213 replies to this topic

[Paul Parker]

Not period motor racing but this forum is surely as good a place as any for impartial and informed advice about WW2 aeroplanes.

I want to buy a definitive high quality book with copious images on the Mosquito, its origins, design, development and service history etc. Has anybody got a recommendation on this subject please?

[RTH]

You need to get down to the De Havilland Museum South Mimms Hatfield Herts within sight of the M25 Paul . They have actual aircraft there , a book store all you could ever need

http://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/

[Paul Parker]

Thank you Richard I had forgotten about this museum having driven past it on the M25 many times over past decades.

[B Squared]

A few titles to help you. These are the three that are in my collection:

The Men Who Flew the Mosquito - by Martin Bowman - Patrick Stephens Limited 1995

DeHavilland Mosquito Portfolio - compiled by R.M. Clarke - Brooklands Books 1986

Mosquito at War - by Chaz Bowyer - Charles Scribner's Sons 1973

The Brooklands book has the most in technical information, drawings, cutaways and the like. Lots of photos along with the verbiage in the other two titles.

[Odseybod]

Slightly OT (inevitably), does anyone know if the Kermit Weeks one is still airworthy?

[Pullman99]

Slightly OT (inevitably), does anyone know if the Kermit Weeks one is still airworthy?

Not sure if it's flying just at the moment. This particular Mosquito TT35 - RS712 - is listed as still being owned by Kermit Weeks but is located at the EAA Air Venture Museum at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. No doubt an enqury there would provide further details. You have reminded me that when visiting a Christie's auction at the Strathallan Collection in Perthshire in about 1980, I was actually sitting next to Kermit Weeks when he successfully bid for this Lot! The auctioneer was the late Patrick Lindsay.

[Paul Parker]

A few titles to help you. These are the three that are in my collection:

The Men Who Flew the Mosquito - by Martin Bowman - Patrick Stephens Limited 1995

DeHavilland Mosquito Portfolio - compiled by R.M. Clarke - Brooklands Books 1986

Mosquito at War - by Chaz Bowyer - Charles Scribner's Sons 1973

The Brooklands book has the most in technical information, drawings, cutaways and the like. Lots of photos along with the verbiage in the other two titles.

Thank you very much for that.

[JacnGille]

There is also a movie featuring the Mosquito called 633 Squadron.

[Ian G]

I want to buy a definitive high quality book with copious images on the Mosquito, its origins, design, development and service history etc. Has anybody got a recommendation on this subject please?

I know your've mentioned book but my Brother has several DVD's on the Mosquito,extremely detailed,just do a Google but they bob up on Ebay regulary.

[elansprint72]

Mosquito, the Wooden Wonder. Edward Bishop. Airlife Publishing.

If you are going to the museum- check which days it is open!

[Red Socks]

In about 1970-71 one of my mates walked into the office in Hatton Garden and we were gossiping about stuff and in conversation he asked me if I wanted a half share in the whole remaining Mosquito outfit .IIRC the RAF had finished with them de Haviland didn't know what to do with them-there were about three complete planes and piles of spares- and they were available for £3000.
I had £1500 available as did my mate but we had no idea where to put them.
If only........

[Paul Parker]

In about 1970-71 one of my mates walked into the office in Hatton Garden and we were gossiping about stuff and in conversation he asked me if I wanted a half share in the whole remaining Mosquito outfit .IIRC the RAF had finished with them de Haviland didn't know what to do with them-there were about three complete planes and piles of spares- and they were available for £3000.
I had £1500 available as did my mate but we had no idea where to put them.
If only........

This I suspect is a familiar story down the decades whereby the possibility of purchasing something unique for relatively little money becomes possible but is ultimately ignored.

I had one such experience in 1968 when working as a driver and general factotum for H. R. Owen out of their Pavilion Road, Knightsbridge preparation depot. We had a customer who also owned a Mercedes Benz 230 or 250SL, can't remember now which model and I was dispatched to Mercedes Benz at Brentford on the Great West Road to pick it up from the service department. Reception gave me the keys and directed me to the multi storey car park next door where they parked their customer cars. Several floors up I found the car and noticed in an outer corner of the floor facing out an obviously derelict rusty, matt red Mercedes Benz 300SL gullwing with a flat tyre. For some reason now forgotten I had to go back to reception and whilst there asked them about the 300SL.

