The Mosquito Story
- Thread starter bisbee
- Start date
Davy F
Registered user
I remember returning home after our Welsh honeymoon in 1980, along the now A55 on our GL1000 Gold Wing, seeing and hearing the unmistakable sound and site of a Mosquito.
With the wife wondering what the hell was going on I promptly pulled over and proceeded to empty out our luggage at the side of the road searching for my binoculars.
Having eventually found them I trained them on the aircraft just as it landed at Harwarden airfield and disappeared straight into a hanger and yes, it was definitely a beautiful “Mossy”.
Trying to explain my actions and utter excitement at seeing such a beautiful aircraft was totally lost on the wife.
I’ve no idea if it was a privately owned preserved aircraft or part of a collection but I do seem to remember seeing one performing at numerous air shows during the late 70’s early 80’s.
Anyone that’s interested there is a terrific book titled “Mosquito at War” by Chas Bowyer.
With the wife wondering what the hell was going on I promptly pulled over and proceeded to empty out our luggage at the side of the road searching for my binoculars.
Having eventually found them I trained them on the aircraft just as it landed at Harwarden airfield and disappeared straight into a hanger and yes, it was definitely a beautiful “Mossy”.
Trying to explain my actions and utter excitement at seeing such a beautiful aircraft was totally lost on the wife.
I’ve no idea if it was a privately owned preserved aircraft or part of a collection but I do seem to remember seeing one performing at numerous air shows during the late 70’s early 80’s.
Anyone that’s interested there is a terrific book titled “Mosquito at War” by Chas Bowyer.
Excellent, thanks for posting that.
Seem to recall there was a war time movie featuring the mossie. Anyone recall what it was called?
Seem to recall there was a war time movie featuring the mossie. Anyone recall what it was called?
This one ?
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/16UpDYqUzoA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/16UpDYqUzoA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Was it yellow? There was a Mosquito at the Strathallan Collection in Perthshire. It was flown out of there around then. I went to Perthshire on my R80 to see it fly out. The aircraft ended up in New Zealand i think.
Edit: no, not the same aircraft. Tragically, the Hawarden Mosquito crashed killing pilot and passenger.
My father (carpenter/woodmachinist) also worked on building these aircraft at Tottenham Hale at the now long gone Lebus furniture factory before he volunteered and joined the 15th Scottish RECE. As a volunteer you had some choice on regiment and he said he liked the idea of being piped into battle.
That’s really sad. A tragic loss of both men & machine.
The Mosquito ... the most favourite of all my favourites 
Sir Tim Wallis, founder of Warbirds over Wanaka and a deer expert had a collection of WW2 aircraft and he used to fly them very daringly. I knew him through stalking and deer management.
Mosquito, loved them since I was a small boy and saw one fly at the Plymouth Air Show, about 1968 I would think it was, just after we came back to this country from Kenya. That fly past has stayed with me forever, it impressed me even more than the Vulcan.
Merlin engines were also used in the Centurian tanks.
The De Havilland museum is well worth a visit. The sheer brilliance of their simplicity. I went there to do a bike shoot about 2 years ago. Good cafe for a coffee and cake!
Mosquito, loved them since I was a small boy and saw one fly at the Plymouth Air Show, about 1968 I would think it was, just after we came back to this country from Kenya. That fly past has stayed with me forever, it impressed me even more than the Vulcan.
Merlin engines were also used in the Centurian tanks.
The De Havilland museum is well worth a visit. The sheer brilliance of their simplicity. I went there to do a bike shoot about 2 years ago. Good cafe for a coffee and cake!
patzx12
Registered user
Not exactly....the tanks used a derivative known as the Meteor... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Meteor
The Meteor lost the Merlin's supercharger and reduction gear, and even rotated in the opposite direction.
Back to the film question.... 633 Squadron and also Mosquito Squadron, made on the cheap using clips from 633 squadron.
Well crafted little clip, no real aircraft were used in making this film
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1_a-DgT7LI4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1_a-DgT7LI4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Guy (Dambuster) Gibson & his partner Jim Warwick went down in one in September 1944 and they’re buried at Steenbergen. Allegedly he “didn’t have to be flying that night”.
I popped in to say hello on my 2017 ride.
ps - not my photo, but I have a few like it
I popped in to say hello on my 2017 ride.
ps - not my photo, but I have a few like it
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ianrobbo1
Registered user
Last time I went to Duxford they had a Mosquito part built, I should think it's near completion by now.
When you think of aero engines of the time the size the complexity and the amount of oil they carried and were expected to burn I think it’s amazing that they accomplished what they did. JJH
Nice wee vid here. Flt Lt Colin Bell RAF (retd) reacquainted himself with a Mozzie after 75 years...
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