11/15/2022. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Registered to Miles Aircraft on October 28, 1947, this aircraft had eight subsequent owners and is still on the register of this day.

The fourth owner was SAC Bristol Ltd., an aerospace design and engineering company, formed in 1961 by three former employees of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, Roger Smedley, Peter Allard, and Ian Creer. The aircraft served with the company for twelve years, March 21, 1977 to May 25, 1989.

The Miles Gemini was Britain's popular light twin of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Following the success of the single-engined Messenger, Miles used a similar construction method comprising a wooden fuselage covered with plastic-bonded plywood skin. Auxiliary-airfoil flaps and a one-piece, molded windscreen were other Messenger-type features. Registered G-AGUS, the Gemini 1 prototype made its first flight on October 26, 1945, with F.G. Miles at the controls. It was initially flying with a temporary fixed landing gear instead of the standard electrically retracting type.

In the following year, still powered by two 100 hp Cirrus Minor 2 engines, it was exhibited throughout Europe and the Gemini 1A, with retractable undercarriage, was certificated in August. One of the early batch of production Geminis made the first postwar solo flight to Australia from the UK. Some 130 aircraft were built in one year. Of the British-registered Geminis, two-thirds eventually left the country to join 28 exported.

Apart from a fairly positive swing on take off (but one to which pilots quickly became accustomed) the Gemini was a very pleasant aircraft to handle, and with its comfort and style won plenty of enthusiasm from its owners. Many were used as company aircraft, others as trainers and many by private owners for touring and racing. In 1947 one was flown 5,761 mls (9,271 km) from Lympne to Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) in 44 hours flying time, going on to spend several years flying round Africa.

Aero clubs in Essex and Plymouth flew Geminis for some ten years. Racing motorist Prince Bira owned one. Notable air racing successes were achieved by Fred Dunkerley, who averaged almost 160 mph (258 kmh) in a string of victories. 'Nat' Somers, in a Gemini 3 powered by 145 hp Gipsy Major 1C engines, won the 1949 King's Cup Race at over 164 mph (264 kmh). This and several later Geminis were re-engined with Gipsy Major 10 engines to become Gemini 3Cs.

At least two Geminis were fitted with horizontally opposed Continental or Lycoming engines, but the major development was the M.75 Aries with . two 155 hp Cirrus Major 3 engines and larger fins. Three Geminis were modified in an attempt to make them as close to Aries standard as possible. Two were powered by Gipsy Major 10 Mk.2s and one with Cirrus Major 3s, known as the Gemini 7 and Gemini 8, respectively."