History

The De Havilland Mosquito was a twin-engined aircraft of plywood monocoque construction, designed originally as a fast, unarmed light bomber. The Mosquito served with distinction as fighter-bomber, recconaissance aircraft and nightfighter. It was one of the finest aircraft of WWII, with a versatility only matched by the German Junkers Ju 88. The nightfighter versions remained in production until 1947. The amazingly adaptable design was effective for day and night fighting, day and night bombing, anti-shipping attack, and photo reconnaissance.

De Havilland develpped their concept aircraft of a light, high-speed bomber from 1938, which reached 600 km/h with a 450-kg payload and showed a projected range of 2,400 km. On March 1, 1940, the RAF released specifications B.1/40 for a high-speed light bomber. The first prototype DH-98 flew on 25 November, 1940.

The bomber version of the Mosquito could deliver the same bomb-load to distant targets as the four-engined Boeing B-17. Mosquitos were also used as high-speed transports by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) to maintain communication with neutral Sweden and bring back strategic items such as ball-bearings. Passengers, if any, rode in the bomb bay. Because of the glued-and-screwed wooden construction, early Mosquitoes were not suited to the tropics where exposure to high humidity and rain caused the airframe to warp and the glue to dissolve.

The aircraft entered service in 1941. The Mosquito served with the RAF, FAA, USAF, air forces of Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Czechoslovakia. A total of 7,785 DH-98s in 43 modifications were built.

   Modifications:
        B.Mk.I : first production version, bomber
        B.Mk.IX : high-altitude bomber
        B.Mk.XVI : B.Mk.IX with pressurized cockpit
        NF.Mk.II : night fighter, first flight May 15, 1941, armament increased to four 20-mm cannons
        and four 7.7-mm machine guns
        PR.Mk.II : photoreconnaisance aircraft
        PR.Mk.XVI : high-altitude photoreconnaisance aircraft for USAF
        RF.Mk.I : first production version, reconnaisance aircraft
        B 36, LB 36 : FB.Mk.IV built under license in Czechoslovakia after 1945

Wartime colour photograph of Mosquito B Mk.IV DK338 which was photographed during manufacturers' trials at Hatfield
in September 1942 before it was given No. 105 Squadron markings. This particular aircraft eventually crash landed on the
approach to Marham on 1st May 1943.

 
The Fleet Air Arm received numerous transfers of Mosquito from the RAF from 1944 till after 1946, with a total of 109 delivered by the end of the war. The first was delivered to RNDA 10 MU in February 1944. Most went to TOC Middle Wallop June-August 1945.

The first squadron to receive the Mosquito was 778 squadron at Crail in February 1944, but units mainly received aircraft in August 1945-  to 770 squadron at Charterall, and also to 771 and 772 squadrons.

One Mosquito LR359 was fitted with an arrester hook and served as pre-prototype for the De Havilland Mosquito TR.33 and arrived at the RAE, Farnborough on 28 February 1944 for Deck Landing trials and in March 1944 was sent to 778 squadron at Crail for further Deck Landing trials. This aircraft became the first British twin-engined aircraft to land on a carrier when it embarked on HMS Indefatigable in Belfast Lough during 25-27 March 1944.

The Mosquito was rather successful in FAA service and remained in the Royal Navy beyond the WWII and into1946 and onwards.

Model of Sea mosquito

The Fleet Air Arm Mosquitos only served with second line squadrons during WWIII. However, it served with distinction with the RAF, at night it operated with impunity over Germany to the end of the war, because the Luftwaffe never had a nightfighter fast enough to intercept it. The RAF Mosquito were also contributary to providing invaluable PR photographic data to the Admiralty prior to their Fairey Barracuda attacks on the German Battleship Tirpitz in Alta Fjord, in April 1944.

---

Surviving aircraft and relics

There is a total of 33 Mosquitos preserved worldwide (see Mosquito Page locations of all the extant mosquitos). However, no information is available on whether any of these are former Fleet Air Arm Mosquitoes. As of April 200 there were no airworthy Mosquito.The last airworthy Mosquito was Mosquito TTIII RR299 which flew for 30 years until it crashed in the UK in July 1996. The sole potentially airworthy Mosquito is Mosquito TT35 RS712 owned by Kermit Weeks (USA).

NS631  A52-600 is the only surviving PR MkXVI Mosquito, and the only Mosquito of any mark still in existence that has a combat record.

