4902 Jul 2016 8:29 a.m. PST

That is an UGLY aeroplane.

Tango0102 Jul 2016 10:20 a.m. PST

Agree!… but I like it!… (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

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