Royal Navy, post war

[Bluebottle]

Good post war Royal Navy site, lots of great photos. I'll let you find the great Irvin shot though

http://www.naval-history.net/WXMemoirSummerleeJ1.htm

http://www.naval-history.net/WXMemoirSummerleeJ2.htm

 

[dujardin]

good link, many thanks

byeeeeee marcel

 

[Andrew]

Great bunch of shots BB, thanks!

 

[rich]

The Mossie, such a thing of beauty - anyone know how many air worthy examples there still are? I saw one flying at Mildenhall once but this must have been 12 or so years ago. Shame they don't do that display anymore, it was always impressive to say the least.

 

[Andrew]

Rich, at the moment there are no airworthy examples. This is from Wiki;

"There are believed to be around 30 preserved examples at various collections including the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon and another (KB336) at the Canadian Aviation Museum in Ottawa. The wooden construction makes restoration difficult.

As of 2004, the original prototype, serial number W4050, was undergoing a detailed conservation programme at the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre in Hertfordshire, UK. The centre also holds Mosquito FB6, TA122, currently undergoing extensive restoration, and Mosquito B35 TA634. It also holds the remains of a further B35, the badly damaged fuselage of TJ118.

A restored example is currently on display in the World War II gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. This Mosquito is a British-built B Mk 35 manufactured in 1946, later converted for target-towing, and is similar to the PR Mk XVIs used by the AAF. Having been flown to the Museum in February 1985, suffering several breakdowns along the way and taking many months to arrive, this aircraft has now been restored to a Mk XVI configuration and painted to represent a weather reconnaissance aircraft of the 653rd Bomb Squadron, 25th Bomb Group, based in England in 1944-1945.

Another Mosquito is currently under restoration, involving the fabrication of new fuselage sections by volunteers at the Royal Australian Air Force Museum in Point Cook, Victoria, Australia. Given the poor state of the aircraft (PR XVI A52-600) when obtained and the nature of the aircraft's fabrication, along with money and labour issues at the museum, it is estimated that it will be in excess of 10 years before this Mosquito is complete.

The last Mosquito known to be airworthy (serial number RR299), a T Mk III built sometime between October 1944 and July 1945, crashed on 21 July 1996 with the loss of both crew after stalling during a banked turn at an airshow at the Barton Aerodrome near Barton, Greater Manchester.

Several potential and current restorations to airworthiness exist. Glyn Powell located in Papakura, New Zealand has built a mould for the wooden fuselage, and CHAA bought the very first fuselage ever sold. Glynn has also supplied a fuselage to Avspecs as well as the main wing which was delivered in October 2007. A flying replica using new wood but otherwise original parts (from T.43 NZ2305) is under construction by Glyn for his own use. Another in New Zealand, KA114, is being restored for American collector Jerry Yagen by Avspecs, and it is highly likely that this will become the first airworthy Mosquito since 1996. The Mosquito B 35 held in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA was airworthy when owner Kermit Weeks loaned it to the museum. However it has not flown since 1996.

During 1963 Lynn Garrison purchased a B 35 Mosquito RS-700/CF-HMS from Spartan Air Services as part of his collection of historic aircraft. It was disassembled by volunteers at DeHavilland of Canada and transported to Calgary, Alberta, where it remains in storage awaiting restoration to static display condition. In 1995 Lynn Garrison lost a suit to reclaim title to the airplane which is now owned by the City of Calgary.

The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association (CHAA) based in Windsor, Ontario is building a Mosquito from scratch. They have two unused engines still in the crates and some parts retrieved from a crash in the Arctic.

In Vancouver B.C., Mosquito VR796 (CF-HML) is currently under restoration at the Vancouver South Airport area. This is an ex-Spartan Air Services Aircraft and is a postwar B Mk35. It is in excellent condition and not far from becoming airworthy."

 

[bristolherc]

Andrew,

I went out to Avspecs about 4 weeks ago. The Mosquito fuselage has been mated to the wing. The ply on the wing has been covered in fabric. The ailerons and flaps are installed on the mainplanes. The triangular trusses that the main gear and engine mounts are attached to have been bolted to the mainplane. Fitout of the cockpit and fuselage has begun.

They have two engines in transport cases.

Next time I go out there I'll ask Wal if I take take some pic's.

There's also a Dominie, P-40B, and a Spit XIV and XVI in the shed, oh, and a Firefly V.

BEVAN

 

[Andrew]

Andrew,

I went out to Avspecs about 4 weeks ago. The Mosquito fuselage has been mated to the wing. The ply on the wing has been covered in fabric. The ailerons and flaps are installed on the mainplanes. The triangular trusses that the main gear and engine mounts are attached to have been bolted to the mainplane. Fitout of the cockpit and fuselage has begun.

They have two engines in transport cases.

Next time I go out there I'll ask Wal if I take take some pic's.

There's also a Dominie, P-40B, and a Spit XIV and XVI in the shed, oh, and a Firefly V.

BEVAN

So the intention is to make it airworthy Bevan? That'd be excellent. I suppose it would then appear at Wanaka etc?

 

[John Lever]

Great hands on hips Irvin pose.