Hi
I was fortunate to visit the RAF Museum at Hendon today and took a few pics of the Molins cannon on display there -
http://www.btinternet.com/~nexx/Molins1.jpg &
http://www.btinternet.com/~nexx/Molins2.jpg .
I also visited the De Havilland Heritage Museum which is situated at London Colney near to the Hatfield plant, north of London. The museum is the actual place where the prototypes were completed and flown, seperate to the main Hatfield plant mostly because of the concerns of Hatfield being bombed. The buildings still remain, and even the Mosquito prototype is there -
http://www.btinternet.com/~nexx/Mosquito-prototype.jpg Well, this museum turned out to be something extra special because they had a Mosquito B35 'TA634' (built 1945) there and whilst trying to take a photo inside the hatch entrance underneath, the DH technician said I could climb up inside the cockpit! He didn't have to offer it a second time and I was up there like a flash! All I can say is that there is a lot more room than I ever imagined and it shows the WB2 Mossie view is truly inaccurate - the view around from the cockpit is exceptionally good, and even the pilot seat armour is only minimal making over shoulder looks easy too. Although this is the bomber version, I can't imagine that the FB version being all that different. Here are two photos I took from the navigators seat (big pics) -
http://www.btinternet.com/~nexx/Mosquito-cockpit1.jpg &
http://www.btinternet.com/~nexx/Mosquito-cockpit2.jpg . Perhaps we'll get the Bomber version too?
Oh, another thing was the flame arresters that were put over the exhausts as in 'Black Rufe'. Although at the time the technical manual expected a loss in speed, I asked the DH Technician about this and he actually said that it wasn't found until after the war that the flame arrester tubes actually caused a jet like effect and could boost speed by up to 20mph! It seems hard to believe but I wasn't going to argue with a DH technician who has been working for DH for 40 odd years!
I also copied some information about Geoffrey de Havilland and R.E. Bishop:-
Geoffrey de HavillandGeoffrey de Havilland was born on the 27th of July 1882 in a village near High Wycome. After his formal education, he attended the Crystal Palace School of Engineering. On completing his course he joined Willans and Robinson, a firm of steam engine engineers, as a student apprentice. He later left Willans and Robinson to take up a position at the Wolsely Tool and Motor Car Company. After one year, he moved on to a more interesting job; that of designer for Motor Omnibus Construction Company. It was during his time in this profession that he developed, in his own words, “an overwhelming desire to fly.”
In 1908, with financial support from his grandfather, de Havilland left paid employment and started to build his first plane. This attempt was unsuccessful; due to de Havilland’s complete lack of flying experience, the plane crashed. Undeterred, de Havilland started work on a second plane, which had its first flight on the 10th of September 1910. The design for this plane was purchased by the Government Balloon Factory (later renamed the Royal Aircraft Establishment), which also took de Havilland on as a pilot and designer. This position was later changed so that there was less design work involved, which led to de Havilland joining the Aircraft Manufacturing Company, the company which built his designs from 1914 to 1920, when the De Havilland Air Company was formed.
In 1909 de Havilland married Louie Thomas, and together they had three sons, though tragically two were killed in aviation accidents; Paul in 1942 in an airborne collision between two de Havilland Mosquitos, and Geoffrey (jnr) in 1946, while flight testing. Louie also passed away in 1946, and in 1951 de Havilland was remarried, this time to Joan Mordaunt, who shared his passion for natural history. In 1944 de Havilland received a knighthood, and membership to the order of merit was conferred upon him in 1962. He died on the 26th of May1965.
R. E. BishopWhen the Air Ministry requested designs for a new general purpose bomber, the last thing they envisaged was a wooden aircraft. De Havilland put forward designs for a 2-seat, twin-engined bomber with the capabilities of a fighter and the armament of a small bomber. In early 1940, the chief designer R. E. Bishop began work on the prototype. He had joined the De Havilland Air Company in 1921 as an apprentice, and had risen to the position of Design Director. 11 months after the initial design process, the all-yellow prototype (W4050) with twin Merlin engines, flown by Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr., took to the skies. The Mosquito, as it was known, was an immediate success. Trials at A&AEE Boscombe Down followed, and on the 15th of November 1941 the first Mosquito bomber joined 105 Squadron. Throughout World War 2 the Mosquito lived up to all expectations, creating havoc and mayhem whenever it was used in attacks on the enemy. Its contribution to the 1939-1945 conflict is now legendary.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the pics!
Regards
Nexx[ 09-08-2001: Message edited by: Replicant ]
