The 3rd Mosquito to be restored by Avespecs in NZ made it first post-restoration flights yesterday :clap:
PZ474 making a pass along Ardmore's runway during its first flight :D
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5f85fa_b-1.jpg
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The 3rd Mosquito to be restored by Avespecs in NZ made it first post-restoration flights yesterday :clap:
PZ474 making a pass along Ardmore's runway during its first flight :D
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5f85fa_b-1.jpg
Yay! It felt a little lonely here with the first one.
Bob
I have a few books on the "Mossie" the damage they could sustain and still get back I think in one pic the starboard wing is shorn off to within a couple of feet from the engine nacelle and the plane still made it back of course it had 2 beautiful merlins to pull it around the sky.
The German night fighters hated the "Mossie" when they were inserted into the bomber streams it would act like a bomber flying straight and level the NF would close in for the kill only to have the "Mossie get behind it and shoot the NF down.
The germans had a wooden aircraft made up almost a carbon copy of the Mosquito having air tests when bomber command did themselves a favour and bombed the factory that made the glue Tigofilm (Tee-go-film) wiping out the place and all the records and formulas to make the glue and that was the end of that chapter for the Germans.
If you thought the P-38 packed a punch the weapons package in one instance on the Mosquito could have 4 x 303 brownings in the nose and in the belly 4 x 20mm Hispano cannons selectively fired or all together I have a night shot with all 8 going its not the lead storm I would want to be on the receiving end of.
When it was presented to the airministry they did not want it a wooden aircraft and it was a near thing that it ever got accepted but it did and the rest is history
Interesting airframe number(s)
Mosquito PZ474 was sold to the New Zealand Government on the 23rd January 1948.
Following the departure of PZ474/ZK-BCV for America in February 1955, the New Zealand Government prevented the export of the remaining Mosquitoes, believing that they were destined for overseas military use.
Great to see such a lovely aircraft take to the skies again.
It was something of an epic ferry flight across the vastness of the Pacific from NZ to California in Mar 1955, routing from NZ via Fiji, Kanton Islands and Honolulu, even managing to extinguish an inflight fire en-route...!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
By the early 60's the aircraft was parked in the open at Whiteman Air Park, and slowly deteriorated in under the Californian sun, and by 1970, was seen with a collapsed and broken fuselage just behind the wing.
With this one also destined for the USA (or return to given its spent most of its time there!) along with the first two restored by Avspecs, its hoped that the 4th (and possibly last) one to be restored by Avspecs will be destined for the UK.
Merlin engines! Is there anything they can't do?
The varied armament she could carry was outstanding, here's the list:
STANDARD:
4 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns in nose
4 x 20mm Hispano cannons mounted under the nose
OPTIONAL (Model Dependent):
Between 500lb and 4,000lb of internal stores in bomb bay (reconnaissance equipment, specialized mission equipment, leaflets, munitions, extra fuel, etc...).
1 x 57mm autocannon in nose (in place of 4 x cannons).
4 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns in underfuselage gunpack.
2 x 250lb / 500lb bombs underwing
8 x High-Explosive, Armor-Piercing rockets underwing.
1 x Torpedo externally held under the fuselage
:thup: Amazing for a 99% wooden aircraft, shows what the Merlins power had to lift it all!
That's great to see another one rebuilt and airworthy. They are a wonderful aircraft.
The one model that was really something special was the anti submarine version. It had I believe a 57mm canon in the fusellage. According the pilot's; the recoil was impressive!
The Molins Gun in the Mosquito FB Mk XVIII was tested in the USA in 1945, in comparison with the nearest U.S. equivalent, the manually-loaded 75mm AN-Mk 5 in the PBJ-1H.
This comparison was more valid than the difference in calibre might suggest, for the 75x350R ammunition used in the American gun (the same as was used by the M4 tank gun in the Sherman) was about the same overall size as the 57x441R, and the 6 pdr and 75mm tank guns were effectively interchangeable in the later British tanks.
The Molins Gun impressed the Americans with its performance and reliability and was considered superior to the 75mm as it could achieve a much higher rate-of-fire. It was noted that fairly violent evasive action and 2.5 positive Gs did not cause stoppages - which could not be said for manual loading!
From November 1943 on wards the Mosquito was also used to attack U-boats shortly after, or just before they entered a port. Warning of these opportunities was provided by code-breakers. At that moment the U-boats traveled on the surface, and therefore were vulnerable to rockets or the 57mm shells of the FB.XVIII. For safety, the U-boats usually formed small convoys, with an escort of mine sweepers or so called Sperrbrecher ships, which had hulls reinforced with concrete as a protection against mines; both types bristled with anti-aircraft guns. For example, on 27 March 1944, 6 FB.VIs and 2 FB.XVIIIs attacked a convoy towards La Pallice, formed by U-960 with a escort of four M-class mine sweepers and two Sprerrbrecher vessels. 3 mine sweepers suffered light damage, U-960 was badly damaged, 2 Mosquitos returned home with serious damage, and one crash-landed.
Total production of the Mosquito was 7781, including 1034 built in Canada and 212 built in Australia.
U-boats sunk by this aircraft in 1944
U-976, U-821 , U-998
1945
U-804, U-843, U-1065, U-251 +, U-2359 + 8 U-boats lost to Mosquito aircraft.
+ means that the Mosquito shared the credit for the sinking.
Here's an image of the shell below, also a Mitchell B25 with the same cannon fitted, incredible piece of artillery carried in the air.
I am glad there are those out there with the interest & means to bring these old girls back.
A warm congratulations to the teams tireless work and she looks drop dead gorgeous in that superb matt colour scheme!:thup:
Waaaay COOL! We cannot have too many of these aircraft.
