Miles Sparrowhawk (oz11972)

About this Plan

Miles Sparrowhawk. Radio control scale model for .20 engines. Scale is 1/8.

Quote: "Miles M5 Sparrowhawk, by Brian Peckham.

I HAVE LONG been a fan of Miles aircraft, especially the pre-war models; one of the prettiest in my opinion was the Sparrowhawk, built for the 1935 Kings Cup race. G-ADNL was the prototype, designated M5, built for Freddie Miles to pilot. it was built in 8 weeks, modifying a standard Hawk Major fuselage by lowering the decking, sitting the pilot on the floor and reducing the wing centre section to the width of the fuselage, making the span 28 feet. Power was by a highly tuned DH Gypsy Major engine.

The 1935 Kings Cup was a two day event. Day one, a circuit of Britain, in which FG Miles averaged 163.84 mph to beat EW Percival. The second day Freddie Miles averaged 172 mph but, owing to the severe handicapping, failed to gain a place.

Later Sparrowhawks were designated M5A and had different fuselages. Although raced regularly, the M5 never won the Kings Cup. Between 1950 and 1952 G-ADNL was extensively modified by Miles for its then owner, Fred Durkerley, into a twin jet aircraft, (this was described in Aeromodeller some years ago) and in 1957, won the Kings Cup at 228 mph, the first jet aircraft to do so, but was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1964.

I designed my model G-ADNL to suit the Club 20 scale class, and it is as accurate as I could make it from the information I have. The drawings I scaled from are shown in the book 'Miles Aircraft from 1925', by Don Brown, ex Chief Designer. Many photos in this book also provided valuable data and scale scribe Peter Cooksley, who was very patient with my queries, helped enormously.

CONSTRUCTION. Wings: Make up 4 wing skins from rneclisoft 1/16 balsa sheet, cut the ribs and main spar from sizes indicated. The wing is built in 3 panels, two outer and the small centre section. These can be built at the same time, over the plan, commencing with the main spar, followed by the ribs and rear spars. Pack the trailing edge of the ribs with a length of 1/4 sq balsa to align. Fit the 3/16 centre section leading edge, 3/32 false leading edge, followed by the top skins.

When thoroughly dry, remove from board and assemble the outer panels to the centre section using a 1/16 plywood brace, add the plywood reinforcing to W1 and W3 and glue the 3/8 x 1/8 TE section to the top skin. Fit the nylon outer cable and 1/8 reinforcing at outlet position, hinge blocks, 3/8in. riblets at the horn position and lower spars to centre section.

Epoxy the undercarriage bearers in position and screw the 10g undercarriage in position with
aluminium straps, finally, attach the lower wing skins, butting these against the TE strip.

Sand the leading edge flush and fit 1/4 in LE. Fit the soft block tips, 1/32 ply facing to centre section and 3/16 riblets to each side and 3/16 dowel. After final shaping and sanding, cut out ailerons from wing as shown, fit 1/16 facings and small control horns made from aluminium.

Tail Feathers: Cut out the tailplane/elevator and fin/rudder to outline from 1/16 sheet (in one piece), add 3/16 x 1/16 ribs, 3/16 sheet centre section and 1/8 x 3/16 to tailplane/elevators. Fit the shaped 1/8 stern post and 1/16 ribs to fin/rudder and 3/8 to base of fin.

Sand to section shaping base of fin to fit tailplane. Fit hinge and horn blades where shown, part tailplane and rudder and shape meeting surfaces to allow for movement. Make rudder control horn from aluminium, use commercial joiner/elevator horn for elevator.

Fuselage: Make up the basic fuselage sides from 3/32 med sheet with 1/32 ply doublers and 3/16 x 1/4 sq lower stringers, 1/8 x 1/4 in longerons and 3/16 x 1/8 stiffeners.

Cut main formers from 1/4 x 1/8 ply as indicated and decking formers from 3/32 with 1/4 x 1/8 stiffeners. Assemble fuselage with F1 and F2 followed by F5 and pull into rear, joining with 1/4 in sternpost, add decking formers F3, F4, F6, F7, F8..."

Sparrowhawk, Radio Modeller, July 1980.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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