Flying Mosquitos?

[Kitty]

Now that is a new one on me. Why the hell have an air brake? The Mossy relied on it's speed in the air to get out of trouble, and as far as I can see all that would do is disrupt the airflow along the fuselage and slow the bird down, therefore defeating its main weapon.
And as to braking on the ground, why? It was quite sufficient as it was to my knowledge. in fact they were known for going tail over nose on occassion.
Seems incomprehensible to me. I'll put it to another friend who has a thing for aircraft and see what he makes of it. Otherwise I really don't know. Never come across this before.

[Kyt]

It was called the Youngman circular segmented air brake fitted to W4052. That's all I can find

[kfz]

Airbrakes are quite usefull things, essenatial on most modern aircraft., more so on jet aircraft.

Sometimes on low drag aircraft or aircraft with poor low speed characteristics a bit more drag when you need it is benefiicial. Speed stability can be poor (ability to hold a constant low speed) on most high performance machines, the airbrake adds drag and improves low speed stability (ie ability to hold a constant speed without constant throttle chages to prevent surging). A nightfiger may well require low speed manners for stalking slow flying large aircraft ands loitering fighters or simply to improve landings in difficult conditions.

complex design though. I always though the brake on the buccaneer (again carrier borne aircraft requires low speed perfrmance) one of the simplest and most effective looking.

Wheres my stone gone....

Kev

[Kitty]

Idea for the air brake from my mate McHawkeye over at SFX (yes we are also plane geeks):

"Word has it that that circular arrangement was for use as a dive brake; an addendum as opposed to having reengineer the whole flap/wing arrangement.

Obviously, it didn't work"

Sounds plausable to me, but the Mossy was good in dives. Otherwise she couldn't take on the Butcher Bird.

[South Staffs]

Here is a link to some pictures of the Oshkosh Mossie that I mentioned. I can't find the ones I took, they are buried somewhere. This was before I had a digital camera.

Mosquito Reference Photographs - Part One

[Kitty]

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!

[von Poop]

Not actually in the 'on display' list but it appears that the Oshkosh mosquito may be owned by Kermit Weeks's 'Fantasy of flight' museum; so maybe a good candidate for future airworthiness as she flew so recently and their interest is definitely flying machines?
Obviously I can't be sure as the things seem to change hands so often...
The page on the plane from the Airventure museum where she's on display doesn't give detail on the history of that airframe but does have an excellent Quote from Goering:

One of the most fitting tributes to the Mosquito comes from the commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, whose public address to a rally in Berlin in January 1943 was rudely shattered by a low-level attack by 105 Squadron Mosquitoes. "It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito, I turn green and yellow with envy! The British, who can afford aluminum better that we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building…"

[Andy in West Oz]

Great quote VP!

The last I heard, the Mossie at EAA's museum at Oshkosh is still owned by Kermit Weeks and has been on display for a while. Dunno how much she'd take to get flying but I imagine it wouldn't be an overnight thing.

Glyn Powell has been making the fuselage moulds in New Zealand for ages and I believe the first fuse has been constructed for display purposes. Avspecs are working on an airworthy restoration using these "revolutionary" moulds (revolutionary because they've been recreated by GP). As suggested above, I think the Kiwis are our best bet for the next flying Mossie. Now, about a Beaufighter...

NZFPM |Sculptures in Wood

Avspecs - Current Projects Very, very cool site!!!!

Cheers

Andy

[von Poop]

Originally Posted by Andy in West Oz

Avspecs - Current Projects Very, very cool site!!!!

Huge understatement Andy.
That site's f*****g marvellous!

Said it before but no matter how much I respect the bods restoring my own personal tracked obsession nobody's going to climb in solo and do 300mph in one a thousand feet above the ground.

The past projects page alone shows the enormous levels of skill the plane blokes have.

Nice one, I hope she crosses the ocean for a visit one day.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Andy in West Oz]

I think the closest we'll get to that with aircraft of that vintage is the Reno Air Races.

I've often gazed off into space wondering what it would be like going low and fast in something with two engines and a nose full of guns. In awe.

Cheers

Andy