Miles M.33 Monitor

Designed to Air Ministry Specification Q.9/42 for a high-speed target tug, the Miles M.33 Monitor was a clean-looking cantilever high-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear and power provided by two wing-mounted engines. The Miles proposal was at first rejected as it was considered there were no suitable engines available, but with agreement to use the 1268kW Wright Cyclone R-2600-31 Miles received a contract for 600 aircraft. The prototype (NF900) was flown for the first time on 5 April 1944 and handled well, but the end of the war was approaching before development was completed and the contract was reduced first to 200 and then to 50, and was finally cancelled after 20 had been delivered. Even these were not used by the RAF as intended, only 10 Monitors entering service with the Royal Navy for operation briefly as the Monitor TT.Mk II before replacement by de Havilland Mosquito TT.Mk 39s. With a wing span of 17.15m, the M.33 Monitor had a maximum speed of 579km/h and service ceiling of 8840m.