De Havilland Mosquito

[wuzak]

If you operate Mossies from carriers, engine-out situations become very important.

Yes, but having counter-rotating props won't help that.

[kitnut617]

You need to read The Hornet File wuzak, you'll find that one engine out was deadly for all Hornets, it was the cause of most of the crew fatalities when trying to land.  The Navy had instructed the pilots who had an engine out to NOT attempt a carrier landing and to head for land if they had enough fuel, and if they didn't, to bail out near the carrier.  Even if they did get to airfield on land their troubles weren't over.

Also reading the book Mosquito by Sharp/Bowyer, the Mosquito was quite a pig to land on one engine (it wasn't that nice on two either going by the stories in the book) so I don't expect it to be any different than the Hornet if it had counter rotating props, or contra-props

[KJ_Lesnick]

wuzak

It would need significantly closer airfields. The range is much, much, less.

I thought they could do 3,000 miles with 2,000 pounds of bombs?

[kitnut617]

I thought they could do 3,000 miles with 2,000 pounds of bombs?

Get the Sharp/Bowyer book (supposed to be the Mosquito bible), it tells you everything.  But you're way off with your information.  The chapter on Operational Performance and Loads says all the bombers had about 1000 -1200 mile range, add an extra 100 mile range when 100 Gal tanks were fitted.  Still air range with 2000 lb load was 1430 miles

[wuzak]

You need to read The Hornet File wuzak, you'll find that one engine out was deadly for all Hornets, it was the cause of most of the crew fatalities when trying to land.  The Navy had instructed the pilots who had an engine out to NOT attempt a carrier landing and to head for land if they had enough fuel, and if they didn't, to bail out near the carrier.  Even if they did get to airfield on land their troubles weren't over.

Also reading the book Mosquito by Sharp/Bowyer, the Mosquito was quite a pig to land on one engine (it wasn't that nice on two either going by the stories in the book) so I don't expect it to be any different than the Hornet if it had counter rotating props, or contra-props

Like I said, changing to counter-rotating props won't help that.

[wuzak]

wuzak

It would need significantly closer airfields. The range is much, much, less.

I thought they could do 3,000 miles with 2,000 pounds of bombs?

3000 miles for PR versions with a (bulged) belly full of fuel. Think PR.34.

[McColm]

Have you thought of a float plane version or forward swept wings?
I'm sure you could add a turbojet in the rear.

[wuzak]

de Havilland did propose a jet Mosquito.

It was to be power by 2 Halford H.1 (de Havilland Goblin) turbojets. Bomb load would have been 2000lb and maximum speed 445mph @ 40,000ft.

[kitnut617]

It got named the ""Jet Mosquito"" but it wasn't a Mosquito.  It was a modification of the DH.102 design  ---

[Daryl J.]

Then there is the open cockpit variant with short engine pods, two bladed props, Kestrel engines, and fabric wings.  One rarely sees it at modeling shows......

[wuzak]

I have got some documents for the Mosquito from the National Archives of the UK.

One of them was regarding "special carriers". I hoped I would find information on the Avro 6 bomb carrier, which is sometimes described in references of the Mosquito. Alas, I did not find such a thing.

Instead, I found the modified 4000lb bomb carriers which were used to carry either one or two 1000lb bombs, target indicators or mines. The one used to carry two 1000lb bombs was described as being fitted with two standard Avro 250/1000lb bomb carriers.

The twin carrier could only be fitted on bulged bomb bay Mossies, and required a different door hinge. The single carrier could be carried in a standard bomb bay, but required modifications to the stiffeners on the edge of teh door to allow for clearance.

I also found correspondence regarding increasing the number of 250lb TIs (there wasn't a 500lb TI) in bulged bomb bay Mosquitos. The solution turned out to be a modified Vickers Wellington bomb beam, which carried bombs in a similar system to American types like the B-17. One of these was successfully fitted and used to show carriage of 8 x 250lb TIs. It would also enable the Mosquito to carry 8 x 500lb bombs internally, though de Havilland suggested that this would cause problems with all-up weight and CoG. An alternative suggested was 4 x 250lb + 4 x 500lb, but whether this was approved isn't shown in the file. It may also only relate to Mk IVs, XXs and 25s modified with the bulged bomb bay, the Mk XVI having a higher AUW and with the longer 2 stage Merlins CoG would be less of a problem, I imagine.

[NARSES2]

That's interesting. Thanks 

[wuzak]

Twin 1000lb Adapter for the Mosquito





Single 1000lb Adapter for Mosquito

[rickshaw]

Whats that pipe on the right hand side of the second picture?  A heater outlet to keep the bomb bay warm in flight (and prevent internal icing)?

[wuzak]

I'm not sure what it is, but it was on W4050.



I suspect that it may be a breather to allow fumes from the fuel tanks to escape.