I was told that this had long ago been abandoned by its owner who could not afford the bill for repairing some serious engine damage and they were very keen to get rid of it. The result of my enquiry was that the Service Manager told me I could have it for nothing if I would just take it away. At this point I was 19 years old and living with my parents (yes in those halcyon days a teenager working for a dealer could and did drive all manner of high performance and exotic machinery from Cobras to E types, Ferraris, Masers, Lambos, Rolls Royce/Bentley, Jensen, Bristol et al.) No insurance problems then apparently.

Alas I had no where to put it and no way of funding even its storage so there it stayed, at that time just another old, broken down sportscar worth this side of buggar all of which there were many in period. Albeit not usually 'gullwings'. I have for evermore cursed my youthful indifference and lack of determination and often wondered what became of it.

[Red Socks]

This I suspect is a familiar story down the decades whereby the possibility of purchasing something unique for relatively little money becomes possible but is ultimately ignored.

I had one such experience in 1968 when working as a driver and general factotum for H. R. Owen out of their Pavilion Road, Knightsbridge preparation depot. We had a customer who also owned a Mercedes Benz 230 or 250SL, can't remember now which model and I was dispatched to Mercedes Benz at Brentford on the Great West Road to pick it up from the service department. Reception gave me the keys and directed me to the multi storey car park next door where they parked their customer cars. Several floors up I found the car and noticed in an outer corner of the floor facing out an obviously derelict rusty, matt red Mercedes Benz 300SL gullwing with a flat tyre. For some reason now forgotten I had to go back to reception and whilst there asked them about the 300SL.

I was told that this had long ago been abandoned by its owner who could not afford the bill for repairing some serious engine damage and they were very keen to get rid of it. The result of my enquiry was that the Service Manager told me I could have it for nothing if I would just take it away. At this point I was 19 years old and living with my parents (yes in those halcyon days a teenager working for a dealer could and did drive all manner of high performance and exotic machinery from Cobras to E types, Ferraris, Masers, Lambos, Rolls Royce/Bentley, Jensen, Bristol et al.) No insurance problems then apparently.

Alas I had no where to put it and no way of funding even its storage so there it stayed, at that time just another old, broken down sportscar worth this side of buggar all of which there were many in period. Albeit not usually 'gullwings'. I have for evermore cursed my youthful indifference and lack of determination and often wondered what became of it.

And yet and yet -about the same time I had a Lancia B20 and as I parked it some chap started talking about it and on and on.To cut a long story short he had one too,it was redundant and was available.How much was answered with the question how soon could I take it away, I went and looked and said Saturday, the answer to how much was nothing.Problem was a lack of a starter motor-in 1973 for a 1955 Lancia!!- but when I went to the shop where it had been left six years before it was still lying under the bench-no charge because no fault found. Mark you the car was a millstone round my neck for about two years until I finally found a permanent garage for it

[B Squared]

I found this cutaway of the Mosquito. It is also placed in the cutaway thread. Drawing by Max Millar.

[Stephen W]

Some years back a work collegue and I got into conversation about iconic aircraft and both agreed that the Mosquito was up there with the best. It transpired that his father was a golf club maker before WW2 and was conscripted into the RAF where his profficiency at shaping wood was recognised and he was eventually posted to a Mosquito squadron where he repaired damaged planes.

[Geoff E]

My dad was a Fitter/Armourer at RAF Tain in WW2. One of his souvenirs was a Mosquito, cast in brass, approx 9" wing span.



A while after Dad died, I mentioned the casting to a workmate - the following day, he brought a similar one in to the office which had been produced in the same mould. His dad too had been in the RAF in Scotland in WW2 and he also had a Lanc and a Spitfire cast in brass, presumably from shell cases.

[alansart]

My dad was a Fitter/Armourer at RAF Tain in WW2. One of his souvenirs was a Mosquito, cast in brass, approx 9" wing span.



