Nicknamed 'The Wooden Wonder' the twin-engined Mosquito would prove to be an extremely versatile aircraft. Whilst originally conceived as a bomber, and serving in the role with Bomber Command, the de Havilland Mosquito would also serve as a fighter, intruder and pathfinder among the many roles it undertook. The aircraft also took part in a number of low-level operations. Quick Facts First flight

25th November 1940 Entered service

20th September 1941 Total built

7,781

During late 1938 de Havilland set about designing an aircraft that could be used for either reconnaissance or as a bomber. The concept of the aircraft was that it wouldn't require defensive armament as its speed and altitude would protect it from enemy defences. It was intended for this new aircraft, designation D.H.98, to be built using wood and powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Merlins. After submitting their design little interest was shown by the Air Ministry and the project was put on hold. With the break out of war in September 1939 and the German U-boats proving a constant threat to British shipping and the light alloy imports required for aircraft production the idea of an all wooden aircraft was intriguing for the Air Ministry in case of a light allow shortage. So the go-ahead was given to de Havilland to begin detailed design and during December 1939 this began, followed three months later on the 1st March 1940 by an order for a prototype and 50 production examples. This was placed under Specification B1/40 which was written specially for this aircraft. With the Allied evacuation from Dunkirk a couple of months later and the upcoming Battle of Britain requiring production to be focused on current aircraft types. In particular fighters, the D.H.98 project was officially put on hold. de Havilland though told his team to keep working on the project which was officially restarted a couple of months later. The first of the three prototypes to fly was a Mk I, intended as an unarmed bomber and now named the Mosquito, which was ready for its maiden flight to take place on the 25th November 1940. Flying from Hatfield with Geoffrey de Havilland Jr at the controls this first flight and further flights showed that the aircraft had enormous potential. With a top speed of 382mph, nearly 30mph faster than the Supermarine Spitfire Mk II in service at the time, thanks to a pair of 1,460-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 21 engines, a range of over 2,000 miles and able to reach 35,000ft. The following month on the 29th December the prototype was demonstrated to the Air Ministry and as a result 150 were ordered of the now nicknamed 'Wooden Wonder'. The following year on the 19th February 1941 the Mosquito started to undergo the customary trials at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down. Five months later priority production began on the 1st July. In between the trials and production beginning the two other prototypes flew. The second on the 15th May 1941 and was the fighter version. Its armament consisted of eight guns mounted in rows of four. The top row was four 0.303-in machine-guns whilst the bottom row was four 20mm cannons. The third prototype was the photo-reconnaissance version which had longer wings and no armament. The Mosquito would be built mainly of plywood and balsa wood. This made the aircraft lighter and also easier to repair any battle damage. Construction of the type saw each half built and fitted before both sections were put together. Crew would consist of a pilot and navigator sat side-by-side. With a top speed of 382mph and power supplied by two 1,460-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 21 engines and a range of 2,180 miles, it was the Mosquito PR. Mk I variant which was the first of the type to enter service when on the 20th September 1941 a sole example performed reconnaissance over Brest, La Pallice and Bordeaux, France during the day. This would see the high speed of the aircraft as a way of defending itself instead of armament put to the test when three Messerschmitt Bf 109s were sent to intercept the Mosquito, a test it passed as they failed to do so. The Mosquito B. Mk IV bomber variant was the next to enter service, able to carry four 500lb bombs over a range of 2,040 miles its pair of 1,460-hp Merlin 21s gave it a top speed of 374mph. These would initially be available in November 1941 when No. 105 Squadron stationed at Swanton Morley, Norfolk had their Bristol Blenheim Mk IVs replaced. They would spend the next few months familiarising themselves with the aircraft and working out tactics. Their first sortie with the type saw four raid Cologne on the 31st May 1942 with all returning back to base. Four months later another four Mosquitos from No. 105 Squadron attacked the Norwegian headquarters of the Gestapo in Oslo at low-level on the 25th September 1942 with the