61 Votes (4.70 Average) and 14,934 Views  

MILES M-65 Gemini (G-AKDC) - This was the aircraft that won the 1949 British Kings Cup Air Race, the first Kings Cup after WWII. The pilot is Nat Somers A.F.C., the lady is the photographers wife. This aircraft has 2 x De Havilland Gipsy Majors (145 hp ea) and won the 49 race at 164.25. On June 17, 1950, G-AKDC with Nat Somers at the controls took the 100 Kilometre Closed Circuit Speed Record for Class C.ic aircraft at 168.44 mph. For this record run, G-AKDC had 2 DH Gipsy Major 1c engines at 130 hp ea with an all up weight of 2630 lbs - the route was Wolverhampton Aerodrome - Abbots Bromley Aerodrome - Meir Airport - Newport - Wolverhampton Airport. The new World Record was certified by the Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom - info from original Certificate of Record signed by Lord Brabazon of Tara. Image from family archive.
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MILES M-65 Gemini (G-AKDC)

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This was the aircraft that won the 1949 British King's Cup Air Race, the first 'King's Cup' after WWII. The pilot is Nat Somers A.F.C., the lady is the photographer's wife. This aircraft has 2 x De Havilland Gipsy Majors (145 hp ea) and won the '49 race at 164.25. On June 17, 1950, G-AKDC with Nat Somers at the controls took the 100 Kilometre Closed Circuit Speed Record for Class C.ic aircraft at 168.44 mph. For this record run, G-AKDC had 2 DH Gipsy Major 1c engines at 130 hp ea with an all up weight of 2630 lbs - the route was Wolverhampton Aerodrome - Abbots Bromley Aerodrome - Meir Airport - Newport - Wolverhampton Airport. The new World Record was certified by the Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom - info from original Certificate of Record signed by Lord Brabazon of Tara. Image from family archive.

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Paul Wisgerhof
According to Wiki, 170 were built between 1945 and 1952 in several versions. Six are still on the active British Civil Air registry; one in Sweden.
serge LOTH
This is a picture!!! super! and the quality is top!
reixachjf
what model of aircraft it was?
Dean Johnson
reixachif - identified in box under the photo.
Kurt Anderson
Now that is one excellent shot. I can count the rivets.
CDBrozovich
This made my day. What a beautiful bird! Something clearly out of the ordinary. Thank you, Peter.
Scott Campbell
Is that a man in drag in the right seat ?
Peter WestPhoto Uploader
Scott - is your comment aviation related or are you just bored?
jrrtps
Awesome!!!!!!
Terry Bourke
would like to have been there. Notice the high seating positon giving a clear forward view
Richard Myers
A great speedster in it's day. And what a beautiful cockpit canopy,
there are so many good things one can say about it; it must have been
like flying outside.
I'll have to look for the specs on that beauty.
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