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Miles Messenger - some questions


CarLos

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Any Messenger lovers out there?

I started work on the Aeroclub kit some time ago but I have a lot of doubts for lack of references on the subject.

First, I am using this set of plans: http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?pid=4435

Are there any better ones around?

From countless photos grabbed from the web I cannot find any relationship between the windscreen (shorter and more vertical in profile vs more bulbous) and the back windows (bigger rectangular ones vs small curved) but restored aircraft sometimes change in these details. Is there a clear differentiation between Messenger models and windows? Ex-military vs civil from the ground up?

The kit seems to have a wing too thin at the root and with incorrect profile (I think it should be more symmetric), but it's difficult to analyse from most photos. A photo of a wingless fuselage, or a wing rib, or good detailed drawings would be welcome! [the Pavla kit is the opposite, I think the wings are too fat - or at least they should taper more towards the tip. I'm planning to convert the Pavla kit into a Gemini]

Thanks,

Carlos

Messenger_1.jpg

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Thank you for your contribution, but that drawing doesn't reply to many doubts I have, particularly about the windscreen.

One more detail I would like to know is if the flaps ever retract on the Messenger. See in the photo bellow the concave trailing edge just ahead of the flaps. Could be for aerodynamic reasons, though.

(Invasion stripes are very helpful to modelers!)

123264.jpg

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Those drawings are the ones I used as a basis for this model some 40 years ago. They are not completely accurate and they are the same plans which appear in the Amos book. I have a lot of Miles stuff including three copies of the Harborough ' Miles Aircraft where these drawings originate.. some M.38's also had the Gemini windscreen. On production a/c the flaps did not retract they just pivot.

The curved underside of the trailing edge is to aid the slot effect on the flaps.

John

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I think that the tail unit on those drawings is slightly too far forwards, including the centre fin.Move the lot back by a a mm

John

The 40 year old quickly made prototype done on a homemade Vacformer. The reg is actually a Gemini but I thought a more appropriate use..

On the map just below it's port wing tip a cream and red Messenger used to operate out of the field in the 50's. Ignore the dust!

John

SDC11186_zps20eed42a.jpg

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