Mosquito FB. VI (attn. Pyro, Superfly & Nate)

[Nash]

Hi.    

I had originally suggested the "Moonbeam McSwine" paint scheme because, well, frankly Luma's paint was the only thing I could find any reference on. That changed today when I was able to track down this model builder in England who was kind enough to make some scans of his decals for me.

I organized 'em a little, and without further ado I present to you...

     

Now, first of all - the squadron. 418 RCAF is pretty much a given if we're talking about Canadians and Mosquitos. As well, it turns out that this squadron was Canada's highest-scoring squadron in WWII, in terms of both air-to-air and air-to-ground kills, and in terms of both day and night operations. (With regard to night operations - 418 Sq was an Intruder squadron, and as such it did not carry radar sets... night targets had to be found, identified, lined up and attacked with the naked eye.)

So that being established, the most representative plane of the most representative squad of the most representative aircraft of our fine country... would belong to none other than squadron leader Robert Allen Kipp.

<quaint little blurb from some old newspaper>

"Squadron Leader Robert Kipp of Kamloops, B.C., must be part of the good luck charm because since he was appointed to one of the senior posts in the squadron, the scoring whistle has blown almost continuously. Shortly after joining the squadron, Kipp destroyed three enemy aircraft and damaged one other. He set a new record for intruders over Germany on May 3rd by destroying four FockeWulf 190's in one sweep. The last one produced that now familiar situation when the pilot is too close to the target and has to fly through the debris of the exploding German plane. Kipp and his navigator, F/O P. Hultskey of Montreal, took it square on the chin and collected a lot of damage to their own machine which in the resultant scramble stalled at 500 ft. With the skill of a seasoned pilot Kipp got his machine under control, barely a hundred feet off the ground and was able to fly home safely."

Distinguished Service Order
Kipp, Robert Allen
No.418 Squadron
Award effective 7 July 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 2052/44 dated 22 September 1944.

This officer continues to display the highest standard of skill and gallantry in air operations. He has completed very many sorties and his careful planning, tactical ability and iron determination have brought him much success. In April 1944, he led a section of aircraft on a sortie over enemy territory during which four enemy aircraft were shot down, two of them by Squadron Leader Kipp. On another occasion, one night in May 1944, Squadron Leader Kipp destroyed four hostile aircraft in combat. His genius for leadership has always been apparent and his example has been most inspiring.

S/L Kipp's final tally of enemy aircraft was 9 1/2 destroyed, 1/2 probable, and damaged 3 others. He was killed while flying a Vampire at St. Hubert, Quebec, on 25 July 1949.


By now I've accumulated *tons* of reference materials, images, markings and all sorts of neat stuff on this plane. If you're interested I'll throw it all up on a webpage for you to peruse.

Also something that may be of interest is this 3-D modeller who's made a Mosquito FB. VI. I know it's two entirely different worlds when we're talking about hobbyist 3-D model maker types and the way models need to be made for an online flight sim... But just in case it may be helpful in some small way to see how someone else went about it, he's providing the download of it for what strikes me as pretty cheap. This is probably the most naive suggestion ever... but I'm just tossin' it out there for what it's worth. Plus this guy has been over the top helpful to me (he was a stranger two days ago) and this represents a shameless plug for his work.    

His URL is:

 http://freespace.virgin.net/pbratt.home/models.htm  

And here's a couple of images:
     

     

Thanks you guys for your consideration of this addition. Us Canucks very much appreciate this!

Cheers!

[ 08-14-2001: Message edited by: Nash ]

[Replicant]

Hey Nash

I got that very Mosquito model sitting next to my PC!    (though I was very tempted to paint it in the Banff anti-ship colours.... grey/blue)

Cyas up

Nexx

[Jimdandy]

Are they going to be adding the Mossie any time soon?

[Karnak]

Nash,

Was that one a Mosquito FB.MkVI Series 1 or a Mosquito FB.MkVI Series 2?

If its a Series 1 I'll have to try to get them to do a different Mosquito.

If it's a Series 2, then it looks great and I'd love to have it.

[Nash]

If its a Series 1 I'll have to try to get them to do a different Mosquito.

