Mosquito details

[intertidal]

Just a nice pic really.
can anyone provide any comment on the aircraft and/or personnell? it's a Mosquito, I guess that much is obvious. Guess there is no way of determining specific variant.
I think I know the location but can anyone make any leaps of faith as to its possible wherabouts (realise that there is virtually nothing to go on there)

[chevvron]

Looks like (not sure) a bloke I knew called John Parker. Flew Mosquitos and Wellingtons and finally on a 'rest' he was taking off from Brize in a Whitley (I think) towing a glider when an engine failed and he was badly injured; had a 'plate' in his forehead.

[intertidal]

Sorry shouldve put the notes on the photo.
taller man is my Gfather's brother Robert Driscoll, ultimately lost on a Banff Strike Wing raid on Haugesund with his navigator.
I *think* the shorter man is likely to be his navigator (observer?) Tony Hannant who was also lost on same sortie.
photo is dated 1/sep/44. they were lost on 21/10/44.
photo is labelled Portreath. I had hitherto thought that Great Uncle Bob's last stop was East Fortune before joining 248sqdn at Banff but I guess they were haring around all over the place. We understood that he was lost flying a Tsetse aircraft but this pic does not show a Molins gun (does it?)
I understood that the aircrews stuck together at all costs, is this the case? I am as sure as I can be that the taller man is Driscoll but it would be good to identify the other man, if the crew-sticks-together rule was indeed a rule then it seems a reasonable deduction.
T

[Icare9]

If any help this is the MkXVIII (Tsetse) gun De Havilland Mosquito FB Mk XVIII

[Herod]

Agreed that there isn't a Molins gun there, but what are the four ports between their heads?
I suggest you contact the DH Museum. Very helpful people, and the museum at London Colney (Salisbury Hall) is well worth a visit.

[Self loading bear]

Originally Posted by Herod

Agreed that there isn't a Molins gun there, but what are the four ports between their heads?

4x 20 mm Hispano cannon.

[Self loading bear]

Wiki says 248 sq used FB mk VI to escort the Tsetse variant.

[Herod]

The ones that appear to be shaded? The top 4 are presumably 0.5 machine guns?

[Herod]

A bit more digging, and you're right, Bear. 4 x 20mm The top row are .303, not 0.5 in.

[NutLoose]

Top one used for targeting? once rounds hitting the target, main cannons used?

[421dog]

Originally Posted by NutLoose

Top one used for targeting? once rounds hitting the target, main cannons used?

From this side of the pond, those of us who have graduated from somewhere are generally subjugated to using “An” as a preposition to a noun beginning with an “Haitch” and, for God’s sake, using “Cannon”, rather than “cannons” as the plural for the the described artillery….

I respect y’all, do the cousins the same service…

[rolling20]

Originally Posted by intertidal

Just a nice pic really.
can anyone provide any comment on the aircraft and/or personnell? it's a Mosquito, I guess that much is obvious. Guess there is no way of determining specific variant.
I think I know the location but can anyone make any leaps of faith as to its possible wherabouts (realise that there is virtually nothing to go on there)

Nice picture as you say.
Looking at their expressions however, one wonders if they were suffering from battle fatigue.

[Herod]

Pending further research, my money is going on the FB VI

[rolling20]

Originally Posted by intertidal

Sorry shouldve put the notes on the photo.
taller man is my Gfather's brother Robert Driscoll, ultimately lost on a Banff Strike Wing raid on Haugesund with his navigator.
I *think* the shorter man is likely to be his navigator (observer?) Tony Hannant who was also lost on same sortie.
photo is dated 1/sep/44. they were lost on 21/10/44.
photo is labelled Portreath. I had hitherto thought that Great Uncle Bob's last stop was East Fortune before joining 248sqdn at Banff but I guess they were haring around all over the place. We understood that he was lost flying a Tsetse aircraft but this pic does not show a Molins gun (does it?)
I understood that the aircrews stuck together at all costs, is this the case? I am as sure as I can be that the taller man is Driscoll but it would be good to identify the other man, if the crew-sticks-together rule was indeed a rule then it seems a reasonable deduction.
T

Apologies , if you already have this information.
A quick look at the ORB would seem to indicate that they only flew the Mk XVIII on ops. Obviously it doesn't look like a Mk XVIII in the picture.
On ops the squadron flew the XVIII and VI combined.
RS Driscoll and S Hannatt ( CWG lists him as Tony Allen) were posted in from 132 OTU on 23.8.44.
So my earlier comment about fatigue doesn't ring true.

[rolling20]

Originally Posted by intertidal

Sorry shouldve put the notes on the photo.
taller man is my Gfather's brother Robert Driscoll, ultimately lost on a Banff Strike Wing raid on Haugesund with his navigator.
I *think* the shorter man is likely to be his navigator (observer?) Tony Hannant who was also lost on same sortie.
photo is dated 1/sep/44. they were lost on 21/10/44.
photo is labelled Portreath. I had hitherto thought that Great Uncle Bob's last stop was East Fortune before joining 248sqdn at Banff but I guess they were haring around all over the place. We understood that he was lost flying a Tsetse aircraft but this pic does not show a Molins gun (does it?)
I understood that the aircrews stuck together at all costs, is this the case? I am as sure as I can be that the taller man is Driscoll but it would be good to identify the other man, if the crew-sticks-together rule was indeed a rule then it seems a reasonable deduction.
T

Apologies , if you already have this information.
A quick look at the ORB would seem to indicate that they only flew the Mk XVIII on ops. Obviously it doesn't look like a Mk XVIII in the picture.
On ops the squadron flew the XVIII and VI combined.
RS Driscoll and S Hannatt ( CWG lists him as Tony Allen) were posted in as crew from 132 OTU on 23.8.44.
So my earlier comment about fatigue doesn't ring true.

[tiny fireburn]

If you Google 'Loss of Mosquito FBVI on 21.10.44 you will see 'Aviation Safety Network' which gives full details of the loss.

[rolling20]

Originally Posted by tiny fireburn

If you Google 'Loss of Mosquito FBVI on 21.10.44 you will see 'Aviation Safety Network' which gives full details of the loss.

The 248 ORB has them flying a MK XVIII on 21.10.44 and indeed ASN says it was a Tsetse.

[Brewster Buffalo]

Just a general query on the first photo - what is the opening above and to the right of the 3rd cannon machine gun from the left? Gun Camera? And also what is the small circular item in middle of the cannons machine guns?
Notice on the Tsetse both of these have been blanked off...

[bobward]

I think the larger 'hole' is for the gun camera. The smaller hole, between the guns, is where the arrowhead antenna for the early versions of AI radar was fitted om night fighter variants.
Maybe this was a common fitting/access point on all the fighter Mosquitoes?

[Liffy 1M]

The upper guns are the machine guns, the cannon being mounted in the belly.