|
‘Trans-Atlantic contender’ The series of designs by FG Miles, known as the ‘X’ projects, the first of which was started in 1936, arose from his interest in the theories of a Russian inventor, Woyevodsky, first proposed in the early 1920s. From the painting, it might be thought that this was just an exercise in ‘super-streamlining’, but the theories actually went further and suggested that the fuselage should be wide and shallow and, as near as possible, aerofoil-shaped gradually blending into the wings. By 1938, when Miles had completed his ‘X3’ design and presented it to the Air Ministry, they were really only interested in the immediate expansion of the R.A.F. and offered only a very small development contract. In view of his company’s rapidly growing part in that expansion, Miles was forced to abandon the project, although he remained convinced the ‘X’ concept was the way forward for large transport aircraft. This was demonstrated in 1942 when, perhaps surprisingly, the Ministry of Aircraft Production was already thinking of a contender for the post-war trans-Atlantic business. When news of the project reached Woodley, the Miles team designed the 150 ft wingspan, eight-engine ‘X11’ , seen in the painting, and it deserves its place in aviation history, even though it was destined never to be built. The X11 was indeed a rival to the Bristol Brabazon, the ultimate ‘white elephant’ of British aviation. Short Bros. also designed a contender but what they and Miles did not know was that there was going to be no competition and that Bristol had already been given the order. The full story of all the Ministry machinations involved in the rejection of the X11 read like a work of fiction. However, 14 years later, the work of the Miles design team was finally vindicated when the Bristol Britannia became the first British aircraft to successfully carry out the role for which both the Brabazon and the X11 were designed. In size, weight, power, speed, fuel capacity and carrying capacity, the Britannia was very different from the disastrous Brabazon but remarkably similar to the X11. ____________________ |
|
Painted in oils. 2007. 300mm x 400mm. |