h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Dear Mosquito admirers:

May I recommend the excellent little book "Mosquito, the Wooden Wonder," by Edward Bishop -- no relation to R.E.Bishop, the chief designer at deHavilland for the Model 98 project.

Also, may I recommend "www.mossie.org," a marvelous site run by Dr. Andy Dawson.

The Squadron accompanying No. 105 on many of the early "low-level/shallow dive" raids into occupied Europe was No. 139 "Jamaica," not No. 193 as given in the article.

Another well-preserved example of the airplane resides in the U.S. Air Force Museum, located on Wright Field near Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. She is a Mk B.35 "RS709" (a veteran of the movie "633 Squadron") restored as a PR.XVI in the colors of the 653rd Bomber Squadron, 25th Bomber Group, U.S.A.A.F. I have seen her up close and the restoration is superb.

This remarkable airplane was the fastest thing in the sky for more than two years during the war -- no mean feat considering the splendid single-seat single engine fighters developed during that time. Most of the structure was fabricated from the original, naturally-occuring composite material (wood!), brilliantly executed under Mr deHavilland's stern fatherhood by Mr Bishop's team at Salisbury Hall near London Colney, the current home of the deHavilland Heritage Trust. I will definitely visit on my next trip to Europe.

Cheers to the Mossie lovers of the world!

from a life-long aviation enthusiast and structural analyst for one of the major airframers in the world for 30+ years.