DeHavilland Mosquito |
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Cookie Monster
Special Member Joined: January 22 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7510 |
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Posted: November 27 2007 at 8:42am |
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Cookie Monster
Special Member Joined: January 22 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7510 |
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History: The all-wood Mosquito bomber was designed with war in mind. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, the Mosquito was as fast as a fighter and could carry the payload of a medium bomber. Flying high and fast, it was believed it could perform the mission without defensive armament. In a display of incredible foresight, deHavilland constructed the airplane almost entirely out of balsa and plywood in case strategic metals became scarce. The Air Ministry originally wanted nothing to do with the aircraft, and rejected it as unsuitable because of its wooden construction.
When World War Two broke out the Air Ministry began to reconsider its position. With Germany ready to unleash her wolfpacks and the United States still restrained by the Neutrality Laws, construction materials became a strategic concern. On March 1, 1940, an order for 50 Mosquitos was placed, but it was soon postponed while the Allied armies replaced the material lost on the beaches at Dunkirk. The first prototype flew on November 25, 1940, and the Air Ministry officials who had been so skeptical were amazed to see the Mosquito performing climbing rolls on one engine, and dashing across the sky at speeds expected of fighters. Production of three prototypes for official consideration were built: the Mosquito PR.Mk I, a photo-reconnaissance plane, the Mosquito B.Mk IV, a medium bomber to replace the Blenheim, and the Mosquito NF.Mk II, a night fighter. The first operational flight of the PR.Mk I confirmed the Mosquito needed no armament when on a flight over Brest it outpaced three Luftwaffe Bf 109s and returned home. The B.Mk IV entered combat in the early months of 1942, after a period of familiarization. The Mosquito was much faster than the Blenheim and required new tactics to hit its targets. The bomber crews were soon very impressed with the amount of damage the Mosquito could absorb. Its construction took full advantage of the flexibility of its wooden construction, the two sides being fully equipped with controls and wiring runs before being joined together. The Mosquito NF Mk II had a heavy armament of four cannons and four machineguns. It carried the AI Mk IV radar. The Mosquito NF was the first night fighter to be stationed in the Mediterranean, fighting from Malta as day and night fighter. It was also used as a night intruder, performing its first intruder mission on December 30-31, 1942. Because of its high speed, crews needed some time to grow accustomed to the new machine. For this reason, de Havilland also produced a training version, the Mosquito T.Mk III, with dual controls. All versions had a crew of two, seated side-by-side. The last Mosquitos were withdrawn from RAF photo-reconnaissance units in 1961. The Mosquito was also manufactured under license in Australia and Canada. In all, 7,781 Mosquitos were built. Today, only one Mosquito continues to be operational, although as of this writing it has not flown in several years. It is owned by the Weeks Air Museum in Florida. |
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Cookie Monster
Special Member Joined: January 22 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7510 |
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Nicknames: Mossie; Balsa Bomber; Wooden Wonder; Freeman's Folly (early nickname referring to Air Council member Sir Wilfred Freeman); Tsetse (Mk XVIII anti-shipping variant).
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Cookie Monster
Special Member Joined: January 22 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7510 |
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Specifications (FB.Mk VI): Number Built: 7,781 Number Still Airworthy: One (Previously airworthy, but has not flown for the last few years.) |
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Cookie Monster
Special Member Joined: January 22 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7510 |
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I was reading a quote from Herman Goring, He was about to make a speech in 1943 about the NAZI party's 10th year in power and three Mosquito attacked and cut his talk short. He was not too amuzed.
A short time later a few American P-51's were attacking Berlin and that is when he made his famous quote the "gig is up"
CM
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hoadie
Moderator Group Joined: March 16 2006 Location: Niagara/Canada Status: Offline Points: 9003 |
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Co-incidentally, I just recieved(last week) a news article from Hanover Ontario.They were recounting the Mossie.Since wood was/is king in the north-THAT is where they built the Mossie's frame.Knectel's East plant in Hanover Ontario.If anyone wants to see the article-I still have it
Hoadie |
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Loose wimmen tightened here
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Cookie Monster
Special Member Joined: January 22 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7510 |
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Hoadie That would be excellent can you scan and post it on here?
CM
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hoadie
Moderator Group Joined: March 16 2006 Location: Niagara/Canada Status: Offline Points: 9003 |
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well mate-I can scan it-but I'm cumpuiker challenged, so I gotta get someone ta show me how!
Hoadie - the stymied |
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Loose wimmen tightened here
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hoadie
Moderator Group Joined: March 16 2006 Location: Niagara/Canada Status: Offline Points: 9003 |
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Oh yeah-sumpin else i learned bout the Mossie...they gave German radar the silouett of a bird!(World's first "stealth" aircraft?)
Hoadie |
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Loose wimmen tightened here
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Shamu
Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 17603 |
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Was that pic taken in the US? I'm curious because a while back I was a volunteer at a warbird restoration museum in the UK.
One of the aircraft we had was a mossie, this was an Australian built one that we had flown back to the UK by a couple of our guys who had experience with mossies in the RAF.
It was also E-HT!
There seem to be several restorations of that particular aircraft as ours had the later bulged bomb bay to allow for the 4,000 Lb "blockbusters", and the clear nose of the bomber versions.
You've probably seen the one we restored as it was used for one of the ones in the picture "633 Squadron."
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Mossie
Newbie Joined: May 29 2013 Location: Hanover Ontario Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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he!!o
Hoadie,I would really like to see that article about the Mosquito ( or parts of it) being built in Hanover by Knectels furniture ! They are bringing the Mossquito to the Hamilton airshow this May 14-16 2013 .....the real deal ! I would like to share that article with the pilot who is flying it here from Its new home in Virginia Beach to the airshow here. Can you email it out me? Thank you and I look forward to,your reply! Sincerely Craig Ehman 905-399-3817 |
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BlackAck
Senior Member Joined: July 25 2012 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 189 |
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Is it a new build or a rebuild from multiple aircraft?
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LE Owner
Senior Member Joined: December 04 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1047 |
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I was under the impression that the seating was staggered, the pilot up front to the left and the other seat (navigator/radioman)set back and partly behind to the right. Also I seem to remember a third crewman position for special purposes, and not normally found on this aircraft. Found it. The dedicated bomber versions had a bombardier position in the gassed in nose. No mention of a third crewman so it appears the Navigator/radio man also acted as the bombardier. |
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BlackAck
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The December issue of Flypast covered the restoration and return to flight of Mossie FB.26 KA114 - now based in Virginia Beach, in detail. Well worth checking out.
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hoadie
Moderator Group Joined: March 16 2006 Location: Niagara/Canada Status: Offline Points: 9003 |
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I know there WAS a group trying to restore one from Jamaica..it was a PR type. Havent heard whatever happened there
Hoadie |
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Loose wimmen tightened here
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BlackAck
Senior Member Joined: July 25 2012 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 189 |
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http://www.calgarymosquitosociety.com/home.htm
Best of luck to these guys... |
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