Olham 164 Posted September 21, 2015 My dad told me that attacking DeHavilland "Mosquito" were feared by the German soldiers. When I watch this video, I understand why. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted September 22, 2015 Though the Mozzies weren't used all that much for ground attack - that was left to the Typhoons mostly with Beaufighters for anti-shipping strikes (with high casualty rates). The Mozzies were mostly bombers - they could lift a 4000lb bomb and were also very fast Photo Reconnaisance aircraft. A few of those were apparently shot down by Me262s in the latter stages of the war. One SAAF one was hit by 30mm shells over Munich which took off one flap and stuck one engine at 100% throttle. The pilot managed to avoid the Me262 a few times until it hit bingo and then they flew all the way back to Italy with one engine screaming away. That shows how reliable the Merlin was. There is a Mozzie in our local war museum hanging from the ceiling. They weren't much good in hot or damp climates as the plywood would delaminate. In the same museum is the only surviving Me262 night fighter (a nightmare to fly apparently), an Me109 from the desert and a FW190. And, wonders of wonders, an 88mm anti-tank gun that looks brand new! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted September 22, 2015 Great info, thx! Do you have photos of all or some of those, Jim? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hauksbee 103 Posted September 22, 2015 An achingly beautiful airplane...and fast. The Mossie (or is it Mozzie...?) debuted on the same day as the prototype Spitfire. A large group of top-Brass had turned out to see the candidate for the new fighter. As the Spit came screaming across the field in a low level pass, it was joined by a Mossie that held position with it all the way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Typhoon 5 Posted September 23, 2015 Speaking of Mossies here are some pics of our Mossie KB161 "City of Vancouver" project. Mike is adding a piece of wood to our cockpit mock-up Mike and Barry sanding the mock-up, notice starboard window cut in. Mike and Barry posing for photo Ron and Bob making adjustments to horizontal stabilizer during test fit Port side of fuselage with lower panel removed in preparation for fitting wing Starboard side of fuselage with 1 of 2 brand new Merlin engines that we have aquired. More to come later Tony Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted September 23, 2015 This is the book - it is about all the aircraft in the museum. The front picture shows the Me262 hitting the Mosquito over Germany Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted September 23, 2015 Tony, that "Mosquito" looks absolutely stunning already! You seem to be a great team there! I am curious how it will look when completed. Jim, thanks for the pics - incredible that they made it back with that shot-up wing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted September 23, 2015 And that Me262 should have got them in the other firing passes as that Mozzie could only turn one way. But somehow they got away with it. But other PR Mosquito pilots didn't and that was mostly due to the Me262 as it was the only aircraft that could catch and overtake them and then hit them with 30mm cannon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted September 23, 2015 Maybe with those 30 mm cannons the Me 262 couldn't carry much ammo, and the pilot was a bad shot? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hauksbee 103 Posted September 23, 2015 Maybe with those 30 mm cannons the Me 262 couldn't carry much ammo, and the pilot was a bad shot? Generally, the bigger the ammo, the less you can carry, but with a 30mm, you only need get tagged with one round to ruin your day. Tony: are you all pilots on this project? The question being: who gets to fly this beast when the construction is done? (Do you have complete blueprints from DeHaviland?) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted September 23, 2015 Hauksbee, here are armament data from WIKIPEDIA: Me 262 A-1a „Schwalbe“ Interceptor Junkers_Jumo_004-jet engines 4 machine cannons, caliber 30 mm - the upper two cannons with each 100 rounds - the lower two cannons with each 80 rounds Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hauksbee 103 Posted September 23, 2015 4 30mm cannon? That's one helluva punch! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) Yes, must have been devastating. Here are 3 links: http://www.stormbirds.com/warbirds/tech_mk108.htm Edited September 23, 2015 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wayfarer 5 Posted September 23, 2015 Olham, perhaps unusually for WOFFers, I am not a petrol head in any way. Cars don't move me at all and I don't know anything about motorbikes (although vintage ones have a certain something), but that engine sound is gorgeous! Typhoon, I have a friend who's all time favourite aircraft is the Mosquito. He was a leading proponent of it in the CFS3 community at SOH forums at one time and he gets the DeHavilland museum newsletter - which he passes on to me sometimes. He probably knows about your project already, but I'm sure he'll be interested in your photographs. I'm going to send him a link to this post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Typhoon 5 Posted October 9, 2015 Generally, the bigger the ammo, the less you can carry, but with a 30mm, you only need get tagged with one round to ruin your day. Tony: are you all pilots on this project? The question being: who gets to fly this beast when the construction is done? (Do you have complete blueprints from DeHaviland?) There is only one pilot in the team that is building it. There are numerous pilots in our association but none are qualified to fly the Mosquito. We would probably get an Air Canada pilot to test fly it Tony Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted October 9, 2015 There are numerous pilots in our association but none are qualified to fly the Mosquito. We would probably get an Air Canada pilot to test fly it. Are you saying that you guys are building an AIRWORTHY "Mosquito"?!? I had always thought this is gonna be a museum mockup replica, Tony. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Typhoon 5 Posted October 12, 2015 Ohlam: Yes it is to be an airworthy Mosquito. We have already had the wing and fuselage inspected and passed by Transport Canada. The inspector commented on the level of workmanship and told us that we could put the panels on the wing and put the 20,000 1/2" brass screws in. We are also building a mockup of the cockpit as an exhibit to go in the museum. Tony Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted October 12, 2015 (edited) Holy Schnicky - an airworthy Mosquito! Were the wings also made of wood and plywood? Didn't know that. But it explains why that beasty was so fast! My dad said, most German fighters could not catch it. So you have two airworthy Rolls-Royce Merlin engines too? Boy, you MUST make a video of the outdoor tests and her maiden flight, Tony - that should be great to watch! I bet you guys will be proud as can be, when this beauty will lift off! Edited October 12, 2015 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted November 2, 2015 Here is a video about the "Mosquito" which I found interesting to watch: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted November 3, 2015 More than interesting! I know that the manufacture of the aircraft included all sorts of woodworkers including piano makers but I didn't know that Goering said a thing against piano makers. The manufacture of the Mosquito was a great thing in that all sorts of furniture makers could now join in the war effort even though they knew nothing about making aircraft out of aluminium. But all hail to De Havilland for doing what he wanted to do. And the Mosquito was a great aircraft - as shown in this video Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hauksbee 103 Posted November 3, 2015 I was struck by the comment that the Mossie had a bomb load 'comparable' to the B-17. Checking on this, I found that the B-17 could carry 4, 800 lbs.. The Mossie: 4,000. Impressive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted November 4, 2015 That is impressive indeed - for a "flying piano"! "With kind regards to Herr Meyer, Berlin!" Mmuahahahahaaa!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted November 4, 2015 Here is WIKI about the film "633 Squadron", a film I saw as a teenager. Liked it! Don't know the other yet - must watch it myself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/633_Squadron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmzrz7zZyUo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcyRP5wctFg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted November 4, 2015 (edited) Never saw 633 squadron but I've got the book! Maybe I'll download it sometime. And from reading in Wiki about the film, I know know that I have seen one of the aircraft used to make it. The aircraft is now in USAAF colours in the USAF museum at Dayton, Ohio Edited November 4, 2015 by JimAttrill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hauksbee 103 Posted November 4, 2015 Both these films show the Mosquito as being at the mercy of fighters. (very often Me-108's standing in for 109's.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