A while after Dad died, I mentioned the casting to a workmate - the following day, he brought a similar one in to the office which had been produced in the same mould. His dad too had been in the RAF in Scotland in WW2 and he also had a Lanc and a Spitfire cast in brass, presumably from shell cases.

My Mother in Law has one of a Lancaster.

[doc knutsen]

My Mother in Law has one of a Lancaster.

Earlier this year, Airfix brought out a super-detailed Mosquito plastic kit in 1:24 scale. It is huge! I have placed an order with my local model shop, but it has not arrived here yet.

[IrishMariner]

There's a million book references on the Mosquito's Wikipedia page:- http://en.wikipedia....to#Construction. You can even preview some of the books on Amazon's website.

A recent BBC series "The Genius Of Design" featured the Mosquito in episode 3. Might still be available to you via iPlayer

One source of technical info/pictures that I often quote is modelling books and magazines. Not necessarily available at museums and suchlike, they can provide a wealth of info and, sometimes, the artwork and production values are very high indeed.
For example:-
SAM Publications' "The De Havilland Mosquito" by Richard A. Franks ISBN : 9533465-0-1

[Paul Parker]

There's a million book references on the Mosquito's Wikipedia page:- http://en.wikipedia....to#Construction. You can even preview some of the books on Amazon's website.

A recent BBC series "The Genius Of Design" featured the Mosquito in episode 3. Might still be available to you via iPlayer

One source of technical info/pictures that I often quote is modelling books and magazines. Not necessarily available at museums and suchlike, they can provide a wealth of info and, sometimes, the artwork and production values are very high indeed.
For example:-
SAM Publications' "The De Havilland Mosquito" by Richard A. Franks ISBN : 9533465-0-1

My thanks and appreciation to everybody who has responded to this rather off topic subject and I am now rather better informed than previously.

[Tony Matthews]

Earlier this year, Airfix brought out a super-detailed Mosquito plastic kit in 1:24 scale. It is huge! I have placed an order with my local model shop, but it has not arrived here yet.

The very thought has made my fingers itch! I must check it out...

[Steve Sobieralski]

I have quite a few books on the Mosquito that I have collected over the years. Probably the most comprehensive is the two volume set DeHavilland Mosquito, An Illustrated History. Volume One is by Stuart Howe, Volume Two by Ian Thirsk.

Steve Sobieralski

[Zagato_Olaf]

A few titles to help you. These are the three that are in my collection:

The Men Who Flew the Mosquito - by Martin Bowman - Patrick Stephens Limited 1995

DeHavilland Mosquito Portfolio - compiled by R.M. Clarke - Brooklands Books 1986

Mosquito at War - by Chaz Bowyer - Charles Scribner's Sons 1973

The Brooklands book has the most in technical information, drawings, cutaways and the like. Lots of photos along with the verbiage in the other two titles.

Try www.abebooks.co.uk or www.abebooks.com for these titles.

Ciao, Olaf

[VAR1016]

Yes the Mosquito was indeed an excellent aircraft.

However it is well worth bearing in mind its successor, which used similar construction techniques, the wonderful De Havilland Hornet. With its 2000+ HP "slimline" Merlins - with props running in opposite directions - and laminar flow wings, it was capable of 472mph and apparently a joy to fly.

I included a small piece about the Hornet on one of my two blogs - the photo shows three Hornets with the letters HF on their tails; of course "HF" is of special significance to Lancisiti!

The Hornet was the fastest British fighter of the war but in my article I also mentioned the superb Dornier DO-335 which was 2mph faster!

Edited by VAR1016, 26 May 2010 - 19:23.

[rrrocket]

May I also recommend 'Mosquito, the Illustrated History' by Philip J. Birtles
ISBN 0-7509-2327-X

Lots of good B/W photos.

I even bought a copy!

