Miles Magister M.14, M.14A, M.14B

Elementary flying and pilot service training played a vital role in pre-war and wartime RAF history. Its irreplaceable job was performed either by special-purpose aeroplanes like the Avro Tutor, the Blackburn B-2, the de Havilland Tiger Moth or machines derived from aircraft in service, such as the Hawker Hart, Hind or Audax Trainers. While the former group of aircraft provided 'ab initio' training, the latter secured training for light day bomber and army co-operation aircraft crews. With new fast monoplane aircraft being introduced into service under the Expansion Scheme in the mid-thirties it was apparent that a corresponding aeroplane for primary training would be needed. Although bi-planes were still conservatively preferred by the Air Ministry, an eventual result was reached after official recognition of the suitability of new monoplanes for pilot training. Those new training aircraft concerned were the Miles M.2 Hawk Trainer lis, which equipped an Elementary Flying Training School at Woodley, near Reading, and were operated, on behalf of the Air Ministry, by the Phillips and Powis Aircraft company. This company was a successor to the former similarly-named firm, which was in aviation business from 1929 and was mainly associated with the Reading Aerodrome and its School of Flying, and known for dealing in de Havilland aircraft. In 1932 EG. Miles, a determined and gifted designer, joined the company and in March 1935 he was appointed Technical Director. By that time he had already proved his engineering skill by producing simple, inexpensive and easy-to-fly light monoplane aircraft. With orders increasing and new types of aeroplanes for joy-riding, racing and comfortable high-speed transport being built by the P&PAL (e.g. the Hawk Trainer and Hawk Major, the M.5 Sparrowhawk, the Falcon Major and Falcon Six respectively), the company's name was finally established by winning the prestigious King's Cup race in 1935.

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