The Military Aircraft HM-1, derived from the earlier Hawks Miller HM-1racing aircraft nicknamed, "Time Flies" was an American prototype attack/observation aircraft. The HM-1 did not achieve production after the sole example was destroyed during testing.
Military Aircraft HM-1
Pilot Leigh Wade and the Military Aircraft HM-1 at the 1938 Thompson Trophy race
In 1936, Frank Hawks had approached Howell W. "Pete" Miller, chief engineer for the Granville Brothers and responsible for their famous Gee Bee racers, to create a racing aircraft from his own design, the Hawks Miller HM-1. With an advanced aircraft design that still relied heavily on wood construction, the HM-1 featured innovative design elements, including the unusual feature of "burying" the cockpit with a curved windshield contoured to fit the fuselage top, creating a very streamlined shape. The cockpit was extended for takeoff and landing, but retracted in flight, with the pilot's seat lowered and the windshield becoming flush with the fuselage.
Frank Hawks and "Time Flies", c. 1936
After its first flight on October 18, 1936, Hawks flew "Time Flies", from Hartford, Connecticut, to Miami, Florida, on April 13, 1937, in 4 hours and 55 minutes.[1] He then flew to Newark Airport, New Jersey, in 4 hours and 21 minutes, but bounced on landing at Newark, and broke a wooden spar in the right wing with other spars also damaged.[2]
Short of funds, Hawks decided not to rebuild the aircraft and sold the rights to the design, including engineering data to Tri-American Aviation, a concern that wanted to convert the design into a fast two-seat attack/observation aircraft.[3] The aircraft was redesigned to include two machine guns in the wings and another machine gun mounted in a flexible mount in the new rear cockpit.[N 1]
Operational history
The principals of Tri-American Aviation, Leigh Wade and Edward Connerton, engaged Miller to rebuild the aircraft in 1938 as a two-seater with a more conventional greenhouse canopy added, looking a great deal like Miller's earlier Gee Bee Q.E.D. design. The aircraft was first renamed the Miller HM-2, but when company was reorganized as the Miller Aircraft Co., it was called the MAC-1 and Military Aircraft HM-1, although often described in the press as the "Hawks Military Racer", although Hawks was no longer actively involved.[1]
With the intention to demonstrate the aircraft's potential, pilot Leigh Wade entered the MAC-1/HM-1 in the 1938 Thompson Trophy race.[5] In essentially military configuration with dummy machine guns fitted, Wade flew the aircraft to a fourth-place finish.[3][N 2]
Despite the showing in the Thompson race, the U.S. military considered the predominantly wood construction in the design as unsuitable. Air racer and test pilot Earl Ortman was hired to fly the HM-1 at East Hartford, Connecticut where a 25 miles (40 km) course was laid out to display flight capabilities for foreign military interests, and seek out military contracts.[N 3]
On August 23, 1938, Ortman flew above Rentschler Field, adjacent to the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft factory where their employees and Hamilton Standard technicians were available. He made four passes over the course in the HM-1, achieving an average speed of 369 mph (594 km/h). The next phase of the testing called for determination of climb rates. From 1,000 ft (304.93 m), Ortman climbed to 10,000 ft (3,048 m), then to dive down to 1,000 ft (304.93 m) and start up on another climb.[4]
On his final dive, at a reported 425 mph (684 km/h), the fuel in tanks was being transferred when the stresses placed on the wings were too great and a wing sheared off.[4] Ortman was able to bail out safely, but the aircraft was demolished and the project was abandoned.[7][N 4]
^Only dummy armament fittings were ever carried.[4]
^The prototype was not fully sorted out when entered, and although capable of a high turn of speed, the fuel consumption on the Twin Wasp was prodigious. Wade had to throttle back in order to even finish the race, precluding any chance of showing the true potential of the aircraft, which had demonstrated a 90 mph (140 km/h) mph advantage over the current United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) Seversky P-35 fighter aircraft.[6]
^Tri-American had interests in South America, the likely place to sell the HM-1.[3]
^On August 23, 1938, Frank Hawks had contacted Miller for an update on the HM-1 project but on the same day, had later died in an air crash when flying his latest project, the revolutionary Gwinn Aircar.[8]
Boyne, Walt. "Built for Speed: Pt. II of the Howell Miller Legend." Wings, Vol. 8, No. 2, April 78.