Between 33-41 reported worldwide (see Mosquito Page locations of all the extant Mosquitos)

RAAF Museum Mosquito NS631/A52-600: Manufactured at Hatfield as NS631 in 1943/44, A52-600 was the first aircraft in a batch of 12 PR MkXVI Mosquitos for the RAAF to make up shortfalls in Australian production of the type. During 1945, A52-600 flew more than 20 photo-reconnaissance operations over Japanese-held territory in the Pacific. Post-war, the aircraft continued in service until 1947, taking part in the mapping survey of Australia, until A52-600 was declared unserviceable. The aircraft was purchased by a Mildura orchardist who, due to difficulties in transporting the aircraft, severed the wings and rear fuselage with a chainsaw, and after experimenting with farm uses, turned the fuselage into a play house for his children. In 1987 the aircraft was exchanged for a Dakota and a set of Mustang wings with the RAAF. A52-600 is the only surviving PR MkXVI Mosquito, and the only Mosquito of any mark still in existence that has a combat record, adding to the significance of this historic aircraft.

Ferrymead Historical Park (NZ) Mosquito FB.6 NZ2328

(Adrenalin Group) Mosquito - VR796 (Formerly CF-HML)

Adrenalin Group) Mosquito - VR796 (Formerly CF-HML Mosquito MKB35 VR796 was built by Airspeed in 1948, and stored until sold in 1954 to Spartan Air Services, Ottawa, Canada along with 9 others. Spartan Air Services modified it for high altitude, high speed photo work as a replacement for their Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, and operated it until retired in 1963. Don Campbell of Kapuskasing, Ontario, purchased VR796 and transported it home. Work progressed and restoration was partially completed. In about 1979, VR796 was transported 2000 miles west to Mission, B.C., where the restoration was to be completed under the direction of skilled and qualified craftsmen. Considerably more work was done on it, but the project stalled, so Don Campbell, (still the owner), sold the aircraft to the Zaleskys in 1986. It has been in dry storage since. Now, with the decision to scale down the family's collection to concentrate on the smaller antiques and classics, the Mosquito is among the warbirds reluctantly being offered for sale.

MOTAT, NZ Mosquito T-43 NZ2305

Mosquito Aircrew Association
Membership Secretary
21 Kingswell Road
Hadley Wood
Barnet
Hertfordshire EN4 OHZ
UK

(2000)
 

FURTHER INFORMATION   The Mosquito page Extremely detled with contents on the mosquito, with chapters on variants, prioduction, history, links, Phil Broad collection, stories, books, articles, locations, squadrons, and the windsor Mosquito bomber group. Aviation History Online Museum and the Mosquito Full Text and Specifications on the Mosquito Warbird Alley Warbird Alley, an online reference source for information about privately-owned, ex-military aircraft. Includes details and specs and a summary total of airworthy aircraft including the Mosquito Kiwi Aircraft Images by P Treweek  Mosquito's in New Zealand FAUCONBERG AEROGRAPHICS General History of the Mosquito. An A-Z of Aircraft Profiles including DE HAVILLAND MOSQUITO N.F.Mk.II, 157 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire, June 1942 Olivier warbirds, Le site sur l'aviation de la Seconde guerre mondiale The Mosquito in summary [in french] Sturtivant, R. & Burrow, M (1995) 'Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945'  Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1995 ISBN: 085130 232 7  Mosquito: The Illustrated History by Birtles, Philip, Cunningham, John.                                        Sutton Publishing ISBN: 0750914955. June 1998 Mosquito: The Wooden Wonder. Bishop, Edward Airlife Publishing (UK), Ballantine Books ISBN:1853107085  June 1995 RAF Museum Series #6 The Mosquito Manual. Arms and Armour Press (UK) Hippocrene Books Inc. (USA)  ISBN: 0853683913 (UK)  0882544462 (USA) 1977 Walk Around Mosquito by MacKay, Ron, Greer, Don (Col.), Hudson, Richard (Ill.) Publisher(s): Squadron/Signal Publications (USA) ISBN: 0897473965 November 1998 De Havilland Mosquito Portfolio by Clarke, R.M. (Ed.) Brooklands Books ISBN: 0948207914. January 1987 Mosquito At War by Bowyer, Chaz Specialist Marketing Intl. ISBN: 0711004749 June 1989 Mosquito Fighter/Fighter-Bomber Units Of World War 2 by Bowman, Martin W. Osprey Publishing Ltd. (UK) Motorbooks International (USA) ISBN: 1855327317. November 1998

Created 3-4-1999, Modified 3-4-2000

---

 

Return to Home Page

 

This page is published by Fleet Air Arm Archive and is updated regularly.
© 2000-2001 All rights reserved for all information created for or on behalf of the Fleet Air Arm Archive
Contact email: drucker@fleetairarmarchive.net