De Havilland D.H.98 Mosquito

1940


FIGHTER, BOMBER	Virtual Aircraft Museum / United Kingdom / De Havilland

Most aviation enthusiasts will know the usual stories of de Havilland's "wooden wonder", the all-wood bomber which was first planned by the company in 1938. It was to carry no defensive armament, relying upon superior speed to evade enemy aircraft. However realisation of a prototype was delayed for one reason and another until the beginning of 1940. This first prototype, of quite unorthodox construction, flew for the first time on 25 November 1940. When demonstrated to official guests at Hatfield, they were astounded to see its fighter-like manoeuvrability and its amazing performance with one engine feathered.

Key to this performance was the lightweight wooden construction: a plywood-balsa-plywood sandwich producing a resilient but light fuselage structure which could accept an enormous amount of punishment, and yet retain its integrity. Power plant comprised two Rolls-Royce Merlin in-line engines, driving constant-speed and fully feathering propellers.

The second and third prototypes were fighter and reconnaissance variants respectively. The Mosquito was to prove that it was more than capable of performing any task, and in the process is remembered as a truly outstanding British aircraft of World War II. There had, of course, been some official misgivings that such an unorthodox aircraft could carry out its combat task and survive in the war skies over Europe. In fact later versions capable of higher performance showed that the original de Havilland concept of an aircraft too fast to be intercepted was correct. Towards the end of the war Mosquito units were averaging one aircraft loss per 2,000 sorties - by far the lowest figure recorded by Bomber Command.

Many Mosquito variants were built within the three bomber/fighter/reconnaissance categories the first into service being PR aircraft which made their initial daylight sorties over Paris on 20 September 1941. PR Mosquitoes also had the distinction of being the last in RAF front-line service, being withdrawn in December 1955. Mosquito bombers, which had entered service carrying a 907kg bomb load, were later to carry a 1800kg block-buster in a bulged bomb bay. Mosquito fighters were to distinguish themselves in fighter-bomber, anti-shipping and night-fighter roles, and were to destroy some 600 V-1 flying-bombs in the defence of Britain. For reconnaissance duties the Mosquito was the RAF's major long-range aircraft in this category, serving in Europe, Burma and the South Pacific. Including 1,342 Mosquitoes built in Australia and Canada, total construction was 7,781 aircraft when production ended in November 1950

Specification

MODEL	Mosquito FB. Mk VI
CREW	2
ENGINE	2 x Rolls-Royce Merlin 25, 1208kW
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight	10115 kg	22300 lb
Empty weight	6486 kg	14299 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan	16.51 m	54 ft 2 in
Length	12.47 m	41 ft 11 in
Height	4.65 m	15 ft 3 in
Wing area	42.18 m²	454.02 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed	583 km/h	362 mph
Cruise speed	523 km/h	325 mph
Ceiling	10060 m	33000 ft
Range	2655 km	1650 miles
ARMAMENT	4 x 20mm cannon, 4 x 7.7mm machine guns, 900kg of bombs

3-View

A three-view drawing (678 x 630)

Comments

1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80

Ray Enter, e-mail, 05.10.2010 07:08

Aviation Export Co.Ltd.Inc.purchased a Mosquito from Diana Bixby that was in New Zealand and we flew it back to Burbank.We did a Joint Venture with Flying Tigers to modify it for Aerial Photography.Lots of problems but what an Aircraft.When we Tested it all the Tiger and Slick Employee's hit the Flight Line to watch..WHAT A SIGHT TO SEE on the Take Off !!

Ali Duncan, e-mail, 21.09.2010 17:23

Mr (Sqn Ldr?) Stewart, Sir, I confess extreme envy of your aviation exploits. Aircraft, for me, have always seemed to posess personalities related to their crews beyond but still implicit in their design brief. The mosquitos is one of skill,swiftness,audacity, and great daring. What admirably brilliant memories to have, actually part of, one of those bio mechanical marvels.

Angus C. M. Condy II, e-mail, 30.06.2010 14:52

I have always thought that the " Mossie " was the most beautiful war-plane ever designed,and flown . And the deadliest ! With just a tiny bit of hindsight,it is obvious that many thousands of young men (R.A.F.,U.S.A.A.F.,etc.,need not have died had "The Top Brass" had the sense to concentrate on "THE WOODEN WONDER!"

