DE HAVILLAND DH 98 MOSQUITO FB MK.VI
TYPE: Two seated Fighter
AMOUNT IN NORWEGIAN SERVICE: 32
ARMAMENT
4x 20mm Hispano Cannons
4x .303 cal Browning Machineguns
908kg various bomb-load
TECHNICAL DATA
Wingspan: 16.5m
Length: 12.5m
Height: 3.8 m
2x 1,635 Rolls-Royce Merlin 25
Top speed: 612 km/h at 5,000 ft/523 km/h 15,000 ft
Cruise speed: 523 km/h
Range: 2,970 km
Max weight: 9900 kg
SERIAL NUMBERS - times in service and fates
This picture show ca where the planes are shot down or crashed/wrecked
HISTORY
Experiences with the Mosquito Mk. II in the fighter role and as an attack aircraft, led to the development of the FBMk.IV, which entered service in early 1943. The British had seen that the Mosqito was capable of carrying considerably more cargo than it was designed for, and the wing structure was therefore reinforced. Eventually this became a standard wing creaming. The usual armament of four .303 cal machine guns and four 20mm cannons in the nose was retained. The bomb hatches were divided into four sections. The forward pair gave access to the machine guns, the rear opened for a bomb bay that could hold up to 2x 250kg bombs or depth charges. In addition, arrangements were made for a 250 kg bomb in a hanger under each wing outside the engines. The bombs could also be replaced by fuel tanks in the bomb bay and drop tanks under the wings.
Due to the heavy losses in the summer of 1943, 333 squadron B-Flight had to be rebuilt with new aircraft and, by far, new flying personnel. There was therefore no operational activity between 28 August and 15 November, with the exception of a reconnaissance trip outside Kristiansund on 27 September. The aircraft that had been lost were eventually replaced with FB Mk.IVs, and new crews were added. Training was still difficult, but was now solved by British personnel with Mosquito experience, being sent to Leuchars along with a training machine with two sets of controls. just before Christmas 1943, B-Flight had six aircraft and seven operational crews, as well as one crew undergoing training. From the turn of the year 1943/44, the supply of new crews and training came into more orderly forms, and the training aircraft that had been loaned from the Coastal Command were returned.
In the first period after 15 November, a number of reconnaissance cruises were carried out towards Norway where ships that had been observed were reported back. Shipping was not attacked as before, but a number of German planes were shot down. The department also had to endure its own losses.
Eventually a close collaboration developed with the Beaufighter squadrons No 455 (RAAF) SQUADRON and No 489 (RNZAF) which were also based at Leuchars. Reconnaissance by B-Flight often resulted in a torpedo attack from the Beaufighter detachments. In May 1944, the first attack came against a submarine. Two aircraft came over the submarine in surface position and attacked with cannon and machine guns. They did not have anti-submarine mines, but from June the submarine hunt was intensified. the invasion was approaching, and the planes got sinking mines in the bomb bay. They had no room for these under their wings. Already in the middle of June, another submarine was damaged, and since then things have gone from bad to worse. German submarines were moved north after the invasion, and the number of such vessels in Norwegian waters rose noticeably. The Mosquitos now flew more in tow in order to have sufficient strength to face the fellow submarines.
In September 1944, the flight was transferred to Banff airfield in the east of Scotland together with the Beaufighter squadrons. Here began a new chapter. a month later the Beaufighters were moved to Dallachy, but instead another Mosqito squadron arrived at Banff. henceforth B-Flight worked with the Banff Strike Wing, which consisted of No 143, 235 and 248 squadrons. B-Flight’s task was primarily reconnaissance for ships, along the Norwegian coast. And in conjunction with Wingen’s raid, they acted as Outriders. such trips were often:
Strikes - Attacks against predetermined targets
Rover - Looking for suitable attack targets
The Outriders normally did not take part in the actual attack. they were guides and also took pictures of what happened. the Norwegian planes did not have rockets.
In early January 1945, consideration was given to equipping B-flight’s machines with two 100-gallon wing tanks. this came on stream in February and allowed operations all the way into the Oslo Fjord and Kattegat. The flight delivered almost daily reports from the West or the South until 3 May 1945. The Banff Strike Wing delivered 55 attacks along the Norwegian coast, Skagerak and Kattegat. Norwegian mosquitos were with most of them, this despite the fact that they only had 2 planes available during periods in the winter. Many crews and aircraft had been lost in the face of German fighters and German air defenses. The starting point for the flight had been a strength of six aircraft. At the turn of the year 1944/45, the British put forward a proposal to increase the strength to full squadron strength. The Norwegian authorities were initially negative, but it ended with 333 squadron being split in two and B-Flight becoming a separate squadron with effect from 26 May 1945 under the name 334 squadron. 22 June 1945 has also been mentioned as an establishment date. The department received a set-up of ten Mosquito FB Mk.VIs and remained at Banff until 8 June. Then the whole squadron took off on a course for Norway and Gardermoen airport.
The plane has been given some nicknames like; “Mossie” and “The Wooden Wonder”
Here is two videos from some of the Mosquitos in combat at the Norwegian Westcoast, Svelen, Norgulen
In this video below, from ca. 12.30 and beyond show even more footage. and fi you are interested or understand Norwegian there are more footage and history earlier in the video
PICTRUES
Spoiler
SOURCES
Spoiler
Redirecting... pictrues
https://www.ark.no/boker/Sverre-Mo-Norske-militaerfly-9788271286873?gclid=CjwKCAiAkrWdBhBkEiwAZ9cdcOdrioz6L20xK5V7xRjGZpg1q92Kz7Ef9odplxvvoY-TgJpM3_KpjBoCSdQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds pictrues and information
http://www.tor-willy.net/245 333_skv.htm
De Havilland DH 98 Mosquito — Norsk Luftfartsmuseum
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