Perhaps the closest the US came to having a comparable aircraft would be the B-25 Mitchell?
I do know there were variants that mounted a cannon in the nose and were used for ground attack and also anti U-boat patrols.
PZ474 has been restored in the markings of a Banff Strike Wing anti-shipping aircraft, and includes a complete set of underwing rails and a full set of 60lb RP's to hang on them...:thup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_0411-1.jpg
As a further point of interest, the Merlins engines fitted are the original pair of engines fitted on the production line when it was originally built.....:cool:
It's just BRILLIANT! Well done to the rebuild team.
The P-38 would be a close second.Quote:
Originally Posted by beyu
My Squadron maintenance hangars in Downsview (Toronto) were part of the original DeHavilland Mosquito assembly line.
The buildings still had a lot of the original bolted in track/rail system along the assembly floors.
It stirred a lot of reflection on where they were sent and how many that were built survived.
The buildings are still there.
I've always thought they were such beautiful aircraft; flying art really. When I was just a little guy, probably around three, my uncle gave me a 1/48 model of one he had built. My mom rigged it with string and hung it up in my room. You know, that thing has followed me everywhere I've lived ever since. I'm in my later 40's now and it's still hanging from the ceiling in my library.
An excellent restoration when you consider the starting point of the project.
http://www.mossie.org/PZ474.htm
Poetry in Motion - as the old 60's song said
A handy manual to have (See link below) if you have one in the Garden......
De Havilland Mosquito Manual: An insight into developing, flying, servicing and restoring Britain ... (Haynes Owners Workshop Manuals (Hardcover)): Amazon.co.uk: Jonathan Falconer, Brian Rivas: 9780857333605: Books
Well, negative G for one thing (some of them anyway). That's why we don't have a Mossie in the UK. :crying:Quote:
Originally Posted by JerryEAL
Anyway, lovely to see another one in the air! :clap:
At the IAT, Greenham Common, 1981 (I think).
Attachment 98931Attachment 98932
>>>Perhaps the closest the US came to having a comparable aircraft would be the B-25 Mitchell? <<<
Probable the A-26 Invader powered by 2 P&W R2800s and more heavily armed than the Mosquito.
Some versions of the A-26 were armed with 14 fixed forward firing .50 cal BMGS
The closest thing that the US had to a De-Havilland Mosquito during WW2 was a De-Havilland Mosquito, albeit in small numbers.
De Havilland DH 98 Mosquito > National Museum of the US Air Forceâ„¢ > Display
Yes, those were really something. No bombs, just big bins of ammo running through trays. Imagine the strike on target? 14 x 900RPM, X duration of burst...Quote:
Originally Posted by ireload2
Charlie303,
That mossy is shown as being written off on the RAF lists in 1996. Was it reborn after the crash? Appreciate the photo believed to be 1981.
Accident de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito T Mk III G-ASKH, 21 Jul 1996
Hi Gil,
I hadn't realised so much time had passed between my taking the photos at Greenham Common IAT in 1981 and when it crashed in 1996. Don't recall hearing about it being rebuilt after the crash. Great shame.
Regards,
Charlie
I remember that display well Charlie, including the usual spirited vertical climb out from the irreplaceable English Electric Lightning!
An overcast day, but the Lightning roared down the runway, tucked up the gear, carried on at low level and rotated into the vertical right in front of me, I vividly remember the Lightnings roar and and the blue hole punched straight through the low cloud as the aircraft accelerated into the heavens like a home sick angel!
Wonderful memories....
This one maybe?
Attachment 98986
After it's flight (obviously!)
The very one Charlie! A 5 squadron F3, they always used F3's for display work due to their better power to weight ratio.
Thanks for the pic mate, pure nostalgia!
Mosquitos. I think that all the last RNZAF Mossies were chopped up at the RNZAF base on the right, on the way into Hamilton from Taupiri (remind me of the name someone). They had one outside while I was there plus loads of other stuff/wreckage that I think was used in the 633 squadron film. We used to play sports against the blokes there on Wednesday afternoons. Do they have one in the big museum in ChCh?
There was nothing left to rebuild as it was consumed by fire at the crash site.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie303
I believe those items recovered for the investigation, were later scrapped once the investigation was completed.
A lot of the RNZAF Mosquitoes were broken up/scrapped at RNZAF Woodbourne I believe.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
None of the ex-RNZAF aircraft were used in 633 Squadron, as these were all the ex-No.3 CAACU aircraft from RAF Exeter, the last UK Mosquito operation, as that had just been disbanded just prior to 633 Squadron being filmed.
There are several Mosquitos still in NZ on display.
One at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland, one being restored in Christchurch by the Ferrymead Aero Society, two in private ownership (including an all original FB.IV still owned by the same farmer on the South Island that bought it from RNZAF disposal in 1955!) plus 2 complete derelict hulks of aircraft owned by the RNZAF Museum.
One of the Sergeant Armourers in NZ, Den Phillips was at Hamilton when the mosquitos were being broken up at the RNZAF station I mention Gee Ram! They organised the disarming of them!
Yes, they were being broken up in more than one location in NZ, I only mentioned RNZAF Woodbourne as it was the only location I could name, as it was the location that IIRC at least 2 of the survivors came from.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
After spending a forture restoring it to flight and having it back in the USA for a very short duration, Rod Lewis has sold the Mosquito (as well as a P-51 and a P-40) to a new owner in California.
PZ474 made to the flight to its new home in Sacramento last week.
Ironically, its pretty much a home coming for PZ474, as it's remains spent over half a century in SoCal since it flew into California from NZ in 1955 - and being sent back to NZ s a pile of bits, for its rebuild.
It became the first Mosquito to fly in California since, it last flew there 60 years ago.......!!