Originally Posted by
Big Pistons Forever
I would suggest that this airplane is not a “restoration” it is a re- creation. The only flying Mosquito that was restored is the Canadian F for Freddie. Almost all of the wood is original restored and repaired to airworthy condition along with the engines and mechanical bits.
A few lumps of metal from a wreck added to a totally new primary structure is not an original airplane. That being said the build quality is magnificent and the aviation world is better for having examples of such rare but important airplanes like the Mosquito.
Well, the Bob Jens B.35 is hardly a flyer, having flown only 2 or 3 times after it's restoration was finished, and has remained grounded ever since, with no intention of flying it again.
Given the information available from all the NDT survey's done on RR299 while it was operated by BAe, there is probably a good reason for this, especially with regard to the glue situation...certainly, from what I've gathered. The same holds for the Kermit Weeks example, which hasn't flown now for 30 years, and reports are there are some delamination issues visible, and would likely need an all new build wood structure for that to ever fly again.
Probably half of the Spitfires flying are 'all new build structure'......they are still Spitfires though.