Miles Martinet

M.25 Martinet
Role	Target tug
Manufacturer	Miles Aircraft
First flight	24 April 1942
Primary users	Royal Air Force Fleet Air Arm
Produced	1942-1945
Number built	1,724

The Miles M.25 Martinet was a target tug aircraft of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm that was in service during World War II. It was the first British aircraft to be designed specifically for the role of towing targets.

Design and development

Based upon the Miles Master II, the Martinet featured a strengthened airframe to handle the stresses of towing a target drogue. Other differences from the Master included a longer nose, higher cockpit and greater wing span but otherwise the two aircraft shared many common components. The targets and towing gear were contained in a fairing beneath the fuselage and were retracted by an external, wind-powered winch.

The first prototype of the Martinet was flown on April 24, 1942. In total 1,724 Martinets were produced by Miles Aircraft Ltd for the RAF and FAA to meet Air Ministry Specification 12/41. Production continued until the end of the war.

There were two other variants of the Martinet. The M.50 Queen Martinet was a radio-controlled target drone of which 65 were built and a further 17 produced through conversion of an M.25. The M.37 Martinet Trainer was developed during the war but only two were ever produced.

Variants

• M.25 Martinet: Two-seat target tug aircraft. The M.25 Martinet was used by both the RAF and the Royal Navy, under the designation Martinet TT.Mk I.
• M.50 Queen Martinet: Unmanned radio-controlled target drone.
• M.37 Martinet Trainer: Two-seat training aircraft. Only two were built.

Operators

Martinet in RAF service

Belgium

• Belgian Air Force (11 operated from 1947 to 1953 as target tugs)

France

• French Air Force

Ireland

• Irish Air Corps

Portugal

• Portuguese Air Force

Turkey

• Turkish Air Force

United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force

• • No. 5 Squadron RAF
  • No. 20 Squadron RAF
  • No. 34 Squadron RAF
  • No. 269 Squadron RAF
  • No. 285 Squadron RAF
  • No. 286 Squadron RAF
  • No. 287 Squadron RAF
  • No. 289 Squadron RAF
  • No. 290 Squadron RAF
  • No. 291 Squadron RAF
  • No. 520 Squadron RAF

• • No. 567 Squadron RAF
  • No. 577 Squadron RAF
  • No. 587 Squadron RAF
  • No. 595 Squadron RAF
  • No. 598 Squadron RAF
  • No. 631 Squadron RAF
  • No. 639 Squadron RAF
  • No. 650 Squadron RAF
  • No. 679 Squadron RAF
  • No. 691 Squadron RAF
  • No. 695 Squadron RAF

• Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
  • 723 Naval Air Squadron
  • 728 Naval Air Squadron
  • 736 Naval Air Squadron
  • 771 Naval Air Squadron
  • 772 Naval Air Squadron
  • 776 Naval Air Squadron
  • 794 Naval Air Squadron

Specifications (M.25)

Data from The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II.

General characteristics

• Crew: two

Performance

See also

Related development

• M.9
• M.19
• M.24
• M.27

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of aircraft of the RAF

References

Bibliography

• Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0 .
• Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-370-00127-3.
• Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.

External links

• Miles Martinet as model on IPMS Stockholm pages