Hairyplane: Well, I'm 57 and do have high blood pressure, so no sympathy from me! My very first flights, at age six and seven were in Miles types — a Messenger as yet not positively identified, but narrowed down to G-AILL or 'JWB, and Gemini 'KHE, which crashed a week later into Hilsea Gasworks on the boundary of Portsmouth Airport following an engine failure on take-off, fortunately without serious injury to pilot Len Snook. Some years later, around 1959, Snook, who was a local bookmaker, took me for a ride in the unique Gemini 8 'KFX, which was close to Aries standard. Subsequent time spent, delightfully, in the company of George Miles, Jack Angel, 'Dicky' Bird, Ranald Porteous and other Miles luminaries account for my present plight as an incorrigible Miles enthusiast, if not for the hypertension. The ex-Ulster Whitney is coming along well, Ron tells me, with a very skilled woodworker on it full-time (this chap also worked on the Speed Six when Ron and his team converted it back to as close as possible to original configuration).
Treadigraph: Winn's Aries 'OGA was moved to the South East Aviation Enthusiasts Group at New Ross, Co. Wexford a few years ago, and so far as I know is still in store there. The Sparrowjet-cum-hawk is owned by Fred Dunkerley's family and will emerge as an M.5 Sparrowhawk, incorporating original parts removed in 1950-53 when Dunkerley had Miles rebuild as the M.77.
Cornish Jack: I well remember the Air Navigatioin School Marathons flying out of Thorney Island. Seem also to recall seeing one there looking rather sad after a gear-up (this in the days when you could ride your bike across the airfield to get to the village) but it might have been a Varsity — not poor recognition, just middle-aged brain fade!
Great stuff for we Miles maniacs on this thread, let's keep it going.