Beagle B.218

B.218 / B.242
Role	Light transport monoplane
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Beagle Aircraft Limited
First flight	19 August 1962
Status	Destroyed
Produced	1961-1962
Number built	1

The Beagle B.218X (also known as the Beagle-Miles M.218) was a 1960s British four-seat twin-engined light transport monoplane built by Beagle Aircraft Limited at Shoreham Airport.^[1][2] The prototype was modified into the Beagle B.242X but neither variant entered production.^[1][2]

Design and development

Before it became part of Beagle Miles Aircraft had looked at producing a replacement for the Miles Messenger and Gemini.^[1] Three twin-engined low-wing monoplane designs were considered, the fixed landing gear Miles 114 in two and four-seat versions and the retractable landing gear four-seat Miles 115.^[1] When Beagle was formed it was decided to build a prototype of the Miles 115 design designated the Beagle-Miles M.218, it was also decided to build a prototype of the Miles 114 as the M.117 but in the end it was not built.^[1]

The M.218 was of plastic construction and was a powered by two 145 hp (108 kW) Rolls Royce Continental O-300 piston engines and had a retractable tricycle landing gear.^[1] Construction started at the end of 1961 and it made its first flight at Shoreham on 19 August 1962.^[1] Registered G-ASCX^[3] it was displayed at the 1962 Farnborough Air Show priced at £9,800, it did create interest from customers although they had a preference for metal built aircraft rather than the plastic M.218.^[1]

The production aircraft were to be named Martlet but the company did not have the money to put it into production and it was withdrawn in 1963 for modification.^[1] A lot of the plastic parts were changed to metal and more powerful 195 hp (145 kW) IO-360 engines were fitted.^[1] Now re-registered G-ASTX^[4] it reflew again on the 27 August 1963 and was re-designated the Beagle B.242.^[1] The aircraft was issued with a certificate of airworthiness on 18 June 1965 but the company was busy with the production of the twin-engined Beagle B.206 and single-engined Beagle Pup and could not afford to further develop the type or put it into production.^[1] The aircraft was withdrawn from use in 1966 and subsequently destroyed in a fire in August 1969.^[1]

Variants

Beagle B.218X

Prototype with O-300 engines, 1 built.^[2]

Beagle B.242X

M.218 extensively modified and fitted with IO-360 engines.^[2]

Specifications (B.218X)

Data from ^[2]British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Length: 25 ft 4 in (7.72 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
• Empty weight: 2164 lb (982 kg)
• Gross weight: 3200 lb (1451 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Rolls Royce Continental O-300 piston, 145 hp (108 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 185 mph (297 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 140 mph (225 km/h)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Beagle B.206
  

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n} Beagle 1974, p. 38
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Jackson 1974, p. 297
3. ^ ^{a b} Civil Aviation Authority Aircraft Register - G-ASCX
4. ^ ^{a b} Civil Aviation Authority Aircraft Register - G-ASTX

Sources

• Beagle Aircraft - A Production History. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications. 1974. ISBN 0 904597 00 8. 
• Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10006 9.