The "Wooden Wonder" De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito Multirole Combat Aircraft of WWII
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Published 2022-11-27
Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito's use evolved during the war into many roles, including low- to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike, and photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation as a fast transport to carry small, high-value cargo to and from neutral countries through enemy-controlled airspace. The crew of two, pilot and navigator, sat side by side. A single passenger could ride in the aircraft's bomb bay when necessary.
The Mosquito FB Mk. VI was often flown in special raids, such as Operation Jericho (an attack on Amiens Prison in early 1944), and precision attacks against military intelligence, security, and police facilities (such as Gestapo headquarters). On 30 January 1943, the 10th anniversary of Hitler being made chancellor and the Nazis gaining power, a morning Mosquito attack knocked out the main Berlin broadcasting station while Hermann Göring was speaking, taking his speech off the air.
The Mosquito flew with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other air forces in the European, Mediterranean, and Italian theatres. The Mosquito was also operated by the RAF in the Southeast Asian theatre and by the Royal Australian Air Force based in the Halmaheras and Borneo during the Pacific War. During the 1950s, the RAF replaced the Mosquito with the jet-powered English Electric Canberra.
By the early to mid-1930s, de Havilland had built a reputation for innovative high-speed aircraft with the DH.88 Comet racer. Later, the DH.91 Albatross airliner pioneered the composite wood construction used for the Mosquito. The 22-passenger Albatross could cruise at 210 mph (340 km/h) at 11,000 ft (3,400 m), faster than the Handley Page H.P.42 and other biplanes it was replacing. The wooden monocoque construction not only saved weight and compensated for the low power of the de Havilland Gipsy Twelve engines used by this aircraft, but also simplified production and reduced construction time.
On 8 September 1936, the British Air Ministry issued Specification P.13/36, which called for a twin-engined, medium bomber capable of carrying a bomb load of 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) for 3,000 mi (4,800 km) with a maximum speed of 275 mph (445 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m); a maximum bomb load of 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) that could be carried over shorter ranges was also specified. Aviation firms entered heavy designs with new high-powered engines and multiple defensive turrets, leading to the production of the Avro Manchester and Handley Page Halifax.
In May 1937, as a comparison to P.13/36, George Volkert, the chief designer of Handley Page, put forward the concept of a fast, unarmed bomber. In 20 pages, Volkert planned an aerodynamically clean, medium bomber to carry 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) of bombs at a cruising speed of 300 mph (485 km/h). Support existed in the RAF and Air Ministry; Captain R. N. Liptrot, Research Director Aircraft 3, appraised Volkert's design, calculating that its top speed would exceed that of the new Supermarine Spitfire, but counter-arguments held that although such a design had merit, it would not necessarily be faster than enemy fighters for long.
General characteristics
Crew: Two: pilot, bomb aimer/navigator
Length: 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)
Wingspan: 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m)
Height: 17 ft 5 in (5.31 m)
Wing area: 454 sq ft (42.2 m2)
Airfoil: RAF 34 (modified)
Empty weight: 14,300 lb (6,486 kg)
Gross weight: 18,100 lb (8,210 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 25,000 lb (11,340 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Merlin 76 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,710 hp (1,280 kW) driving the left propeller
Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Merlin 77 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,710 hp (1,280 kW) fitted with a blower for cabin pressurisation, driving the right propeller
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers
Performance
Maximum speed: 415 mph (668 km/h, 361 kn) at 28,000 ft (8,500 m)
Range: 1,300 mi (2,100 km, 1,100 nmi)
Service ceiling: 37,000 ft (11,000 m)
Rate of climb: 2,850 ft/min (14.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 39.9 lb/sq ft (195 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.189 hp/lb (0.311 kW/kg)
Armament
Guns: 4 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, 4 x 20 mm Hispano cannons
Bombs: 4,000 lb (1,800 kg)
Avionics
GEE radio-navigation
#aircraft #mosquito #DH98
All Comments (21)
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Click the link to watch more aircraft, heroes and their stories, missions: youtube.com/@Dronescapes
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Guess where the Sitka spruce plywood came from....Mosquito Lake, Queen Charlotte Island BC Canada. Boeing still owns large stands of Sitka spruce there
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I remember a neighbour of ours a couple of decades ago who flew night fighters in the German air force during the war. He stated that just hearing Mosquitoes were in the area was enough to cause a shiver of terror up his spine.
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Should've been called the "wooden paddle" cause it was known for whooping ass 😆
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Overall best plane of WW2. Pity we didn't get the Hornet earlier.
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Night fighters were iconic combat fighters. None of today's electronics and surviving on the deck in the dark in enemy airspace.
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Impressive light bomber, lethal fighter once they dropped their load, got rid of the weight. Country carpenters turned from chairs and tables into aeronautical craftsmen.
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My grandfather was a navigator on Mozzies. He was in a pathfinder squadron. He didn't say much about his wartime experience other than dropping his cookies (4000lb incendiary bombs) over Germany. It is a beautiful aircraft and their is no better sound than a couple of Merlin engines.
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For most versatile, I would include the Pe-2 and A-20. While neither was exceptional as a night fighter like the Mosquito, the A-20 did serve early on and eventually gave way to the P-61. The Mosquito has to be the greatest multi-role aircraft of WWII followed by the Ju-88.
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Tucked away under a pile of rubbish in an old hanger being demolished, the moulds and many other items were found. Anyone who has built a model aircraft from balsa wood knows how weak it is, but sandwiched between layers of plywood it's an ideal 'filler'. I wonder where they got it from ? Lastly, it's so nice to hear an American not slagging off our tiny islands smaller than Texas. Great stuff mate - buy you a pint ?
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stories of chimneys taken home from the frontline was a testament to their rooftop raids
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There was a drama TV series in the UK, called Pathfinders, in the 1970s I think. Then there is the David McCallum and Suzanna Nieve movie, Mosquito Squadron.
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A wonderful documentary, though it's a great pity that the narrator was not English, as the pronunciation of some of the key words like Salisbury Hall and the like really do grate on English ears! lol can that be re-dubbed?
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At 23:58 looks like Kåfjord , Alta, Norway against Tirpitz .
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Awesome plane, one of the best in WW2.
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Beautiful machine was the Mosquito
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Thanks!
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What amazing was its bomb load was equal to a heavy bomber lumbering along with 11 crew on board.
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"We put the bombs through the front door"
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“The anti-shipping formations were cunningly missed…” “the rocket elbow of the mosquito” I mean wtf…
