De Havilland Osprey B.II Strategical bomber.

Stratos · July 27, 2017

De Havilland Osprey B.II.

Following the exit of the first version of the new De Havilland bird, the RAF aproached De Havilland with a request for a improved variant with Strategic bombing as its designed mission. The requirements were clear, a better range, a refuelling probe and a long range communication radio.

De Havilland felt it was pretty easy to complete the task, as the requested features were already imagined for the Osprey, and added another one, big air brakes on the wings. the refuelling probe was a bit more complicated, as it was tested first on the starboard wing, but it was hard to use in flying, specially in bad weather conditions, so a reuleing probe over the cockpit was installed and tested. It came with the risk of spilling gas on the cockpit glass, but simplified the refueling maneuvers a lot, so it was finally selected as the choosen one. The new communication array was based on a dorsal antenna and new radio equipment to be controlled by the copilot, as the plane retained the three man crew.

Finally bigger fuel tanks were installed and the new brakes air tested, those brakes improved maneuvers and shortened the landing run quite a bit, and then the prototype was sent to the RAF for testing. Plane was well liked by its crews and the RAf operated 49 of the birs in the nuclear bomber role, both based on UK and in RAf sttions in Germany. During the first years the Osprey B.II used the classic Anti Flash white scheme, before converting to a regular cammo scheme as it was seen in the Malvinas campaign before retirement.

On the following pics, we can see a recently delivered Osprey B.II in anti flash white belonging to the squadron flying low over the Mach Loop in Wales, training for low level nuclear attack runs on Warsaw Pact targets.

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