Do not MESS with us Karnak! We of the CCBAH will come down on you hard like a stampede of wild beavers if any attempt is made to thwart this. That goes for anyone! Like I said, this Mosquito business is a force bigger than you or I or any one man.

That being said...

418 Squadron flew the Mosquito FB. VI Series 2.

Ok?

STUFF:

Powerplant:
Two 1,635 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 25 engines.

Role during war:
Fighter-bomber
Night-Fighter
Medium Bomber
Reconnaissance Aircraft
Trainer
 
Length:
40 ft 10.75 inch

Height
15 ft 3.5 inch
 
Empty weight
14300 lb

Operational weight
19500 lb typical,22300 lb max

Dimensions
Span 54 ft 2 in; Length 40 ft 6 in; Height 15 ft 3.5 in; Wing Area 454 sq.ft; Empty Wing Loading 31 lbs/sq.ft; Max Takeoff Wing Loading 49 lbs/sq.ft.

Wing Area
454 sq ft

Service ceiling
33000 ft

Maximum speed
380 mph at 13000 ft

Performance
Maximum Speed 380 mph at 13,000 ft; Maximum Speed 345 mph at Sea Level; Cruising Speed 325 mph at 15,000 ft; Cruising Speed 296 mph at Sea Level
 
Initial climb rate
Initial climb rate of 2,870 ft per minute

Range
1,120 miles with internal fuel.
 
Fuel capacity internal
453 Imp gal (544 US gal) plus provision for a 66.5 Imp gal (79.9 US gal) fuselage tank  

Fuel capacity external
Up to 200 Imp gal (240 US gal) in 2 × 100 or 50 Imp gal (120 or 60 US gal) underwing droptanks

Machine guns
Four .303 Browning machine guns with 500 rounds per gun or an overload of 780 rounds per gun.

Cannons
Four 20mm Hispano Mk II cannon with 150 rounds per gun or an overload of 175 rounds per gun.

Bomb load
Up to 2,000 lb in one lower fuselage weapon bay rated 1,000 lb, and 2 underwing hardpoints, each rated 500 lb.

General loadout consisted of:
4 × 500 lb or 250 lb bombs in weapon bay and on wingmounted hardpoints, or 2 × 500 lb or 250 lb bombs, plus rockets

Torpedoes/rockets Optional
under the wings in stead of bombs:
8 × 60 lb rockets, or
2 × mine, or
2 × depth charge
 
Karnak words it like this: Two 250 lb bombs or two 500 lb bombs in the bomb bay and external racks for two 250 lb bombs or two 500 lb bombs or two mines or two depth charges or two 50 Imperial gallon drop tanks or two 100 Imperial gallon drop tanks or eight 60 lb rockets or eight 60 lb rockets and two 50 Imperial gallon drop tanks or two Imperial 100 gallon drop tanks.

Crew
2: pilot, navigator/radio operator

Naval or ground based
Ground

First flight
(prototype) 25 October 1940

Operational Service
November 1941 - 1961

Manufacturer
De Havilland Aircraft co. Ltd.

Number produced
7,757 total, 2708 this version

Interesting fact that I just read:
418 Squadron has the distinction of being the first Allied squadron to support the D-Day landings in that they attacked the beach area at about 2330 hours on 5 June, 1944; almost 90 minutes before the Airborne forces.

[ 08-15-2001: Message edited by: Nash ]

[Karnak]

Nash,

OK, its a Series 2.

Some of your info on the Mosquito is a bit off however.

De Havilland Mosquito FB.Mk VI Series 2

Type: Two Seat Fighter/Bomber

Powerplant: Two 1,635 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 25 engines.

Performance: Maximum Speed 380 mph at 13,000 ft; Maximum Speed 345 mph at Sea Level; Cruising Speed 325 mph at 15,000 ft; Cruising Speed 296 mph at Sea Level; Service Ceiling 33,000 ft.

Climb Rate: Initial climb rate of 2,870 ft per minute

Range: 1,120 miles with internal fuel.

Weight: Empty 14,300 lbs; Max Takeoff 22,300 lbs.

