Tutorial Novice - DH-98 Mossie - WWII ID Model

[R.F.Bennett]

       

[cliff strachan]

May all members of SMM and all prospective members have a wonderful New Year. (My car wouldn't start this AM. Even I'm getting fed up with this cold this year  -34C [-29F] Soon they will be equal. Good grief!)
Cliff.

[Peter]

Happy New Years to you Cliff and all the other members of SMM.

Peter

[lastvautour]

I had forgotten the radiator inlets. These are represented by black electrical tape.

Lou

[Boomerang]

  A very nice model. Well done Lou.

[lastvautour]

Thank you Gordon.

Lou

[Balsabasher]

I have to say Lou it was a good choice of colour and makes for a welcome change from all of the camouflaged examples.

Barry.

[lastvautour]

Thank you Barry. The totally yellow scheme only lasted a very short time. Four days after they camouflaged the upper surfaces it needed some repair, so they decided to add the longer nacelles at that time. I read that somewhere recently but cannot remember where they sent it for repairs. I have so many facts about so many aircraft that my slow working mind Mk I has trouble sorting it all out these days.

Lou

[Balsabasher]

The first test flight was undertaken in secrecy from Salisbury Hall not far away from its museum home at London Colney,London Colney is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. It is located to the north of London,this aircraft has quite some history attached to it as follows.

Barry.

W4050 took shape, in a small hangar, disguised as a barn, on the other side of the moat at Salisbury Hall. It was an elegant two-seater, with the navigator sitting slightly behind and to the left of the pilot. The fuselage was made of a lightweight plywood/balsa/plywood 'sandwich' which was formed over two mahogany moulds, liberally coated with glue (initially a casein-based adhesive, made from milk proteins) then 'cured' by the application of pressure and heat. The wing was built in one piece, with a laminated spar of Canadian Yellow Spruce, and skinned with birch ply. Two Rolls-Royce RM.3SM Merlins of 1,298hp were fitted, driving three-bladed constant-speed propellers.

The great moment came on 25th November, 1940, when the prototype was wheeled out, painted all-over Trainer Yellow, with black spinners, and carrying the second class Registration Mark of E0234. Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr. and John Walker, the Chief Engine Installation Designer, took off from the company airfield on the very first proving flight. All went relatively smoothly during the test programme; the Handley Page automatic slats on the outer wing panels were not necessary, and were wired shut (they can be seen to this day); there was vibration at high speed caused by disturbed airflow behind the short engine nacelles, but this was cured by fitting longer, more aerodynamic ones. W4050 showed blazing speed – 30 mph faster than the RAF Spitfire of the day – and was highly manoeuverable, too. When it was demonstrated in front of a mixed group of British and American military personnel, it screamed across the airfield at 400 mph, then performed a series of upward rolls – with one engine feathered! General H. H. Arnold was there, and tried very hard to have the Mosquito built in the United States (it was rejected by all the U.S. companies which were approached as being 'made from an out-dated material') Later the USAAF would operate both British and Canadian-built Mosquito aircraft.

By December 1940, the aircraft's upper surfaces had been painted in the standard RAF Dark Earth/Dark Green camouflage pattern, and it was readied for its official trials, which would take place at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, RAF Boscombe Down. Then came a most unfortunate mishap; on 24th February, 1941, following a routine landing, the tailwheel caught in a patch of rough ground, and the rear fuselage was severely fractured near the rear fuselage hatch. The machine was rebuilt using the fuselage from the next machine on the line (the photo-reconnaissance prototype), and a strengthening 'strake' fitted externally (visible on every Mosquito); a special, low-drag Dunlop-Marstrand tailwheel was also fitted. A heavy landing happened in May, 1941, further damaging the fuselage, which was repaired with a large plywood patch (still visible). Engine developments meant that W4050 was used to trial various R/R Merlins; in July, 1942, a pair of 2-speed, 2-stage supercharged Merlin 61s were flown, and on the 8th of August, 1943, when fitted with two Merlin 77 engines, the prototype became the fastest Mosquito in level flight, ever – 439 mph! By December, 1943, W4050?s usefulness had come to an end, and she was retired.

She stayed at Hatfield for a while, fitted with Merlin 25 engines like the standard fighter-bomber version, the FB.VI, and was used to teach apprentices. Post-war a long period of storage at Hatfield, Chester and other company sites ensued. W4050 was publicly exhibited at the Society of British Aircraft Constructors annual shows in 1946 and 1947, after the company bought it back from the Air Ministry. Unfortunately, plans to publicly exhibit it at Hatfield fell through, and orders went out for it to be burnt! By great good fortune, the new owners of Salisbury Hall, Walter and Audrey Goldsmith, were looking for some Mosquito parts to exhibit at their new home, and the company allowed them to acquire W4050, provided money could be raised for a small hangar. The £1,800 needed was quickly raised from friends and ex-aircrew, and W4050 came home. She formed the core of what has now become a major aviation museum, focusing on de Havilland aircraft, and machines from successor companies – the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre.

[lastvautour]

Thank you Barry for the accurate rendition of the Mosquito.

Lou

Keep your feet dry!

[buccfan]

Have to agree with Barry, Lou, a very nice model and choice of scheme. Regards Paul J.

[1.JaVA_LGorrit]

Hi Lou,

I am finally able to show you some progress again:

[lastvautour]

Jorrit, your Mossie looks great. What will you be using for primer/paint?

Lou

[Balsabasher]

Jorrit what a lovely little Mosquito you have built,its full of the character of the full sized beauty.

Barry.

[1.JaVA_LGorrit]

Jorrit, your Mossie looks great. What will you be using for primer/paint?

Lou

Thanks, Lou.
I have used a tinner based primer.
Will use Revell model paint to paint it.
Not sure, how to do the decals.
I want to try painting them, unless you strongly advise me not to.

Any thoughts on this?