Cowin, Hugh W. The Risk Takers, A Unique Pictorial Record 1908-1972: Racing & Record-setting Aircraft (Aviation Pioneer 2). London: Osprey Aviation, 1999. ISBN1-85532-904-2.
Daniels, C.M. "Speed: The Story of Frank Hawks." Air Classics, Vol. 6, No. 2, December 1969.
Fraser, Chelsea Curtis. Famous American Flyers (Flight, Its First Seventy-five Years). Manchester, New Hampshire: Ayer Company Publishers Inc., 1979. ISBN978-0-405-12165-4.
Hull, Robert. September Champions: The Story of America's Air Racing Pioneers. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books, 1979. ISBN0-8117-1519-1.
Kinert, Reed. American Racing Planes and Historic Air Races. New York: Wilcox and Follett Company, 1952.
Kinert, Reed. Racing Planes and Air Races: A Complete History, Vol. 1 1909-1923. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, Inc., 1969.
Lewis, Peter. "Hawks HM-1 'Time Flies'." Air Pictorial, Volume 3, No. 11, November 1973.
Matthews, Birch. Race With The Wind: How Air Racing Advanced Aviation. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks, 2001. ISBN978-0-7603-0729-8.
Musciano, Walter A. "Frank Hawks: The Story of the Legendary Speed Flying King." Aviation History, November 2005.
External links
Model Aircraft magazine cover, May 1937
The GEE BEE Story: Hottest Racers of The Time, Posted on September 30, 2011 by Col. Walter J. Boyne USAF (Ret) at The Surly Bonds of Earth
Hawks on Aerofiles
Miller on Aerofiles
1938 National Air Races
August 21, 2023
military, aircraft, derived, from, earlier, hawks, miller, racing, aircraft, nicknamed, time, flies, american, prototype, attack, observation, aircraft, achieve, production, after, sole, example, destroyed, during, testing, pilot, leigh, wade, 1938, thompson, . The Military Aircraft HM 1 derived from the earlier Hawks Miller HM 1 racing aircraft nicknamed Time Flies was an American prototype attack observation aircraft The HM 1 did not achieve production after the sole example was destroyed during testing Military Aircraft HM 1Pilot Leigh Wade and the Military Aircraft HM 1 at the 1938 Thompson Trophy raceRole Racing aircraftManufacturer Miller Aviation CorporationDesigner Howell W Pete MillerFirst flight October 18 1936 earlier Hawks Miller HM 1 Number built 1Developed from Hawks Miller HM 1 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications Military Aircraft HM 1 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Citations 4 3 Bibliography 5 External linksDesign and development EditIn 1936 Frank Hawks had approached Howell W Pete Miller chief engineer for the Granville Brothers and responsible for their famous Gee Bee racers to create a racing aircraft from his own design the Hawks Miller HM 1 With an advanced aircraft design that still relied heavily on wood construction the HM 1 featured innovative design elements including the unusual feature of burying the cockpit with a curved windshield contoured to fit the fuselage top creating a very streamlined shape The cockpit was extended for takeoff and landing but retracted in flight with the pilot s seat lowered and the windshield becoming flush with the fuselage Frank Hawks and Time Flies c 1936After its first flight on October 18 1936 Hawks flew Time Flies from Hartford Connecticut to Miami Florida on April 13 1937 in 4 hours and 55 minutes 1 He then flew to Newark Airport New Jersey in 4 hours and 21 minutes but bounced on landing at Newark and broke a wooden spar in the right wing with other spars also damaged 2 Short of funds Hawks decided not to rebuild the aircraft and sold the rights to the design including engineering data to Tri American Aviation a concern that wanted to convert the design into a fast two seat attack observation aircraft 3 The aircraft was redesigned to include two machine guns in the wings and another machine gun mounted in a flexible mount in the new rear cockpit N 1 Operational history EditThe principals of Tri American Aviation Leigh Wade and Edward Connerton engaged Miller to rebuild the aircraft in 1938 as a two seater with a more conventional greenhouse canopy added looking a great deal like Miller s earlier Gee Bee Q E D design The aircraft was first renamed the Miller HM 2 but when company was reorganized as the Miller Aircraft Co it was called the MAC 1 and Military Aircraft HM 1 although often described in the press as the Hawks Military Racer although Hawks