Help needed for Mosquito tailwheel restoration!

[<simon>]

Hey everyone,
I recently aquired an original De Havilland Mosquito tailwheel i am seeking advice on how to restore/preserve this unit.
There are small corrosion pits over most of the assembly and one of the axle arms has worn down to the point where there isnt much aluminium holding the wheel in place.
I am wondering if anyone knows the existence of De Havilland plans/drawings/sketchs which would help in the disassembly of the tailwheel.
One thing i have figured out is the spring inside the shock absorber must be still under huge force -between 200kg and 2 tonne! Quite a large and..ummm..dangerous force!
Any advice or info would be useful.
I've attached a couple of pictures (i think) if they help at all

Thanks
Simon

[Micdrow]

Hi Simon,

Maybe these will help and maybe not. Last picture is from the book Squadron signal mosquito along with explanation of look of rear wheel and why it looks the way it does.

[<simon>]

Thanks heaps Micdrow, that second picture in particular could be very helpful!

[A4K]

Try contacting the RNZAF Museum - they have a ton of original documents and components and are extremely helpful.

Apparently the nose wheel of the vampire was the same unit used as the tail wheel in the Mosquito, so that might open up another avenue for you, too...

[Heinz]

Also try the RAAF museum at Point Cook, they could help you as they are restoring a Mosquito at the moment.

Nice item to have as well Simon!

[<simon>]

Ok I'll try both of those contacts
Thanks for that

A4K, is do you mean the museum at Wanaka?
Or is there an official Air Force museum?

Thanks again guys
Simon

[A4K]

G'day Simon,

No, not the Fighter Pilot's Museum at Wanaka. The official RNZAF Museum (also known as 'Airforce world' in a stupid tourism gimmick) is at Wigram, Christchurch.

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Good luck with the project, mate!

Evan