Thanks Darin for the tip. How cool is it to see the “wooden wonder” flying again?
UPDATE: Below the fold,a few of the pics MvL just sent us, with an explanation. There is in NZ a barn full of aviation treasures….
“..These aircraft and many more are owned by a very private and reclusive guy and are stored in a barn not far from where I live.
I have visited on several occasions. The barn is stacked full and it is very hard to take photos as you have to
climb over stuff to get a shot. The Mosquito is the star of the barn and is totally complete, with a Rolls Royce
Merlin in each wing. It is pushed hard against the door, which he will not open so the only shot is from behind.
My son is flight checking before his next mission. Thats the front of a P41 Mustang complete less propeller. There are a couple of P40 Kittyhawks, a Hudson bomber and several engines inlcuding a radial.
Plus many more.
He bought them after the war from the NZ Air Force, because he liked them and wanted to save them from being scrapped, as many were. They were stored for many years outside until he built the shed about 30 years ago.
What’s he going to do with them?….Like many collectors of stuff, he just likes having them preserved.
He does not seek publicity nor does he like their presence advertised too much. However he will not
turn anyone away who comes to look providing you are genuinely interested. He may not let you
in the shed though! Their existence is known among warbird collectors around the world and I believe
he has refused some serious offers for them. He lives a very simple and solitary life and money means
little compared to ownership of the things that he loves.”
My father always told me that what he remembered most of the II WW was the sound of hundreds of bombers at night.
Avro Lancaster
http://youtu.be/z4Gh2DfPkP4
Two invovative planes of WWII.The DH Mosq and the Horton 229.The DH Mosq was made by the thousands and the H229 thankfully only 2.
Natgeo did a show where Lockheed build a static replica of the H229 for radar crossection testing.Their findings were that it was indeed an early form of stealth aircraft and had they been built in numbers the war might have been vastly different.
http://youtu.be/7t6QRIJYX30
STOL, anybody? Where’s Webwrat?
http://youtu.be/HVimgxRVM08
Those have been known to take off by themselves if parked with the flaps down on a windy day.
Another fine old bird still in service after 70 odd years-
http://youtu.be/bwNI4hWAYoE
Beautiful! The maintenance costs must be huge, though..
Here’s original colour film of Mosquitoes in action during WW2
http://youtu.be/r-UUTo3wHds
Nice,my favorite version of the Mosq were the ones fitted with the 57mm cannon.Excellent at near shore submarine kills-
http://youtu.be/M00f5RxhxLY
Seems like I read somewhere they also tried a 105mm Bofors on one too,that must have been a trick
They really did fit a Bofors to one–for tank and train busting. Mad bastards.
What an innovative machine the Mosquito was. Apart from the performance, it could be built by carpenters or joiners, or even unskilled workers. And wood was plentiful
I have had the pleasure several times to inspect and sit in a complete and unrestored one of these. The ultimate barn-find really, as that is where it is stored, in a barn. Still there today.
“..as that is where it is stored, in a barn. Still there today.”
:wtf
Yep…. I have some photos but I don’t know how to post them here.
They are stored on my computer.
Could you mail a couple to me, MvL?
Be glad to, they are worth sharing.
Thanks. Sending you the addy.
Well, that’s 633 Squadron in the DVD player this weekend……..