Miles M.65 Gemini 1A
"I did what is now called the multi-engine rating on one in the early 1950s. Like most Miles aircraft, the Gemini was quite nice to fly but it was no Twin Comanche! I can't remember all the figures but with the Cirrus Minor engines of 90hp each (some later production airframes were fitted with Gipsy Major 10s having 145hp), performance was less than electrifying and often bordered on the marginal at MTOW which was around 3,000lbs. You had to keep your wits about you. Even at the time, there was a silly joke about not noticing an engine failure on take-off as 90hp was so little it wouldn't be missed.
Cruising speed was a reasonable 115 kt or thereabouts and the range was exceptional for those days - over 900 miles if you could lean the mixture a bit. With the short nose, (the integral landing light was considered rather sexy) cockpit visibility was excellent but forward vision in rain was somewhat impaired without the prop there to blow the stuff away. This left the side windows a bit obscured which was a pain as you needed to be able to see out to read the fuel gauges mounted on top of the wings. Tanks were behind the wheel well and engine; all in what at the time was a very swish, streamlined nacelle. It now looks rather quaint but was effective in reducing cabin noise which was quite low.
The main gear went up/down on an hydraulic system and it was a real feat to pump the gear up whilst maintaining a steady climb; a bit like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time if you know what I mean, so you had to pay attention to the throttle friction nuts. A go-around was a nightmare! The rudders were unusually powerful and often could be used to counter an incipient ground loop without use of brakes. Oh! I could ramble on for hours... If you are able to wangle a ride in one, go for it!
A very interesting aircraft by today's standards but I should be very wary of buying one. The wood framing with plywood covering was light and worked well in 1947 but I imagine that present maintenance costs would be stratospheric. Spares would be a nightmare, particularly in the case of the Blackburn engine and when I was tempted to take the plunge with one going cheap at Rochester in the 1960s, there was some suspicion attached to the quality of horses used to make the glue....
Sadly, Miles, who had always sailed close to the wind financially, went tango uniform in the late 1940s, had an association with Handley Page and, I think, much later, had some remnants to be found in the Beagle company." - From Gipsy Queen's notes at www.pprune.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-284567.html.
This particular example is owned and flown by Air Vice Marshal Sir John Allison and is seen above during an evening display at Old Warden in Bedfordshire.
Miles M.65 Gemini 1A
"I did what is now called the multi-engine rating on one in the early 1950s. Like most Miles aircraft, the Gemini was quite nice to fly but it was no Twin Comanche! I can't remember all the figures but with the Cirrus Minor engines of 90hp each (some later production airframes were fitted with Gipsy Major 10s having 145hp), performance was less than electrifying and often bordered on the marginal at MTOW which was around 3,000lbs. You had to keep your wits about you. Even at the time, there was a silly joke about not noticing an engine failure on take-off as 90hp was so little it wouldn't be missed.
Cruising speed was a reasonable 115 kt or thereabouts and the range was exceptional for those days - over 900 miles if you could lean the mixture a bit. With the short nose, (the integral landing light was considered rather sexy) cockpit visibility was excellent but forward vision in rain was somewhat impaired without the prop there to blow the stuff away. This left the side windows a bit obscured which was a pain as you needed to be able to see out to read the fuel gauges mounted on top of the wings. Tanks were behind the wheel well and engine; all in what at the time was a very swish, streamlined nacelle. It now looks rather quaint but was effective in reducing cabin noise which was quite low.
The main gear went up/down on an hydraulic system and it was a real feat to pump the gear up whilst maintaining a steady climb; a bit like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time if you know what I mean, so you had to pay attention to the throttle friction nuts. A go-around was a nightmare! The rudders were unusually powerful and often could be used to counter an incipient ground loop without use of brakes. Oh! I could ramble on for hours... If you are able to wangle a ride in one, go for it!
A very interesting aircraft by today's standards but I should be very wary of buying one. The wood framing with plywood covering was light and worked well in 1947 but I imagine that present maintenance costs would be stratospheric. Spares would be a nightmare, particularly in the case of the Blackburn engine and when I was tempted to take the plunge with one going cheap at Rochester in the 1960s, there was some suspicion attached to the quality of horses used to make the glue....
Sadly, Miles, who had always sailed close to the wind financially, went tango uniform in the late 1940s, had an association with Handley Page and, I think, much later, had some remnants to be found in the Beagle company." - From Gipsy Queen's notes at www.pprune.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-284567.html.
This particular example is owned and flown by Air Vice Marshal Sir John Allison and is seen above during an evening display at Old Warden in Bedfordshire.