de Havilland Mosquito | |
|---|---|
| País | Reino unido |
| Papel | Bombardeiro leve Caça-bombardeiro Night fighter |
| Primeiro voo | 25 de novembro de 1940 |
| Construído | 7781 |
O de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito era um avião de combate multi-role de dois motores britânicos. A tripulação de dois, piloto e navegador, sentou-se lado a lado. Serviu durante e depois da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Foi uma das poucas aeronaves operacionais da linha de frente da época construída quase inteiramente de madeira e foi apelidada de The Wooden Wonder. O Mosquito também era conhecido carinhosamente como o "Mossie" para suas equipes. Originalmente concebido como um bombardeiro rápido desarmado, o Mosquito foi adaptado para papéis incluindo bombardeiro tático diurno de baixa a média altitude, bombardeiro noturno de alta altitude, pathfinder, caça diurno ou noturno, bombardeiro de caça, intruso, aeronave de ataque marítimo e aeronaves de reconhecimento fotográfico rápido. Também foi usado pela British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) como um transporte rápido para transportar pequenas cargas de alto valor para, e de países neutros, através do espaço aéreo controlado pelo inimigo. Um único passageiro poderia andar no compartimento de bombas da aeronave quando foi adaptado para o efeito.
| DeHavilland DH-98 Mosquito Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Fotógrafo | Vladimir Yakubov |
| Localização | Museu Nacional da USAF |
| Fotos | 50 |
| De Havilland Mosquito NF.XIX | |
|---|---|
| Fotógrafo | Andrei Zinchuk |
| Localização | Desconhecido |
| Fotos | 39 |
| Mosquito FB.VI (T.3) Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Fotógrafo | Randy Malmstrom |
| Localização | Desconhecido |
| Fotos | 106 |
| Mosquito PR.XVI (TT.35) Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Fotógrafo | Michael Benolkin |
| Localização | Desconhecido |
| Fotos | 15 |
Veja também:
| De Havilland Mosquito B.35 Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Fotógrafo | Max Otten |
| Localização | Desconhecido |
| Fotos | 75 |
The Unarmed Speedster
O De Havilland Mosquito was one of the most remarkable aircraft of World War II. While other manufacturers were competing for scarce aluminum, De Havilland proposed a bomber made almost entirely of wood. Initially dismissed by the Air Ministry, the Mosquito proved that by removing defensive turrets and relying on pure speed, it could outrun almost any fighter of its day. It evolved from a fast bomber into a lethal night fighter, a precision strike aircraft, and the ultimate reconnaissance platform.
| Attribute | Technical Specification (FB Mk VI) |
|---|---|
| Papel | Fighter-Bomber / Night Fighter / Reconnaissance |
| tripulação | 2 (Pilot and Navigator/Radio Operator) |
| First Flight | November 25, 1940 |
| Usina | 2 × Rolls-Royce Merlin 25 liquid-cooled V12s |
| Horsepower | 1,620 hp per engine |
| Maximum Speed | 415 mph (668 km/h) at 28,000 ft |
| Construction | Plywood, Balsa, and Spruce Sandwich |
| Armamento | 4 × 20mm Hispano cannons; 4 × .303 Browning machine guns |
Engineering the “Wooden Wonder”
- The Balsa Sandwich: The fuselage was constructed in two halves (left and right) using a sandwich of Ecuadorian balsa wood between layers of birch plywood. This allowed for internal equipment to be installed easily before the halves were glued together.
- Radiators in the Wings: Unlike most aircraft that had radiators hanging below the engines (creating drag), the Mosquito’s radiators were buried in the leading edges of the wing roots, further cleaning up the airflow.
- The Merlin Harmony: Powered by the same engines as the Spitfire and Mustang, the twin Merlins gave the Mosquito a power-to-weight ratio that allowed it to carry a 4,000 lb “Cookie” bomb—the same load as a four-engine B-17 Flying Fortress early in the war.
- Stealth Ancestry: Because of its wooden construction, the Mosquito had a significantly lower radar cross-section than metal aircraft, making it an accidental pioneer in stealth technology for night-time operations.
Operational Excellence
- Operation Jericho: In 1944, Mosquitos performed a legendary low-level precision strike on Amiens Prison in France, breaching the walls to allow French Resistance members to escape just before their scheduled executions.
- The Pathfinders: Mosquitos served as the “Pathfinders” for the RAF Bomber Command, using high-speed navigation and the Oboe radio system to mark targets with flares for the heavy bombers following behind.
- The “Tsetse” Variant: The Mk XVIII variant was equipped with a massive 57mm Molins anti-tank gun in the nose, used with devastating effect against German U-boats and shipping.
- A Global Legacy: Over 7,700 were built in the UK, Canada, and Australia. Today, they are among the most prized warbirds in the world, with only a tiny handful remaining in airworthy condition due to the difficulty of preserving 80-year-old glue and wood.
Visualizações: 4757
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de Havilland DH112 Venom – Fotos e Vídeos
de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou – Fotos & Vídeo
de Havilland Dragon – Fotos e Vídeo
de Havilland DH.88 Comet – Fotos e Vídeo
de Havilland Vampire – Fotos e Vídeo
de Havilland DH112 Venom – Fotos & Vídeo
de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth – Fotos & Vídeo