Dimensions: Span 54 ft 2 in; Length 40 ft 6 in; Height 15 ft 3.5 in; Wing Area 454 sq.ft; Empty Wing Loading 31 lbs/sq.ft; Max Takeoff Wing Loading 49 lbs/sq.ft.

Armament: Four 20mm Hispano Mk II cannon with 150 rounds per gun or an overload of 175 rounds per gun and four .303 Browning machine guns with 500 rounds per gun or an overload of 780 rounds per gun.

Ordinance: Two 250 lb bombs or two 500 lb bombs in the bomb bay and external racks for two 250 lb bombs or two 500 lb bombs or two mines or two depth charges or two 50 Imperial gallon drop tanks or two 100 Imperial gallon drop tanks or eight 60 lb rockets or eight 60 lb rockets and two 50 Imperial gallon drop tanks or two Imperial 100 gallon drop tanks.

[Nash]

Ok Karnak, I edited my post to reflect the data you have. Mine could easily have been off on those points (how the heck do I know).

Just wanted us on the same page.

So there it is... the definitive description of the FB. VI Series 2 Mosquito.

You are now an honourary member of CCBAH, Karnak. An iron-on patch is in the mail.

[Swager]

Met a guy in Benbecula that flew Mossies during WWII.

Quite an intresting fella!  

[Urchin]

It'd be sweet to have a Mossie in AH.  I'm all for it.

[Nash]

Hey Nexx - cool! Are ya able to post any pictures of it?

Here's the markings for the top of Kipp's Mosquito.

   

[ 08-15-2001: Message edited by: Nash ]

[Nash]

By the way, I've found a truck load of interior and exterior photos covering every square inch of the plane inside and out. Every view in every direction from every perspective and then some is photographed.

Here's a bunch I crammed together and made really small, but the source images are actually quite huge and detailed.

     

[ 08-15-2001: Message edited by: Nash ]

[-tronski-]

Bugger the canadians...      

 Mark the bloody thing 464 RAAF (SB), or 487 RNZAF (EG) the first 2 units in the 2nd TAF to be equipped with the FB.VI
 The same 2 squadrons that flew Operation Jericho (the Amiens prison raid) and showed how the job should be done: The best plane, flown by Aussies, and Kiwis!      

My personal choice would be:
 R-EG  the a/c of Wg Cdr Smith, DFC the C.o of 487 and leader of the first wave. Smith led the first six aircraft and, just after midday, attacked the surrounding walls of Amiens from a height of less than 100ft.


 Tronsky

     
 464 RAAF, Sept 1944

[ 08-16-2001: Message edited by: -tronski- ]

[Nash]

Phhht...

HTC, if you guys model a kangaroo - go ahead and do it up with Austrailan markings... otherwise pay no attention to this guy. He's obviously lost his marbles.

EH into AH... dammit!

[Karnak]

Here is important information reguarding the Mosquito FB.VIs ammo load that I obtained by making an inquiry to the RAF Museum:

 

Thank you for your enquiry. The RAF manual for the Mosquito VI includes a
table for weight and loading. This quotes 2000 rounds of 0.303 ammunition
for the Brownings and 600 20mm rounds for the Hispanos - i.e. 500 rounds per
Browning and 150 per Hispano.

However, there are also two lines:
"Total Overload Browning Ammunition, 3120 rounds" and
"Total Overload Hispano Gun Ammunition, 700 rounds"
which suggests to me that in certain circumstances the aircraft could carry
780 rounds per Browning and 175 rounds per Hispano. I have no information on
how often these loads - or other variations - were carried, but you might
like to contact:

Mosquito Aircrew Association
Mr T Wilson (Membership Secretary)
21 Kingwell Road
Hadley Wood
Barnet
Herts
EN4 0HZ

Yours sincerely,

Peter Elliott
Senior Keeper
Department of Research & Information Services
Royal Air Force Museum
Hendon
London
NW9 5LL
Direct line: 020-8358-4850
Switchboard: 020-8205-2266
Direct Fax: 020-8358-4991 (Office hours only)
Fax (24 hours) 020-8200-1751