[Allan Lupton]

In 1990 we held a symposium at Hatfield to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Mosquito's first flight.
As we had most of the surviving key people present and speaking we put a book together which includes transcripts of talks by
Michael Bowyer (author)
Alec Harvey-Bailey (Rolls-Royce)
Mike Ramsden (former editor of Flight)
Frank Cooper (DH Apprentice in 1940)
Frank Vann (Structural engineer)
Pat Fillingham (Test Pilot)
John Cunningham (RAF user of Mosquito and DH test Pilot before and after)
Eric "Winkle" Brown (RN/RAE test pilot)
Jim Shortland (617 Squadron historian)
plus written pieces by
Ian Thirsk (Mosquito Aircraft Museum)
John Sadler (current pilot of RR299)
There is an introduction by Ralph Hare (stressman) and in the after-dinner stories we transcribed R.M. Clarkson ( aerodynamicist) tells of the Boscombe Down trials and Ivor Broom (RAF) of Berlin and back before the bar closes.

Rather boringly we called the book "The Mosquito 50 Years On" but the strapline (culled from Mike Ramsden's talk) was
"Probably man's highest engineering achievement in timber"
Published by GMS Enterprises and only printed once (in 1991) but presumably findable if you look

[Paul Parker]

In 1990 we held a symposium at Hatfield to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Mosquito's first flight.
As we had most of the surviving key people present and speaking we put a book together which includes transcripts of talks by
Michael Bowyer (author)
Alec Harvey-Bailey (Rolls-Royce)
Mike Ramsden (former editor of Flight)
Frank Cooper (DH Apprentice in 1940)
Frank Vann (Structural engineer)
Pat Fillingham (Test Pilot)
John Cunningham (RAF user of Mosquito and DH test Pilot before and after)
Eric "Winkle" Brown (RN/RAE test pilot)
Jim Shortland (617 Squadron historian)
plus written pieces by
Ian Thirsk (Mosquito Aircraft Museum)
John Sadler (current pilot of RR299)
There is an introduction by Ralph Hare (stressman) and in the after-dinner stories we transcribed R.M. Clarkson ( aerodynamicist) tells of the Boscombe Down trials and Ivor Broom (RAF) of Berlin and back before the bar closes.

Rather boringly we called the book "The Mosquito 50 Years On" but the strapline (culled from Mike Ramsden's talk) was
"Probably man's highest engineering achievement in timber"
Published by GMS Enterprises and only printed once (in 1991) but presumably findable if you look

I will look, many thanks Allan.

[JtP1]

Yes the Mosquito was indeed an excellent aircraft.

However it is well worth bearing in mind its successor, which used similar construction techniques, the wonderful De Havilland Hornet. With its 2000+ HP "slimline" Merlins - with props running in opposite directions - and laminar flow wings, it was capable of 472mph and apparently a joy to fly.


The Hornet was the fastest British fighter of the war but in my article I also mentioned the superb Dornier DO-335 which was 2mph faster!

The Hornet had the advantage that it flew in a straight line.

[Allan Lupton]

The Hornet had the advantage that it flew in a straight line.

So did the Mosquito!
Its tendency to swing was when it was below flying speed on the ground (and was particularly pronounced if an engine cut). Once at a reasonable speed control was good, even in the engine-out case.
Don't know precisely what VMCG and VMCA were, or even if they were ever defined at the time. (sorry can't do subscripts so hope you can understand)

Oh and although the Hornet was faster (being a single seater and lighter) I think the original Mosquito's 388 m.p.h. on 1285 h.p. a side was pretty good (faster than a Spitfire!) - with 2000 a side that could have gone up to 445 m.p.h. if the powers had been pro rata throughout the range

Edited by Allan Lupton, 01 June 2010 - 19:08.

[mariner]

One joy of the Moaquito museum is to see the moulds they used to produce the frame. As I recall it was a large concrete shape of half a fuselage over which the ply was formed. I hope it is still there.

The whole fabrication proces of the Mosquito was as clever (IMHO) as the design. It was built in two halves just like a plastic model and all the mounting hardpoints were installed on the outer skin before the balsa core was put in and the inner skin was added. Then I beleive much of the interior equipment was bolted in before the two halves were mated. This made for much quicker assembly than people struggling to install gear inside the very confined fuselage space.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

My late Father was in the RCAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force, during much of WWII. His rank was corporal and he was an LAC, Leading Air Craftsman. A pretty fancy term for mechanic, in reality.