following day seeing the type revealed to the British public. This wouldn't be the last low-level nuisance raid carried out by the Squadron. Another such raid on the 30th January 1943 saw a radio speech by Herman Goring interrupted when the broadcasting station in Berlin was attacked. The last of the prototype variants was the fighter version which would enter service as a night fighter known as the NF. Mk II. Like the PR. Mk I and B. Mk IV this was also powered by the 1,460-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 21 but had a top speed of 370mph with a range of 1,705 miles. Armament consisted of four 20-mm cannons and four 0.303-in machine-guns and was fitted with Mk IV Airborne Interception Radar. It would be during January 1942 with No. 157 Squadron, Castle Camps, which had been reformed the previous month, that this variant would first be delivered to. Three months later saw the Squadron use the NF. Mk II for its first night operations on the 27th April. To help crews convert to the Mosquito a trainer would be produced. Featuring dual controls and its armament was removed. The prototype would be a converted NF. Mk II and this made its first flight on the 30th January 1942 and could reach a top speed of 384mph, the first of the T. Mk IIIs would enter service during August 1942. The most produced Mosquito variant was the FB. Mk VI which was a fighter-bomber powered by either the 1,460-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 21 or Merlin 23, it had a range of 1,205 miles, which could be extended by a further 500 miles with underwing drop tanks. Armament would consist of four 20mm cannons and four 0.303-in machine-guns and either four 500lb bombs or from 1944 eight rocket projectiles and two 500lb bombs. The prototype made its maiden flight on the 1st June 1942 and entered service the following year on the 11th May 1943 when No. 418 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force had their Douglas Boston Mk IIIs replaced. In total 2,305 examples were built and the FB. Mk VI would equip over 20 squadrons serving over Europe and it would also see action in the Far East. It was to be a modified Mosquito FB. Mk VI, which had been strengthened and had an arrestor hook fitted, that had the distinction of becoming the first twin-engined British aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier when on the 25th March 1944 Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown achieved the feet aboard HMS Indefatigable. This in turn would lead to the Sea Mosquito. Due to the Mosquito's ability to perform precision strikes it was chosen for 'Operation Jericho'. Taking place on the 18th February 1944 this saw nineteen FB. Mk VIs escorted by fourteen Hawker Typhoons attack Amiens prison in France with the intention of releasing resistance and political prisoners by breaching the prison wall. Whilst the wall was breached 102 prisoners were killed, 258 escaped but most were recaptured. Two Typhoons and Two Mosquitos were shot down and of the six airmen four were killed in action, including Group Captain Percy Charles Pickard, and two taken prisoner of war. To this day there is some controversy about the raid as no-one quite knows who ordered the raid and if this was its real purpose. The Mosquito was also earmarked for use to carry a Barnes Wallis designed bouncing bomb given the codename “Highball”. The idea being that it would be used to attack the capital ships of the German Navy. This would lead to the formation on the 1st April 1943 of No. 618 Squadron who would spend a year in training, however in the end their intended target had moved and “Highball” would not be used. Another role that the Mosquito performed was that of a Pathfinder. This would see the Mosquito fly ahead of the main bomber force dropping different coloured flares over the target with the help of the Oboe targeting system. Other duties for the Pathfinder Mosquitos saw them carry out bombing raids and drop 'Window'. This was designed to mimic a bomber stream on a radar screen. The Mosquito Pathfinder Force helped to improve the accuracy of bombing and had the lowest loss rate in Bomber Command of 0.03%. The de Havilland Mosquito continued to serve with the Royal Air Force post-war. The bomber variants were replaced by the English Electric Canberra during the 1950s, so it was a Mosquito PR.34A of No. 81 Squadron, Malaya that would fly the last operational mission of the type. This occurred on the 15th December 1955, although a number of Mosquitos would serve as target tugs until 1961. An extremely versatile aircraft over 35 variants were built and it would serve with a number of air forces including the United States Army Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. In total 7,781 Mosquitos were built in the UK, Canada and Australia with the 15th November 1950 seeing the last production version built, a NF.Mk 38.

