The Miles M.2 Hawk was a twin-seat light monoplane designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft Limited during the 1930s. It is the first of the company's aircraft to attain quantity production. The Hawk's development started in 1932 following a conversation between designer F.G. Miles and Charles Powys, the latter offering Miles hangar space at Woodley Aerodrome to build his proposed affordable twin-seat monoplane. The aircraft was designed by Miles and his wife, while construction of the prototype was mostly performed by the carpenter Harry Hull. On 29 March 1933, the prototype performed its maiden flight. The aircraft quickly proving its performance to be roughly 50 percent greater than biplane contemporaries. Within 15 months, 47 Hawks had been sold to various domestic customers. An advanced derivative, the Miles Hawk Major, was also quickly developed, alongside several specialised versions of the original aircraft. Amongst other uses, the Hawk was entered into numerous air races. Production of the original Hawk series came to an end during July 1934. The Miles Hawk was a two-seat lightweight cantilever monoplane. Somewhat unusually for the era, it featured wings that were designed to be folded. The aircraft had an open cockpit with a tandem seating arrangement for two. The airframe was largely composed of spruce, with the exterior being covered by a combination of birch and ply; even elements such as the engine mounts were made of wood to reduce costs. The undercarriage was supplied by Dowty Group, which were furnished with low-pressure tyres. Some Hawks, but not all, were furnished with wheel brakes. Variants M.2 Standard production two-seat version, powered by a single 95 hp A.D.C. Cirrus IIIA engine. M.2A Cabin version powered by a de Havilland Gipsy III engine, one built. M.2B Long-range single-seater powered by an A.D.C Cirrus Hermes IV, one-built. M.2C Re-engined with one 120 hp de Havilland Gipsy III engine, one built. M.2D Three-seat version with one 95 hp A.D.C. Cirrus IIIA engine, six built. Hawk Major The Hawk Major was developed to take advantage of the inverted design of the new de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. Lowering the cylinders below the propeller shaft axis greatly improved pilot visibility and allowed a shorter, lighter undercarriage. The Hawk Speed Six was a single-seat racing variant of the Hawk Major, with a larger Gipsy Six engine. Hawk M.2 Hawk Speed Six
