Walter clearly regarded the Messenger as an excellent combination of family tourer and potential racing machine, particulary for the handicapped air racing of the 40s and 50s. It was thus on March 1st 1949 that he collected Messenger 2a G-AKBN from what had by then become Handley-Page Ltd at Woodley. -KBN had been built at the Miles factory in Newtownards a couple of years earlier.
Miles Messenger 2a G-AKBN
This led on to a full years' flying. A trip to Basle for an air rally and on to Neuchâtel where my mother was staying, and then on through Frannce via Cannes and then back to Elstree via Denham. This was not without incident, for on the intended run from Le Touquet to Basle, he became "temporarily unsure of position" due to cloud, and after climbing to 8,500ft and finally found a hole, spiralling down to land in a field of cows. (He must have been grateful for the Messenger's legendary short-field ability.) The woman farmer was not impressed, but warmed to them and looked after them until the weather cleared.
Undaunted by this experience, a few weeks later, he entered the Isle of Wight air race held at Bembridge. He finished sixth out of a field of 70, winning the Concours d'Elegance with his immaculate blue paintwork.
Later in 1949 he competed in the King's Cup, finishing 6th in his heat, and the Norton-Griffiths Trophy. He was unlucky in this one, losing his propellor while in the lead.
On a clear October day he flew with John Yoxall of "Flight"
to take some aerial pictures of -KBN.
The year ended with 96 hours flown, and a total of just under 700 in
the log book (plus those hours on the Links!)
Miles Messenger 2a G-AKBN