Miles M39b Libellula

[Steve_r]

Hello,

I am hoping someone out there can help me. I am in the process of finishing off a 29% scale flying model of the intrigiung Miles M39b. The model has already had 4 test flights in a bare wood finish, all very successful. I am now turning my attention to finishing the project and the biggest hurdle has been the cockpit.

There are a few snippets of video, and few photos of the external craft but, as far as I am aware, nothing of the cockpit.

Does anyone know differently....I would love to hear from you?

Failing that, I have to try to research the 'typical' cockpit of the time, and do my best to create a cockpit that would be 'suggestive' of the prototype.

My list of equipment so far is:

Turn and Slip
Airspeed
Altimeter
RPM
Oil temp
Oil Press
Cylinder head temp
Starter engage warning
Voltmeter
Ampmeter

Maybe a Type E compass?
Would the engine instruments have been twin needle...or two separate instruments?

Also, possibly on the panel might be:

Mixture (pull to lean) knobs
Starter buttons
Magnetos

Any ideas?

Do you think it would have been fitted with an Artificial Horizon? What about an airbourne radio set?...the photos I see of it in flight suggest the pilot is without a leather helmet, but wearing a basic headset...would this just be a set of ear defenders?

Next up would be the throttle quadrant....these vary in size and shape so much in Miles aircraft I am a bit of a loss.

The aircraft had two sets of flap levers and an undercarriage selector...but where?

There are clearly many more questions to be asked, just hope that someone might either know, or at least help me to decide on what would have been there and where!

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Steve_r]

Oh, and a few photos of the model just before testing earlier this year....do a quick search on YouTube and you'll find some footage too!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very nice Steve!