Having successfully proved the Hawk design, Mr. Miles' next concern was to design a machine capable of carrying more passengers in greater comfort and, as a first step, he produced the Falcon Major, a three/four-seat cabin machine powered by a 130 hp Gipsy Major engine.
Work on the Falcon Major was commenced in the Spring of 1934 and the prototype (G-ACTM) was first flown on 12th October 1934. The same month the prototype competed in the England-Australia Race, by Mr. H. L. Brook. Mr. Brook had no luck in the race, but later set up a solo Australia-England record of 7 days and 19 hours.
With the Gipsy Major engine and a fixed pitch airscrew the Falcon Major was inclined to take off sluggishly under full load and, although it had a useful top speed of 145 mph and experienced pilots found it easy to fly, Mr. Miles decided to give it the extra 70 hp of a 200 hp Gipsy Six engine.
The result of this combination was the famous Falcon Six, which was first flown in the summer of 1935. This machine accommodated the pilot and two passengers on the 1-2 plan, in a generous cabin, and was capable of cruising comfortably at 160 mph
The prototype Falcon Six, G-ADLC, was flown in the 1935 King's Cup by Tommy Rose and won an exciting race at the astonishing average speed of 176 mph, with other Miles machines taking second and third places!
Early in 1936 this Falcon Six, again piloted by Tommy Rose, broke the record to Cape Town with a flight of 3 days and 17 hours, and established a further record on the return journey.
Later, a special Falcon Six was supplied to the Air Ministry for full scale research work in connection with full span flaps and high speed aerofoil sections and, in the Autumn of 1944, there were still a number of Falcon Sixes in service with the R.A.F. and various other aeronautical organisations.