Miles Aircraft
| Industry | Aviation |
|---|---|
| Fate | aviation interests taken on by Handley Page |
| Successor | F.G.Miles Ltd / Handley Page Reading Ltd / Western Manufacturing Ltd |
| Founded | 1930s (as Phillips & Powis Aircraft) |
| Defunct | 1947 |
| Headquarters | Woodley, Berkshire, UK |
|
Key people
|
Fred, Blossom & George Miles Test pilots included Thomas Rose and Ken Waller. |
| Products | Aircraft, photocopiers, book binding equipment, fasteners (self locking nuts), actuators |
Miles was the name used to market the aircraft of British engineer Frederick George Miles, who with his wife (Blossom) and his brother, George Herbert Miles designed numerous light civil and military aircraft and a range of curious prototypes. The name "Miles" is associated with two distinct companies that Miles was involved in, and is also affiliated with several designs produced before there was a company trading under the Miles name.
The original company was founded by Charles Powis and Jack Phillips as Phillips & Powis Aircraft after meeting Fred Miles. The company was based on Woodley Aerodrome in Woodley, near the town of Reading and in the county of Berkshire.
In 1936, Rolls-Royce bought into the company and although aircraft were produced under the Miles name, it was not until 1943 that the firm became Miles Aircraft Limited when Rolls-Royce's interests were bought out.
The company needed to increase production of the Miles Messenger and in doing so they took over a former Linen Mill in Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland for the production of components of the aircraft. A hangar at RAF Long Kesh was used for assembly of the aircraft and flight testing was carried out at the airfield. The company moved to Newtownards following the end of the war in 1946.
The company opened the Miles Aeronautical Technical School in 1943 under the directorship of Maxine (Blossom) Miles The school had a "Headmaster", Walter Evans.
In 1947, the company entered receivership following bankruptcy proceedings instigated by Titanine Ltd. in the High Court. Titanine supplied Miles with aviation coatings used in the production of the Miles Gemini aircraft, in the Chancery Division. Mr. Justice Wynn-Parry adjourned the petition of Titanine Ltd., for the winding up of Miles Aircraft Ltd., until 19 January 1948, on the grounds that the company had showed prima facie reasons for not yet having formulated a reorganization scheme. The petitioners, creditors for £5,837, were supported by other creditors for £62,000 and opposed by creditors for £200,000. An affidavit put into court showed that subject to audit, a loss of £630,000 had been incurred on 31 October 1947, but that a rescue plan could not be drawn up until the audit was completed. The principal trade creditors were: Blackburn Aircraft Ltd., De La Rue Extrusions Ltd., Smiths Aircraft Instruments Ltd. and the Sperry Gyroscope Co. Ltd. Mr. F. G. Miles announced the payment of the 4% per cent preference dividends out of his own resources of £8,600. After Miles Aircraft had been taken over by financiers in 1947, the design and manufacture of aircraft was ended by the new Board. At this time the company had some £5 million worth of business in hand, including substantial orders for the Messenger and the Gemini.
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Wikipedia