He told me that Mossies were notoriously difficult to land. The touch-down speed was very high for the day and looking at the brevity of true wing area, I can believe it. The lack of area was certainly one factor in enabling the craft to reach such high speeds.

The day before he was posted to CFB Rockcliffe, just outside Ottawa, the CO of the base and his navigator were killed while attempting to land a Mosquito.

[Odseybod]

My late Father was in the RCAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force, during much of WWII. His rank was corporal and he was an LAC, Leading Air Craftsman. A pretty fancy term for mechanic, in reality.

He told me that Mossies were notoriously difficult to land. The touch-down speed was very high for the day and looking at the brevity of true wing area, I can believe it. The lack of area was certainly one factor in enabling the craft to reach such high speeds.

The day before he was posted to CFB Rockcliffe, just outside Ottawa, the CO of the base and his navigator were killed while attempting to land a Mosquito.

An old family friend, sadly no longer with us, flew PRU Mosquitos and converted to them from Spitfires at Dyce in Scotland. During the conversion course, he needed a couple of wisdom teeth extracted and so encountered the base dentist, who in civilian life had been an early specialist in 'reconstructive dentistry' (or whatever it's called when you rebuild a patient's gnashers after a facial collision with something solid). Said chap was apparently in his element, wandering round Dyce cheerfully muttering "Daring young pilots, fast tricky aircraft, so much interesting work to do."

[Gary Davies]

The whole fabrication proces of the Mosquito was as clever (IMHO) as the design. It was built in two halves just like a plastic model and all the mounting hardpoints were installed on the outer skin before the balsa core was put in and the inner skin was added. Then I beleive much of the interior equipment was bolted in before the two halves were mated. This made for much quicker assembly than people struggling to install gear inside the very confined fuselage space.

Sometimes, disassembly can be quite quick. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity of looking over the restoration hanger at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook in Victoria. One of their two major current projects is a Mosquito PR Mk XVI (the other is a Bristol Boxkite!).

Apparently, the Mosquito's first civilian owner, an orchardist from Mildura, found some difficulty in transporting it so he smartly resorted to disassembling the wings and rear fuselage with a little help from his...... chainsaw!

Point Cook seems to be doing a terrific job with the restoration, thank goodness.

[Allan Lupton]

He told me that Mossies were notoriously difficult to land. The touch-down speed was very high for the day and looking at the brevity of true wing area, I can believe it. The lack of area was certainly one factor in enabling the craft to reach such high speeds.

Like many aeroplanes of the day, it all depended on being able to detect the onset of stall and flying the approach with as small a margin above that as possible. The idea (as with all tailwheel aeroplanes) was to achieve a "three-pointer" landing which is (more or less) a last-minute stall and gets you all the aerodynamic drag that's available to help the brakes to slow you down.
If you had too much margin you used up too much of the landing strip before touching down and got that swing as you opened up for a go-around.

[Odseybod]

Sometimes, disassembly can be quite quick. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity of looking over the restoration hanger at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook in Victoria. One of their two major current projects is a Mosquito PR Mk XVI (the other is a Bristol Boxkite!).

Apparently, the Mosquito's first civilian owner, an orchardist from Mildura, found some difficulty in transporting it so he smartly resorted to disassembling the wings and rear fuselage with a little help from his...... chainsaw!

Point Cook seems to be doing a terrific job with the restoration, thank goodness.

I understand that one of the big obstacles to converting a static-display Mosquito to an airworthy one is that you need a different type of glue to cope with the flight stresses, as opposed to one capable of simply holding it together while it sits gathering dust - obvious really, I suppose. So you'd be faced with the daunting task of unglueing your static Mossie, then reglueing it with the proper airworthy type of glue. Different again if you intend taking it Out East, of course.

[Glengavel]

There's been a couple of mentions for the Mosquito on UK TV - there's a programme about the Amiens jailbreak on Channel 5 just now, and it was featured on the BBC's "Genius of Design" programme from the other evening.

[Niky]

Hi to all!

Wasn't the DH Mosquito a source of inspiration for Mr. Chapman when designing the Lotus 78 (or 79)? In the back of my mind there is a story involving these two...

