RS Models 92117 Miles Magister British Trainer

Miles Magister British Trainer

In 1936, building on the successful track record of the Miles Hawk Trainer in reserve pilot programs, the British Air Ministry commissioned a variant dedicated specifically to military flight instruction. These requirements were outlined in specification T.40/36P. The resulting aircraft, the Miles M.14 Magister, was developed by Miles Aircraft for both the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm. It made aviation history as the very first monoplane designed from the ground up as a trainer for the RAF.

The creation of the Magister marked a sharp departure from contemporary engineering standards. It essentially defied an early 1930s mandate requiring all new training aircraft to feature all-metal construction; instead, the M.14 relied on a wooden airframe with a plywood skin. As a comprehensive modernization of its predecessor, the Magister introduced a host of structural refinements. The cockpit was completely redesigned, parachute-compatible seating was installed, and both the student and instructor stations were outfitted with full instrument panels to facilitate blind-flying training. Furthermore, the massive "trouser" fairings on the landing gear were scrapped in favor of much narrower, aerodynamic wheel pants, the lower sections of which were often removed by ground crews during standard operation.

Serial production began in October 1937. By the outbreak of World War II, over 700 Magisters had been delivered to RAF training units, ultimately equipping sixteen flight schools alongside the Central Flying School. To keep up with the soaring demand for trainers, the military also impressed a significant number of civilian Hawk Majors into service. Production of the Magister continued until 1941. Over that period, Miles Aircraft built a total of 1,203 units, while another 100 airframes were manufactured under license at facilities in Turkey.