Murph's Models - Miles M.39B Libellula

**papermate** · #1 05-30-2014, 10:10 PM

This is a wings-back puller from Aaron. The original scale should be 1/25, measuring
27 cm (about 11 in) in length. This model I'm building is 1/36, 19 cm (7.5") long.
The plane is slightly over half way done. When it comes to the engine nacelle,
there's a slight yellow patch that I'm not sure if it's by design or a slip. Would
Aaron please comment.

Papermate

**papermate** · #2 05-30-2014, 10:27 PM

Everyone, please note. ALL future posts about this plane should be on this thread ONLY.
Thank you.

Papermate

**papermate** · #3 05-30-2014, 10:29 PM

Just to extract some info from the double post -

Wing span of model: 46 cm (18.1") if 1/25 and 32 cm (12.5") if 1/36.

Papermate

**murphyaa** · #4 05-30-2014, 11:16 PM

Fault. That patch is supposed to be the green color. Lemme fix it.

**nighthawk78** · #5 05-31-2014, 02:51 AM

Even with that yellow spot, the model looks good

NH78

**nikischutt** · #6 05-31-2014, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nighthawk78

Even with that yellow spot, the model looks good

NH78

Nice work Papermate, nice design Aaron.

**rockpaperscissor** · #7 05-31-2014, 05:05 AM

Ooooh, I like the looks of this one. Miles produced some interesting aircraft.

**martinhc** · #8 05-31-2014, 06:30 AM

I really like this model, very good job. -

Greetings.-

**MacSongLi** · #9 05-31-2014, 07:54 AM

I love it papermate, another great build of one of Aaron's fantastic designs.

Gary

**papermate** · #10 06-01-2014, 02:28 AM

Thank you all, guys, for your interest in this plane.

Brief history of the Libellula (OK, it's a forced read) -
The Miles M.39 was a proposal by Miles to meet Air Ministry specification B.11/41 for a fast bomber. Miles had already schemed an idea for an aircraft with exceptional forward visibility in the light of losses of carrier-based aircraft during landing. The M.35 was designed and built as a private venture, and after proving the idea's validity, Miles suggested it as the basis for a naval fighter. Miles felt the idea had a lot of merit and put forward a larger design, the M.39, to the Ministry of Aircraft Production.

Though it had some problems, the M.35 proved sufficient to show the idea had merits, and the larger M.39 was drawn up. This would be a twin-engined design. A scale version at 5/8ths, the M.39B, was built, flying in mid-1943. Miles continued testing privately, but passed this aircraft over to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough in 1944, where it carried the serial SR392. It was damaged in two accidents and repaired each time, but was later broken up with the project's cancellation.

And now the pics. The build is straight-forward and could have been completed much earlier had it not been the weakness of the main landing compound landing gears. The wheels wells were incidental after playing around with the main landing gear struts. Now they are very sturdy. The yellow spots on the engine nacelles have been patched up. There's potential for scratch building your wheels wells once you start planning how you would like to build this weird bird.

Papermate