Miles M.20

Miles Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1940 · fighter

The Miles M.20 was a British emergency fighter prototype designed and built by Miles Aircraft in just 65 days during the Battle of Britain, intended as a rapid-production substitute if Spitfire and Hurricane production was disrupted. It used fixed undercarriage and wooden construction to maximise build speed.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.17 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Emergency WWII British fighter prototype built in 65 days
Fixed undercarriage to simplify and speed construction
Wooden construction mid-wing monoplane fighter

A purposeful-looking wooden mid-wing monoplane with fixed undercarriage spatted in streamlined fairings; the absence of retractable gear distinguishes it immediately from the Spitfire and Hurricane.

Specifications

The Miles M.20 has a length of 9.17 m (30 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.54 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 536 km/h (333 mph).
Typical crew: 1 pilot.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in September 1940, the M.20 demonstrated performance comparable to the Hurricane despite its fixed undercarriage. However, the crisis that prompted its design passed and production Hurricane and Spitfire output recovered, rendering the M.20 unnecessary.

Variants

Two prototypes were built; a naval variant was also proposed but not proceeded with.

Where you'll see it

The M.20 never entered operational service, remaining at prototype stage throughout its short evaluation period.

Related aircraft

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