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Variants Click on the aeroplane image to view a larger version.



Top Speed Range Service Ceiling Armament Mosquito PR.Mk I 382 mph 2,180 miles 35,000 ft none Mosquito F.Mk II 370 mph 1,705 miles 36,000 ft four 20mm cannons

& four 0.303-in machine-guns Mosquito T.Mk III Training aircraft. Mosquito B.Mk IV 374 mph 2,040 miles 24,000ft four 500lb bombs

or one 4,000lb bomb Mosquito B.Mk V Sole prototype built. Mosquito FB.Mk VI 380 mph 1,205 miles 33,000 ft four 20mm cannons

& four 0.303-in machine-guns

and either four 500lb bombs or eight rocket projectiles & two 500lb bombs Mosquito B.Mk VII 25 Canadian built B. Mk IVs with 1,390-hp Packard Merlin 31 engines. Mosquito PR.Mk VIII PR. Mk IVs fitted with Merlin 61s with two stage supercharger for use at high altitude. Mosquito B.Mk IX Same as the B. Mk IV but with a 1,680-hp Merlin 72, a few had Merlin 70 or 77 engines. Mosquito FB.Mk X Intended to be similar to the FB. Mk VI with Merlin 67 engines fitted, none built. Mosquito NF.Mk XII Converted F. Mk IIs with machine-guns removed. Mosquito NF.Mk XIII Like the NF.Mk XII but with AI Mk VIII radar and based on the B.Mk VI and fitted with either Merlin 21 or 23 engines and its four 0.303-in machine-guns removed. Mosquito NF.Mk XIV Intended to be a NF.Mk XIII fitted with a Merlin 67 engine, none built. Mosquito NF.Mk XV Five B.Mk IVs converted to a high altitude fighter with a pressurised cockpit and increasd wing span. Mosquito PR.Mk XVI Similar to the Mk IX models it appeared as PR.Mk XVI and B.Mk XVI with pressurised cockpits. Mosquito NF.Mk XVII Converted F.Mk IIs. Mosquito FB.Mk XVIII Essentially a FB.Mk VI but its four 20mm cannons replaced with a 57mm cannon. Mosquito NF.Mk XIX Based on the NF.Mk III & NF.Mk XVII and fitted with Merlin 25 engines. Mosquito B.Mk XX Same as the B.Mk VIII but built in Canada and fitted with Packard Merlin 31s or 33s. Mosquito FB.Mk 21 Canadian built FB.Mk VI, only three produced. Mosquito T.Mk 22 Six Canadian built T.Mk IIIs. Mosquito B.Mk 23 B.Mk XXs intended to be powered by Packard Merlin 69s, none built. Mosquito FB.Mk 24 Sole Packard Merlin 301 powered FB.Mk 21. Mosquito B.Mk 25 B.Mk 20s built in Canada and fitted with Packard Merlin 225 engines. Mosquito FB.Mk 26 FB.Mk 21s fitted with more powerful Packard Merlin 225 engines. Mosquito T.Mk 27 Merlin 225 powered T.Mk 22s. Mosquito FB.Mk 29 Converted FB.Mk 26s. Mosquito NF.Mk 30 Like the NF.Mk XIX with either Merlin 72, 76 or 113 engines. Mosquito PR.Mk 32 Similar to the PR.Mk XVI but for high altitude operations. Mosquito PR.Mk 34 Fitted with Merlin 113 or 114 engines. Mosquito B.Mk 35 Fitted with Merlin 113 or 114 engines. Mosquito NF.Mk 36 Powered by Merlin 113 engines and with AI Mk IX radar fitted. Mosquito NF.Mk 38 Like the NF.Mk 36 but with some also powered by Merlin 114 engines. Mosquito TT.Mk 39 Target tug. Mosquito FB.Mk 40 Australian built FB.Mk VIs powered by Packard Merlin 31 or 33s. Mosquito PR.Mk 41 Australian built, used for photo-reconnaissance and powered by Merlin 69 engines. Mosquito FB.Mk 42 Sole converted FB.Mk 40. Mosquito T.Mk 43 Converted FB.Mk 40s powered by Merlin 33s and featuring dual controls. Type 463 Sole converted Mk IV to carry "Highball". Type 465 33 Mk IVs converted to carry "Highball".

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Photos Click on a photo to view a larger version.

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On Display (C) = Cockpit only exhibit. (F) = Fuselage only exhibit. (R) = Remains of an aircraft.



Variant Location Prototype de Havilland Aircraft Museum Mosquito FB.Mk VI Mosquito B.Mk 35 Mosquito B.Mk 35 (R) Mosquito TT.35 Imperial War Museum, Duxford Mosquito NF.Mk II Lincoln Aviation Heritage Centre Mosquito B.Mk 35 Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford Mosquito TT.35 Royal Air Force Museum, London

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