Jackie, 08.08.2010 11:54

The D.H. 98 Mosquito is a very successful aircraft, it has great durability, powerful arnament and fast speed. It can be used both as a heavy fighter or bomber. It was used in nighttime intruder missions too.

mark lyons, e-mail, 22.08.2010 21:38

THE MOSQUITO WAS PROBERLY THE FINEST AIRCRAFT OF WW2 DEFENTLY THE FORUNNER OF THE MULTI ROLE COMBAT AIRCRAFT, BUT OFTEN OVER LOOKED IS THE BRISTOL BEUFIGHTER THE LATER MK'S WHERE VERY CAPABLE ESPECIALY IN THE HANDS OF COASTAL COMMAND ARMED WITH UNDER WIND ROCKETS & CANNONS & 303 MACHINE GUNS IN THE NOSE & THE ABILITY TO CARRY A TORPEDO. COASTAL COMMAND MOSQUITO & BEUFIGHTERS OPERATED TOGETHER AT THE BANF STRKE WING ON ANTI SHIP OPERATIONS

mark lyons, e-mail, 22.08.2010 21:37

Graeme, e-mail, 28.04.2010 09:49

I have this beautiful Fighter /Bomber as a Simulator,and oh boy WHAT a fantastic aeroplane to fly.Also I went to this military museum and they had a the cockpit of an actual mosquito with all the controls.And your can fly it, and have a battle its is just "wonderful" having done a lot of flying I was buzzing.....

Gaeme, e-mail, 28.04.2010 09:47

John Dighton, e-mail, 23.04.2010 16:31

The Mosquito was the most the most versatile and underated aircraft of WWII. It had speed, range, manouvreability, strike power wether bomber or fighter and flew at altitudes when required where it could not be shot down. Not detectable by radar and thus could not be caught as it had long departed before fighters could attain altitude. It was also devastating at low levels in bombing /ground attack role.

Simply the best twin engined bomber of WWII by a country mile and the best twin engined fighter to boot. Perhaps it was the best aircraft of WWII, it was simply the best all rounder.

Richard Taylor, e-mail, 16.04.2010 04:25

My father worked at Standard Motors in Coventry (1942 - 1945)where FBVI Mosquitos were made. He made final adjustments under instructions from the airframe inspectors before the aircraft were made operational. He passed his enthusiasm for this aircraft onto me - and consequently my resulting interest in all WW II combat aircraft.

Bruce Adams, e-mail, 31.03.2010 18:22

Most effective and successful aircraft of the Second World War? One plane loss in 1000 sorties, or is it 2000, not sure.
This is a quote from Herrman Goering about the plane in 1943 -
In 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy. The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again. What do you make of that? There is nothing the British do not have. They have the geniuses and we have the nincompoops. After the war's over I'm going to buy a British radio set - then at least I'll own something that has always worked.

Tom Gilliland, e-mail, 31.08.2010 15:34

Just on a lighter note - heard about a mosquito that landed in Darwin during the war. They filled it with 10.000 gallons of avgas before they realized it wasn't an aircraft!

Alan, e-mail, 04.03.2010 02:57

Great plane. If you want to see some beatiful footage of the mosquito flying, check out the movie "633 Squadron" WWII flick with Cliff Robertson made in the early 60's. You will love it.

George E Stewart, e-mail, 05.09.2010 17:36

With over 1000 hours on the Mosquito, I can only say that it fulfilled every flying dreakm I ever had since I followed its developement and awesome performance and versatility from its birth. I flew the MK VI with 23 Sqdn RAF in 1944, doing 50 night intruder trips. following a few months as an instructor, on them at Greenwood N.S. returned to civilian life, and back to school. The Chinese AirForce purchased about 200 war surplus Mosquitos late in 1947, and with W /C Carl Funerton. and F /L Jack Turnbull, we trained 3 Squadrons of CAF pilots at Hankow China, in 1948, before being 'run out of town' by the Communists, Our guys flew off to Formosa, and in 1949 stopped an invasion attempt, thereby saving Chian Kai Shek's regime. A notable credit to the Chinese pilots and our lovely Mosquito. I flew to UK in 1987, and with George Aird, helped fly a Mosquito over to Canada for a noted collector Kermit Weeks. A nice way to round out my flying activities,since 1943. The Mosquito was my 'dream' aircraft, and I was lucky to have had so many opportunities to fly her.

Stan, e-mail, 02.02.2010 16:55

I worked on the mosquito, in the raf 1951 /1953 as an instrument mechanic. 139 squadron, do you have any other person who had contact with this squadron.

Myles Butner, e-mail, 26.01.2010 02:27

In about 1959, there was an intact Mosquito at Whiteman Air Park in San Fernando CA. Unfortunately, it was unprotected and was being vandalized. Beautiful plane!

jim mc guire, e-mail, 11.12.2009 01:00

The Mosquito. The least shot down plane of WWII. Same bomb load as the B-17, from England to Germany and back. The best-looking warplane ever. Period.

Paul C. Meeks, e-mail, 12.11.2009 23:29

what can I say about the Mossie? has to be one of my favorite aircraft of all time, past and present. a great warbird.

len, e-mail, 07.10.2009 11:58

One of these aircraft flattened my bungalow in February 1945
killing the pilot and navigator plus three civilians on the ground. The other day I dug up part of a 20 mm cannon shell.

d.jay, 19.09.2009 09:12

You missed out night fighter.

1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80

Do you have any comments?

Name E-mail

COMPANY
PROFILE

All the World's Rotorcraft