Mr T Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Going to try and fit this one in. The Miles M20 was designed as an emergency fighter to supplement the Hurricane and Spitfire. It used parts of the Miles Master trainer and was designed to be easily built for non-strategic materials. Philips and Powis Aircraft (it did not become Miles Aircraft until 1943) had designed a 'utility' fighter in 1938 based on the Master and this formed the basis of the M20. The construction of the prototype was agreed on 13th July 1940 with a stipulation that it be completed within three months. The aircraft dispensed hydraulics and had a fixed undercarriage, eight fixed machine guns were to be fitted, and the engine installation was a Rolls-Royce Merlin XX in the installation as used in the Beaufighter II. The prototype at first with 'B' mark U9 and then with the serial AX834 first flew on 15th September 1940. A second prototype was built (DR616) with some changes and for possible use as a naval fighter. The M20 proved to be quite fast (330 mph), but by September 1940, the feared shortage of fighters had not happened and production was rising rapidly. The Box-Kite M20 was a no frills vacform intended for more experienced modellers. They were produced as a box shape with a clear lid that had the canopies moulded into it and contained a single sheet of instructions. No white metal, not resin and no decals. The masters were by Gordon Stevens of Rareplane fame and were sold by Maintrack Models, who were quite big players at that time. The kit came out in 1994 and has been in my stash since that time. First job is to separate all the parts from the backing sheet. Fortunately there are some decent photos on the web of the cockpit and some of my reference books have information on the type. The spinner is badly crushed, but a Lancaster spinner I found in the spares box seems to be a reasonable fit. The wheels will probably be replaced by something a bit better. I hope I can crack on with this one before the end of the group build. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Hmm, that is a 'new' brand to me! With the provenance it should be a good one to do! Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 12 hours ago, Mr T said: intended for more experienced modellers. It certainly is- I'm scared just watching from the safe distance of a computer screen! 12 hours ago, Mr T said: The kit came out in 1994 and has been in my stash since that time. If you'd kept it in there a bit longer it would've been your pension fund! An unintended side effect of this GB is that is does seem to be acting as a prelude to the Raiders of the Lost Stash GB proposal! Step forward @PeterB! 12 hours ago, Mr T said: serial AX834 first flew on 15th September 1940. Can't believe I'm here before @Heather Kay, I thought she had a searchbot that alerted her to 1940 aircraft being mentioned; I do hope that work isn't getting in the way and delaying her! 12 hours ago, Mr T said: They were produced as a box shape with a clear lid that had the canopies moulded into it This used to be the standard way of glazing model railway buildings, but there were plain glass, I've never heard of it for a moulding before 12 hours ago, Mr T said: a single sheet of instructions. Oh the extravagance of it!! Will you be using them? I suspect not. Seriously though, this looks like a cracking example of what can be done once you've moved away from Injection Moulded. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 3 hours ago, Ray S said: Hmm, that is a 'new' brand to me! With the provenance it should be a good one to do! Ray Box-Kites was a very short lived venture, three kits (Miles M20, Westland Pterodactyl and Northop XFN1) came out and didn't seem to be around for very long. Maintrack Models did quite a bit of resin and vacforms in the 1990s, some of which ended up with Whirlykits. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 2 hours ago, Mjwomack said: I thought she had a searchbot that alerted her to 1940 aircraft being mentioned; I do hope that work isn't getting in the way and delaying her! You forget my rule about operational types only. Prototypes not allowed. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 Well, I might get on with this a bit faster as an old cartilage tear in my right knee is playing up big time and I am having to rest between exercise. It's an ill wind that blows no good. Marked out the cockpit floor location for the side wall details, which seem to be fairly minimal, throttle and engine controls box on the port side and dome gauges on the starboard. A control column will also be needed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 Most interior detailing now done, and some small parts stuck together. The undercarriage spats have had the somewhat unconvincing wheels removed and a small ledge of plastic added to take a half wheel. A Lancaster prop has also been cut down to match the kit blades and drawings I have. Beginning to warm to this kit now. Not having wheel wells etc to worry about should make life a little easier. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 More progress on the M20. I did not realise that the first M20 had a fairly short life. It flew in early September 1940 and crashed in the December, which possibly accounts for the scarcity of photos of the type. Anyway, after the interior was painted. The fuselage and wing halves have been stuck together, and the joints cleaned up. The wheel spats had their tabs removed, and large diameter rods added with appropriate holes drilled into the wings. Seems easier than cutting square holes. As per the instructions, the lower wing has been cut in half to make attaching the wing to the fuselage easier. We shall see. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 Have you seen this drawing? It's from an old Aeroplane Monthly magazine. Chris 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 Thanks, I hadn't. What I am trying to find is what the underside of the center section looked like. I gave another couple of plans, but neither of them are that clear and the photos don't help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 About the best underside photo I've seen is this: Chris 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 Yes, that is about the best one I have seen. I have found a plan online that seems to show the shape, and I am going to go with that 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted June 18, 2021 Author Share Posted June 18, 2021 The M20 is beginning to look like an aeroplane now (You could ask what else is it likely to look like?) Fit is not perfect, but that it to be expected, and it went together better than I hoped. Some Miliput used on the wing and tail joints and Tamiya putty used else where. Ready for a coat of primer to see what needs more work, and I am sure something will need more work The canopy has been cut out, but not test fitted apart from to make sure I had not taken too much off. There will be a short break in the proceedings as we are away this weekend, but it will hopefully include a diversion via Coningsby on the way back on Monday as well as a drive by Cranwell 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Looks good! Very neat wing joint. Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted July 4, 2021 Author Share Posted July 4, 2021 A bit more done to the M20, although stuff going on with home and family have slowed progress somewhat, and I realistic do not expect to finish this model before the end of the Group build. Anyway, the canopy is on and fitted into place and the yellow undersides sorted. Tonight, the lower fuselage and undersides will be masked. The area for the fuselage roundel will also be masked, as it should look neater than a decal. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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