[Gary Davies]

I understand that one of the big obstacles to converting a static-display Mosquito to an airworthy one is that you need a different type of glue to cope with the flight stresses, as opposed to one capable of simply holding it together while it sits gathering dust - obvious really, I suppose. So you'd be faced with the daunting task of unglueing your static Mossie, then reglueing it with the proper airworthy type of glue. Different again if you intend taking it Out East, of course.

On the matter of operating Mosquitoes in a hot 'n sticky environment, the following short passage may be of some interest. It is from my father-in-law's memoirs; he flew Beaufighters in New Guinea.

"...Tom and I, with our background of operations on Beaufighters, were given the opportunity of flying Mosquitoes. However both of us having been in the tropics and seen the effects of mildew on organic materials and also of me seeing the effect of the sub-tropics on Ansons at Amberley, we had both decided that flying Beaufighters in the tropics, although less exhilarating, had far more future than flying Mosquitoes.

"The Beaufighter was an all metal aeroplane and built like the proverbial country dunny and not at all - apart from the radio - subject to the effects of heat and humidity. The Mosquito on the other hand was built of wood with special glues. None the less, being basically of organic materials it would have been very subject to the effects of heat and humidity and the various mildews. I have seen a photograph of a Mosquito aircraft that had been flown through a tropical thunderstorm near Darwin and had the leading edge of the mainplane stripped back by hail. Not a very pleasant predicament for the crew. This problem was subsequently remedied by fixing heavy rubberised fabric over the leading edges."

Incidentally, the RAAF Museum at Pt Cook only intends for their Mosquito to be a static display. Those who know about the heterogeneity of Melbourne weather will understand.

Edited by Gary Davies, 03 June 2010 - 14:47.

[Lee Nicolle]

That is what has always amazed me when reading about Mosquitos. While they have a very proven record of operation wood is far more suseptible to humidity, moisture and the elements in general. And running 2 Merlins attached to wood [in any way] must have been a feat of engineering.

I looked at the Catalina flying boat at Lake Boga Xmas time and was thinking much the same about the stresses and corrosion of operating in very wet areas. Though it does not seem to bad after sitting in the weather for 20 odd years there.

[Allan Lupton]

Don't forget that the aeroplanes we look at now such as that Catalina are probably 8-10 times older than any designer expected them to last. At least the weather it's sitting in isn't salt water!
As for the adhesives used in wooden construction they too had a design life that was sufficient for the job in hand but not necessarily so for an historic aeroplane 40-50 years later.
I understand that the reason there are no Hornets/Sea Hornets even on static display is mainly the result of them being used in the Malayan area and the climate and its timber-consuming organisms getting the better of them - despite there being a lot of metal in the Hornet's construction.

[Paul Rochdale]

An excellent programme last night on Five called DARING RAIDS OF WORLD WAR II about Wing Commander Pickard's Mosquito raid on Amiens Prison, and lots of Mosquito footage.

[Lee Nicolle]

Really I was thinking about the practical service life of about 10-15 years. Aluminium corrodes and more so when it is in an area riveted together. not as bad as steel ofcourse but the Cats where working in water, stored floating on water.
And the same for the Mosquito which I am sure where never hangered at all times when not being used. And when used flying through all sorts of weather and in all climates. The wood they used must have resisted swelling and warping.

[kayemod]

Wasn't the DH Mosquito a source of inspiration for Mr. Chapman when designing the Lotus 78 (or 79)? In the back of my mind there is a story involving these two...

There was a fairly vague connection between the airflow through the Lotus 78 sidepod/tunnels and that through the ducted wing root radiators of the Mosquito, but nothing much more than that as far as I know. The Lotus codeword for the 78 project, initially at any rate was 'Mosquito', but everything was carried out in secret away from the main factory & offices, so "Nothing to do with me Guv!". It's been said that when aerodynamicist Peter Wright carried out initial tests on model sections in the Imperial College wind tunnel, the message he sent back to project leader and Lotus Engineering Director Tony Rudd was "The Mosquito flies". I can't remember quite what the connection was, but 'Uncle Tony' had some WW2 involvement with Rolls Royce Merlins, engineering type problems in service or something like that, so he was probably familiar with their installation and cooling arrangements in aircraft like the Mossie. As ever, Doug Nye probably knows an awful lot more about this than I do.

