Mosquito versus the German fighters

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by MAV_406

it dosnt matter what any of you say the Mozzie had the looks.

NO!

[mosquitoman]

Apparently, because of it's wooden cosntruction, it wasn't picked up on radar screens as well as all metal aircraft of a similar size. That may have been a part of the reason for difficulty of interception.

[pbfoot]

Those props cause a pretty fair radar signature

[SoD Stitch]

Originally Posted by pbfoot

Those props cause a pretty fair radar signature

I agree; and there were some "stealth" experiments during WWII in which they tried constructing an airplane completely out of wood (except, of course, for the engine) and the reduction in RCS was negligible.

[marlin]

Originally Posted by drgondog

interesting and great airframe.

If only the Brits could fill all the orders, Bud Peaslee would have selected the Mossie as the 8th AF Scouts instead of the Mustang. Would have simplified training and operations over the P-51 and P-38.

First, it cruised much faster and had all the range needed. Second as a two person crew you could put an experienced navigator on board - without having to qualify a bomber pilot who was also an experienced navigator as was required to be a Scout in a Mustang.

Last, it would have been easier to train a B-17 or B-24 pilot to fly a Mossie than it was to 're-train' multi engine to single engine fighter like a 51.

So, the compromise was to mix re-trained bomber pilots to lead, skilled fighter pilots to fly wing ,in future Mustang Scout Weather/Force Recon missions to end of war.

At the 355th, home of Eperimental (Peaslee) Scouts and 2nd Scout Force all bomber pilots had to interview and be checked out by my father (the Deputy Gp CO of 355th) after too many were killed in the transition with both AT-6 and P-51.

Probably would have had a better safety record with the Mossie. I know I voted C-47 for contribution overall, everywhere but I think this beast was the Best Airframe built after WWII started.

If I had to pick two a/c to start and finish WWII with, the Mossie and the Gooney bird would be my choices.

Regards,

Bill

************************************************** ***

Mosquito aircrew certainly had the highest survival rate of any Allied aircrew in WW2.
Re the Mossie versus German aircraft. I was fortunate to work as unpaid secretary for Group Captain John ("Cat's Eyes) Cunningham for the last few years prior to his death three years ago. he told me that when late in the war the Luftwaffe started using FW 190's to make single bomb nuisance raids on the South coast of Britain, he had to cruise with a significant height advantage to be able to catch any 190's he was then vectored onto. I remember that one -190 he caught, and gave a short burst into the fuselage just behind the canopy, dived so violently that the pilot was thrown out of his straps and through the canopy breaking his arm. The pilot was so adamant that no RAF aircraft could have caught him and that it must have been a lucky flak hit, that John drove up to the German's POW camp near York and told him otherwise !
marlin

[mosquitoman]

Good one!
Read a story once about a B-26 crew that had heard about the Mosquito when they were first being produced and came across one over England, they had a race of sorts.
The B-26 was pounding along, throttles through the firewall when the Mossie came screaming past, inverted and one one engine!

[helmitsmit]

Like that story. I heard one:

A Mossie was taxiing when a Halifax land on it! Sounds funny but I can't find pictures! Most have had a strong undercarrige. Unfortuneately, i can't find any info about the squadron or even the airfield.

[Graeme]

Originally Posted by helmitsmit

Like that story. I heard one:

A Mossie was taxiing when a Halifax land on it! Sounds funny but I can't find pictures! Most have had a strong undercarrige. Unfortunately, i can't find any info about the squadron or even the airfield.

Off track slightly. These two Ansons 'collected' each other, mid-air, and managed to land 'piggy-back' style, safely. The only injury involved a crew member from the lower Anson who suffered back injuries from bailing out prior to the landing.
Brocklesbury, NSW, Australia, 29th September 1940.

[helmitsmit]

A little off track but never mind! Interesting!

[Glider]

Truth is always stranger than fiction

[helmitsmit]

Absolutely!

Anyway back to Mossies and its opponents, I heard that the proclaimed mossie killer ie He 219 isn't quite what it was suppose to be. Apparently, although everywhere says 414mph, it struggled to do 380mph. It had to be stripped down a lot to specifically chase Mossies. And then it only managed 404mph. However, it was a vast improvement over Me 110s or Ju88s.

[Erich]

you guys need to go to the best night fighter thread and read everything on it and you will get your answers about the He 219 Uhu. The Mossies with I./NJG 1 scored a total of 12 Mosquitos none of them were stripped down. The Mossie chaser A-6 never went into production. 109G-6/AS had a better track record for mossie killing than any He 219 of NJG 1 in 1st and 2nd gruppes

[helmitsmit]

I thought that that might be the case I heard a couple of reports of Me109s at night doing the Nighterfighters job.

I just thought of an interesting development, Mossie with Griffons. That would have been the medium/long range heavy bomber that the mossie perhaps wasn't as mentioned earlier. It would have taken a bit of designing but might have been fantastic.

[Glider]

Originally Posted by helmitsmit

I just thought of an interesting development, Mossie with Griffons. That would have been the medium/long range heavy bomber that the mossie perhaps wasn't as mentioned earlier. It would have taken a bit of designing but might have been fantastic.

It was fantastic, it was called the Hornet. OK it had 2000HP merlins not Griffons but its close enough.

[mosquitoman]

Agreed, Glider. The last piston-engined fighter in RAF service and it was truly amazing, just a pity there's none left.