View Full Version : Miles Hawk Speed Six
llanfairpg
21st Jul 2007, 19:42
Mentioning the Gemini made me think of this beautiful aircraft which I first saw at the Kings Cup in the early 60s at Coventry. It was owned by Ron Paine the boss of Derby Aiwways which became British Midland.
Many years ago i saw it for sale in Flight Magazine and phoned up and sure enough it was 'Pongo' Pain!
I belive its now at Shuttleworth, anyone got any pre Shuttleworth pics or further info on this a/c.Never could understand why it was the only one on the register!
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
21st Jul 2007, 20:13
Wonder which one it was? My logs show that I saw G-ADGP at Halfpenny Green in July, 1965. I was pretty thrilled to see a Gemini during a recent visit to NZ too. They don't make them like that nowadays..
Hot Charlie
22nd Jul 2007, 02:37
G-ADGP was at OW from 1989 to 1999. It was then offered for sale by its American owner, Tom Buffaloe, and was being shipped stateside when it was purchased by Roger Mills. It now resides at Fairoaks White Waltham apparently, and often makes the trip back to OW.
ICT_SLB
22nd Jul 2007, 04:01
IIRC from back when I was an apprentice at BAC Hurn in the early 70s, one Speed Six was owned & flown by the man who ran the onsite newspaper shop. It had a plexiglass front section to the cockpit glazing that looked like a medieval knight's visor. Beleive it was featured in an issue of BAC's in-house paper, "Airframe" so a search may come up with some pix.
Aircraft is now based at White Waltham and flying regularly. Yes often revisits Old Warden. Will sort out some pictures and post some soon.
barit1
22nd Jul 2007, 14:56
Some great shots (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=G-ADGP&distinct_entry=true)- lovely ship!
ICT_SLB
23rd Jul 2007, 02:53
Guess my memory was of an "ordinary" Miles Hawk - though there seems to be both single seat with canopy (Speed Six) and open cockpit (aka Sparrow-Hawk http://www.kw.igs.net/~brianj/airshow/miles.jpg, twin open cockpit (a la Magister) and cabin types. The variant I remember is like this RAAF one here http://www.adf-serials.com/2a37.shtml - you'll see what I mean about the unusual windshield treatment.
Brian Abraham
23rd Jul 2007, 06:47
unusual windshield treatment
Boeing 247 windscreen had the same reverse angle treatment. Wonder what reason/s there may have been?
Jhieminga
23rd Jul 2007, 10:35
If you're interested in G-ADGP then this article may be an interesting read: http://miles-aircraft.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/page3.html
It was written by Julian Temple for the Brooklands Museum magazine but I think it also appeared in another publication.
barit1
23rd Jul 2007, 21:33
Boeing 247 windscreen had the same reverse angle treatment. Wonder what reason/s there may have been?
It was a late 20s - early 30s fad. A few Ford trimotors, and the first three Lockheed 10-A were similarly equipped. I believe sun-glare reduction was the intent (as with tower cabs) - but they collected a lot of ice, and were thus abandoned.
Sir George Cayley
25th Jul 2007, 19:44
Which was nice when one remembers a Mr Dunkerley and his racing machines.
Roger Reeves owned it then and arranged for it to be shipped to Florida.
But it was last century, so memory is hazy.
Sir George Cayley
fradu
25th Jul 2007, 22:40
I saw this machine last month at Lasham - immaculate and definitely an aeroplane to be proud of...
http://www.centaurus.flyer.co.uk/2007/lasham/20070423-001.jpg