The Southern Martlet was a single-engined, single-seat biplane sports aircraft. Six were built, including the rather different and unsuccessful Metal Martlet.
The Southern Martlet was the first aircraft designed by teams led Frederick George Miles, whose company was Southern Aircraft of Shoreham. It was a modified Avro Baby, differing in the tail unit, undercarriage and engine, the 85 hp A.B.C. Hornet air-cooled flat four. Like the Baby, it was a single-bay staggered tractor biplane, with fixed two-wheel main and tail-skid undercarriage. The undercarriage was a combination of "oleo and coil-spring shock absorbing gear" designed by Basil Henderson of Hendy Aircraft, Shoreham. The prototype G-AAII made its first public appearance on 30 August 1929 at London Air Park, Hanworth, and proved to be a very manoeuvrable sports machine.[1]
Operational historyEdit
Five production aircraft were built at Shoreham, differing chiefly in the choice of engine. Three of them had 80 hp Armstrong Siddeley Genet II and one a 100 hp Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major. These were five-cylinder uncowled radials. One aircraft had, at different times, a de Havilland Gipsy I or II (100 hp and 120 hp respectively), upright in-line air-cooled engines.[1]
The Martlets were not very successful as racers but served a succession of private owners as aerobatic mounts.[1]
Only one Martlet, the Genet Major engined G-AAYX survived the war. This aircraft was owned for a number of years by F G Miles who used it as a personal mount while based at Woodley near Reading. The aircraft is now part of The Shuttleworth Collection based at Old Warden Aerodrome and underwent an extensive restoration, with return to flight in September 2000. The aircraft is now on permanent display as part of The Collection and is flown at home air displays during the summer months.[2]
VariantsEdit
Data from: British civil aircraft, 1919-1972 Volume III[1]
200 (G-AAII)
Prototype first flew with an ABC Hornet later fitted with an 85 hp Armstrong-Siddeley Genet II engine.
^The Shuttleworth Collection - Southern Martlet Retrieved: 21 November 2017.
Bibliography
Jackson, Aubrey J. (1988). British civil aircraft, 1919-1972 Volume III (2nd., repr. with corrections ed.). London: Putnam. pp. 176–179. ISBN0851778186.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southern Martlet.
The Shuttleworth Collection: Southern Martlet
Martlet in Flight magazine 1930
October 15, 2023
southern, martlet, single, engined, single, seat, biplane, sports, aircraft, were, built, including, rather, different, unsuccessful, metal, martlet, shuttleworth, trust, martletrole, single, seat, sports, biplanenational, origin, united, kingdommanufacturer, . The Southern Martlet was a single engined single seat biplane sports aircraft Six were built including the rather different and unsuccessful Metal Martlet Southern MartletThe Shuttleworth Trust s MartletRole single seat sports biplaneNational origin United KingdomManufacturer Southern Aircraft CompanyDesigner F G MilesFirst flight 1929Number built 6Developed from Avro Baby Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Specifications Genet II 5 References 6 External linksDesign and development EditThe Southern Martlet was the first aircraft designed by teams led Frederick George Miles whose company was Southern Aircraft of Shoreham It was a modified Avro Baby differing in the tail unit undercarriage and engine the 85 hp A B C Hornet air cooled flat four Like the Baby it was a single bay staggered tractor biplane with fixed two wheel main and tail skid undercarriage The undercarriage was a combination of oleo and coil spring shock absorbing gear designed by Basil Henderson of Hendy Aircraft Shoreham The prototype G AAII made its first public appearance on 30 August 1929 at London Air Park Hanworth and proved to be a very manoeuvrable sports machine 1 Operational history EditFive production aircraft were built at Shoreham differing chiefly in the choice of engine Three of them had 80 hp Armstrong Siddeley Genet II and one a 100 hp Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major These were five cylinder uncowled radials One aircraft had at different times a de Havilland Gipsy I or II 100 hp and 120 hp respectively upright in line air cooled engines 1 The Martlets were not very successful as racers but served a succession of private owners as aerobatic mounts 1 nbsp Shuttleworth s Martlet at Old WardenOnly one Martlet the Genet Major engined G AAYX survived the war This aircraft was owned for a number of years by F G Miles who used it as a personal mount while based at Woodley near Reading The aircraft is now part of The Shuttleworth Collection based at Old Warden Aerodrome and underwent an extensive restoration with return to flight in September 2000 The aircraft is now on permanent display as part of The Collection and is flown at home air displays during the summer months 2 Variants EditData from British civil aircraft 1919 1972 Volume III 1 200 G AAII Prototype first flew with an ABC Hornet later fitted with an 85 hp Armstrong Siddeley Genet II engine 201 G AAVD First production aircraft with a Genet II engine 202 G AAYX Second production aircraft with an Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major engine and untapered ailerons Later operated by Butlins and now remains airworthy with the Shuttleworth Trust 203 G AAYZ Third Production aircraft with a de Havilland Gipsy II engine built for F E Guest 204 G ABBN Fourth production aircraft with a Genet II engine built for the Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale 205 G ABIF Fifth production aircraft with a Genet II engine for Miss Maxine Freeman Thomas who later became Mrs F G Miles Metal Martlet The Metal Martlet despite its name had little in common with the Martlet One completed not a success and a second aircraft was not completed Specifications Genet II EditData from British civil aircraft 1919 1972 Volume III 1 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 20 ft 3 in 6 17 m Wingspan 25 ft 0 in 7 62 m Height 7 ft 7 in 2 31 m Wing area 180 sq ft 17 m2 Empty weight 705 lb 320 kg Gross weight 1 030 lb 467 kg Powerplant 1 Armstrong Siddeley Genet II 5 cylinder air cooled radial piston engine 80 hp 60 kW Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch propellerPerformance Maximum speed 112 5 mph 181 1 km h 97 8 kn Cruise speed 95 5 mph 153 7 km h 83 0 kn Range 280 mi 450 km 240 nmi Rate of climb 1 100 ft min 5 6 m s References EditCitations a b c d e Jackson 1960 pp 176 179harvnb error no target CITEREFJackson1960 help The Shuttleworth Collection Southern Martlet Retrieved 21 November 2017 BibliographyJackson Aubrey J 1988 British civil aircraft 1919 1972 Volume III 2nd repr with corrections ed London Putnam pp 176 179 ISBN 0851778186 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southern Martlet The Shuttleworth Collection Southern Martlet Martlet in Flight magazine 1930 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern Martlet amp oldid 1102333004, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
