The “Wooden Wonder”

The Mossie was used with great success in an anti-shipping role, it could be fitted with a 6lb cannon in its bomb bay, the armour piercing shot played havoc with German U-Boats if they were caught on the surface.  In the anti-shipping role a weapon called “Hi-Ball” was used against ships.  Hi-Ball was a smaller variant of “Barnes Wallis’s” Upkeep bouncing bomb of the dam busters fame.  The bouncing bomb would bounce over thick steel nets around the war-ships and explode on contact with the side of the ship.

A night fighter variant was produced and Radar-equipped this saw good success as it was faster and more manageable than the “Beaufighter” it replaced.  One of the most famous roles for the Mossie was that of a “Path-Finder”  Using ground hugging radar the Mossie crew would mark a target to be bombed by coloured flares that could be seen for miles.  The main heavy bomber force would follow the pathfinders flares and bomb on their mark.

Perhaps the most famous role of the Mossie was that of low level pin-point accurate bomber.  Famously knocking down the walls of a German prison camp in France that was keeping and torturing suspected French resistance workers.  The “Luftwaffe’s chief Goering was famously quoted as saying “The Mosquito makes me green with envy at its speed and range whilst only being made of wood!”

An artists impression of “Operation Jericho” freeing the French Resistance workers.

By the end of the second world war jet aircraft were making an impact and the Mossie was no longer the fastest aircraft in the world a title it held for some time.  At the wars end the Mossies were slowly fazed out finally leaving R.A.F. service in 1956. The final variant the DH. B. XV1 could achieve 415mph and had a service ceiling of 37,000ft a fitting tribute to De-Havillands persistence in their belief of the “Wooden Wonder”

The Mosquito was also manufactured in Canada and Australia.  Some of these beautiful machines are still in museums today.  The last Mosquito flying in the world was lost in a tragic accident in 1996 at an air-show in Birmingham Britain, unfortunately both airmen were killed instantly

On a positive note there are two projects to restore a Mosquito to air-worthy condition.  One is based in Australia and one in New Zealand, the project being undertaken in New Zealand is by “Avspecs” the link is,  http://www.warbirdrestoration.co.nz/current.html#ka114    this web site is particularly good as it gives month by month progress reports on the restoration including photos.

The hulk recovered from Canada.

Excellent progress being made.

I have been lucky enough to visit the De-Havilland Museum in Hertfordshire, where the original prototype still exists.  I was also lucky enough to go to various air-shows in the 1980s and 90s and see the wonderful Mosquito flying, the sound of two Merlins is something that stirs the soul.

This my little tribute to the aircraft.  The test flights of both the Mosquito restoration projects is a little way off yet maybe late 2010 or into 2011, I for one will be glued to the Aviation news.

Lord Banks