[GreenMachine]

Gary, the Mosquito had much more fundamental problems than your post mentions, and it was the glue.

I haven't got my references handy, but I believe the aircraft suffered some catostrohic structural failures traced to the type of glue used being suitable for temperate climes, but not tropical. The glue was changed, and I believe that, for wartime service no further mods relating to that problem were necessary. They were of course built in Australia as well as UK.

As for rainstorms, I believe they have them in Europe, perhaps not the same intensity though ;) I have seen phots of the aircraft after having flown through the wreckage of the exploding aircraft they had just shot down, not pretty but it got the crew home. Not for nothing was it called the 'wooden wonder'

Edited by GreenMachine, 03 June 2010 - 12:45.

[Odseybod]

Gary, the Mosquito had much more fundamental problems than your post mentions, and it was the glue.

I haven't got my references handy, but I believe the aircraft suffered some catostrohic structural failures traced to the type of glue used being suitable for temperate climes, but not tropical. The glue was changed, and I believe that, for wartime service no further mods relating to that problem were necessary. They were of course built in Australia as well as UK.

Thanks - - that's what I was led to believe.

[elansprint72]

There are plenty of photos around showing how tough the Mosquito was (it was always know as the one that will get you home); I've got shots of aircraft with telephone wire (lots), bricks from chimneys, a weather vane from a church spire, tiles, branches.... etc
There are also photos showing aircraft which came back with all the outer skin burned off, with the entire wing outboard of one engine missing or with the tail-fin gone, etc.

There is an interesting forum here:

Mossie Forum

It has the most comprehensive book list you are likely to find anywhere.



I took this photo at an Avro Woodford show in the 70s; it depicts the last flying Mosquito, which sadly crashed with the loss of the crew at Barton, Manchester in 1996, due to a tech fault with a carburettor and resulting loss of control during a slow wing-over turn. You can watch the crash on youtube, if you are that way inclined.

Edited by elansprint72, 03 June 2010 - 13:55.

[elansprint72]

Some compilation newsreel footage here shows some of the construction methods and flying sequences.


Mosquito

[Paul Parker]

There are plenty of photos around showing how tough the Mosquito was (it was always know as the one that will get you home); I've got shots of aircraft with telephone wire (lots), bricks from chimneys, a weather vane from a church spire, tiles, branches.... etc
There are also photos showing aircraft which came back with all the outer skin burned off, with the entire wing outboard of one engine missing or with the tail-fin gone, etc.

There is an interesting forum here:

Mossie Forum

It has the most comprehensive book list you are likely to find anywhere.



I took this photo at an Avro Woodford show in the 70s; it depicts the last flying Mosquito, which sadly crashed with the loss of the crew at Barton, Manchester in 1996, due to a tech fault with a carburettor and resulting loss of control during a slow wing-over turn. You can watch the crash on youtube, if you are that way inclined.

I've copied the mossie forum to favourites, greatly appreciated.

[elansprint72]

I have just realised that in my photo the aircraft was doing a slow wing-over turn to the left.

[Niky]

There was a fairly vague connection between the airflow through the Lotus 78 sidepod/tunnels and that through the ducted wing root radiators of the Mosquito, but nothing much more than that as far as I know. The Lotus codeword for the 78 project, initially at any rate was 'Mosquito', but everything was carried out in secret away from the main factory & offices, so "Nothing to do with me Guv!". It's been said that when aerodynamicist Peter Wright carried out initial tests on model sections in the Imperial College wind tunnel, the message he sent back to project leader and Lotus Engineering Director Tony Rudd was "The Mosquito flies". I can't remember quite what the connection was, but 'Uncle Tony' had some WW2 involvement with Rolls Royce Merlins, engineering type problems in service or something like that, so he was probably familiar with their installation and cooling arrangements in aircraft like the Mossie. As ever, Doug Nye probably knows an awful lot more about this than I do.

Kayemod, that was the story knocking on my brain! Thanks so much for all the details!