Biggin Hill Mosquito
The rebuild vs replica argument will carry on for a long while I think. For me, the prospect of a Mosquito, especially a bomber, flying in the UK is the real potential treat.
By the way, a few years ago I was in the museum in Edmonton where they have a Mossie dressed up as Russ Bannock's (?) machine, complete with four gun nose.
What jarred with me was that it had two stage Merlin engines, just like the one's used in 633 Squadron and Mosquito Squadron years ago. Apologies for nit-picking.
Now off to dry clean my anorak again......
By the way, a few years ago I was in the museum in Edmonton where they have a Mossie dressed up as Russ Bannock's (?) machine, complete with four gun nose.
What jarred with me was that it had two stage Merlin engines, just like the one's used in 633 Squadron and Mosquito Squadron years ago. Apologies for nit-picking.
Now off to dry clean my anorak again......
Quite a few years ago now, I was lucky enough to have a well-connected friend at Ardmore. We wandered down to Avspecs to have a look at KA114, the first Mosquito they had rebuilt.
My friend John said to one of the engineers that he knew:
"Can we have a look?"
"Sure hop in."
That's how I got to sit in the cockpit of an airworthy Mosquito. Unfortunately I never got to see it fly.
Here's my well connected friend, John.
One of my treasured photos. A very poor quality picture but those are my knees!
It's interesting that the bomber variants have control wheels, but the fighter variants have sticks.
I thoroughly recommend these videos where Warren Denholme from Avspecs describes how it is built and Keith Skilling, one of the test pilots, is explaining what it is like to fly a Mosquito, after they both flew to Tauranga from Ardmore:
Mosquito Rescue:
Flying the Mozzie:
My friend John said to one of the engineers that he knew:
"Can we have a look?"
"Sure hop in."
That's how I got to sit in the cockpit of an airworthy Mosquito. Unfortunately I never got to see it fly.
Here's my well connected friend, John.
One of my treasured photos. A very poor quality picture but those are my knees!
It's interesting that the bomber variants have control wheels, but the fighter variants have sticks.
I thoroughly recommend these videos where Warren Denholme from Avspecs describes how it is built and Keith Skilling, one of the test pilots, is explaining what it is like to fly a Mosquito, after they both flew to Tauranga from Ardmore:
Mosquito Rescue:
Flying the Mozzie:
Both the Peoples Mosquito project, and this new BHHH project are both solid nose FB/NF versions.
By the way, a few years ago I was in the museum in Edmonton where they have a Mossie dressed up as Russ Bannock's (?) machine, complete with four gun nose.
What jarred with me was that it had two stage Merlin engines, just like the one's used in 633 Squadron and Mosquito Squadron years ago. Apologies for nit-picking.
Now off to dry clean my anorak again......
What jarred with me was that it had two stage Merlin engines, just like the one's used in 633 Squadron and Mosquito Squadron years ago. Apologies for nit-picking.
Now off to dry clean my anorak again......
GeeRam,
Thanks for the corrections and comments. I didn't realise how long the B35 had been on display. There are some other real treasures in that museum as well.
In fact there are a whole series of amazing museums over in Canada that I've been lucky enough to see over several visits across the pond.
Thanks for the corrections and comments. I didn't realise how long the B35 had been on display. There are some other real treasures in that museum as well.
In fact there are a whole series of amazing museums over in Canada that I've been lucky enough to see over several visits across the pond.
Despite many claims that Kermit Weeks B.35 (RS712) needs new wings, I believe from those that know Mossie's and have seen it in recent times, if he so chose to, its still in good enough condition structurally, to be returned to the air, despite it spending a couple of years in the heat and humidity of Florida before being flown off to a more suitable long term storage climate.
Incidentally, Jerry Yagens brought his Mosquito (as well as his ME-262 and FW190, but that’s another story) up to the Hamilton, Ontario air show about ten years ago. I was fortunate to be able to get up into the cockpit and I must say, the detail and quality of what the NZ rebuilders produce is utterly astonishing.
During the flying display, it was marvelous to watch the Mosquito, FW190 and ME-262 stern chase each other around the airfield.
I believe Weeks’ Mosquito has been stored and displayed in a controlled environment hangar in Oshkosh for several decades.
DeHavilland Mosquito - Tour Part 1 - Kermie Cam
Funnily enough, I visited his old small Tamiami facility back in 1989, so, only 2 years or so since it had made the ferry flight over from UK, and the Mossie was sitting inside the blister hangar, but with the front open to elements, so very hot and humid. After a nostalgic look around the Mossie, (as had seen it in UK on several occasions) I went into the small gift shop, and low and behold, Kermit was manning the till in the gift shop. I asked outright if he wasn't concerned, given the nature of the problems they suffered in the Far East during service, that the similar conditions in Florida might soon render it unairworthy.
He was rather surprised, somewhat dissmissive of the suggestion, citing his soon to be grand plan, which was Fantasy of Flight, and air conditioned facility etc. However, it was interesting that within another year or two, he had flown the aircraft to EAA and has left it there ever since.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Hmmm, you can now get wooden fountain pens made out of wood gleaned from original stringers/spars of Mosquito KA114, now airworthy with Jerry Yagen in Virginia.
Given the state of what was left of it after it had been sitting rotting away outside for 4 decades....it was no more than firewood really.
It's interesting that the bomber variants have control wheels, but the fighter variants have sticks
After my very brief exposure to a two-seat Spitfire doing no more than 250 kts, I felt that the spade grip would be essential at higher speeds, since you would need two hands to roll it - the ailerons were very heavy.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Of course... mind you, two things militate against me buying one, the price and being left handed which renders any attempts to write neatly with a fountain pen into a Rorschach test...
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Not sure that I should supply a direct link - google Wig and Pens, they can be found under pens/military!