was no longer actively involved 1 With the intention to demonstrate the aircraft s potential pilot Leigh Wade entered the MAC 1 HM 1 in the 1938 Thompson Trophy race 5 In essentially military configuration with dummy machine guns fitted Wade flew the aircraft to a fourth place finish 3 N 2 Despite the showing in the Thompson race the U S military considered the predominantly wood construction in the design as unsuitable Air racer and test pilot Earl Ortman was hired to fly the HM 1 at East Hartford Connecticut where a 25 miles 40 km course was laid out to display flight capabilities for foreign military interests and seek out military contracts N 3 On August 23 1938 Ortman flew above Rentschler Field adjacent to the Pratt amp Whitney Aircraft factory where their employees and Hamilton Standard technicians were available He made four passes over the course in the HM 1 achieving an average speed of 369 mph 594 km h The next phase of the testing called for determination of climb rates From 1 000 ft 304 93 m Ortman climbed to 10 000 ft 3 048 m then to dive down to 1 000 ft 304 93 m and start up on another climb 4 On his final dive at a reported 425 mph 684 km h the fuel in tanks was being transferred when the stresses placed on the wings were too great and a wing sheared off 4 Ortman was able to bail out safely but the aircraft was demolished and the project was abandoned 7 N 4 Specifications Military Aircraft HM 1 EditGeneral characteristics Crew 2 Length 23 ft 6 in 7 16 m Wingspan 30 ft 0 in 9 14 m Wing area 525 0 sq ft 48 77 m2 Empty weight 1 840 lb 835 kg Powerplant 1 Pratt amp Whitney R 1830 Twin Wasp 14 cyl two row air cooled radial piston engine 1 150 hp 860 kW Performance Maximum speed 375 mph 604 km h 326 kn References EditNotes Edit Only dummy armament fittings were ever carried 4 The prototype was not fully sorted out when entered and although capable of a high turn of speed the fuel consumption on the Twin Wasp was prodigious Wade had to throttle back in order to even finish the race precluding any chance of showing the true potential of the aircraft which had demonstrated a 90 mph 140 km h mph advantage over the current United States Army Air Corps USAAC Seversky P 35 fighter aircraft 6 Tri American had interests in South America the likely place to sell the HM 1 3 On August 23 1938 Frank Hawks had contacted Miller for an update on the HM 1 project but on the same day had later died in an air crash when flying his latest project the revolutionary Gwinn Aircar 8 Citations Edit a b Matthews 2001 p 98 Kinert 1969 pp 84 85 a b c Boyne 1978 p 12 a b c Earl Ortman Golden Age of aviation Retrieved October 15 2012 Kinert 1952 p 111 Kinert 1969 p 85 Boyne 1978 p 16 Transport Hawks End Time September 5 1938 Bibliography Edit Boyne Walt Built for Speed Pt II of the Howell Miller Legend Wings Vol 8 No 2 April 78 Cowin Hugh W The Risk Takers A Unique Pictorial Record 1908 1972 Racing amp Record setting Aircraft Aviation Pioneer 2 London Osprey Aviation 1999 ISBN 1 85532 904 2 Daniels C M Speed The Story of Frank Hawks Air Classics Vol 6 No 2 December 1969 Frank Hawks Obituary Lima News Lima Ohio August 24 1938 Fraser Chelsea Curtis Famous American Flyers Flight Its First Seventy five Years Manchester New Hampshire Ayer Company Publishers Inc 1979 ISBN 978 0 405 12165 4 Hull Robert September Champions The Story of America s Air Racing Pioneers Harrisburg Pennsylvania Stackpole Books 1979 ISBN 0 8117 1519 1 Kinert Reed American Racing Planes and Historic Air Races New York Wilcox and Follett Company 1952 Kinert Reed Racing Planes and Air Races A Complete History Vol 1 1909 1923 Fallbrook California Aero Publishers Inc 1969 Lewis Peter Hawks HM 1 Time Flies Air Pictorial Volume 3 No 11 November 1973 Matthews Birch Race With The Wind How Air Racing Advanced Aviation St Paul Minnesota Motorbooks 2001 ISBN 978 0 7603 0729 8 Musciano Walter A Frank Hawks The Story of the Legendary Speed Flying King Aviation History November 2005 External links EditModel Aircraft magazine cover May 1937 The GEE BEE Story Hottest Racers of The Time Posted on September 30 2011 by Col Walter J Boyne USAF Ret at The Surly Bonds of Earth Hawks on Aerofiles Miller on Aerofiles 1938 National Air Races Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Military Aircraft HM 1 amp oldid 1130766788, 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