De Havilland Mosquito in aviation art prints. Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito Bomber, nightfighter and pathfinder. Aviation art prints available from aviationprints.co.uk.

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DE HAVILAND MOSQUITO  Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed  with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose.  Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly.

Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom began his operational career flying Bristol Blenheims as a Sgt pilot. He amassed a total of 103 bombing raids in the Blenheim and the Mosquito, 22 of which were on the heavily defended German capitol Berlin. By the end of hostilities, Sir Ivor Broom had risen to the rank of Wing Commander (163 Squadron, 8 Group). He became Air Marshal after the war and received his knighthood in 1975.

Wing Commander Joe Singleton flew the Mosquito in both the offensive and defensive role. During the latter, his more notable engagements included downing three Ju88's in a matter of minutes. The three aircraft were pathfinders for a much larger force heading for the city of Hull. The interception of these three aircraft effectively put an end to the success of the enemy raid.

Wings of Dawn by Philip West. The legendary, much loved and respected wooden wonder Mosquito was perhaps the best twin-engined fighter-bomber of its size to see combat action during WW11. More than 7,700 de Havilland Mosquitoes were produced and served in many versions, from fighters, night fighters, bombers, attack aircraft, trainers, reconnaissance aircraft, torpedo bombers and civil transports.

   Country Life 43 by Gerald Coulson  The de Havilland Mosquito was one of the most versatile aircraft of WWII, taking part in almost every role that the RAF employed. As a Night Fighter it became famous for its excellent record and was also used for precision bombing and photo-reconnaissance, where its speed and height put it beyond the reach of the opposition. Later it became prolific with the Strike Wings in an Anti Shipping role and with the Pathfinder Squadrons - piloted by such notable figures as Guy Gibson and Leonard Cheshire. Having a maximum speed of over 400mph the Mosquito had superb maneuverability and could out perform most other aircraft of the time.

With a unique airframe constructed of wood the Mosquito was light but exceptionally strong and had a reputation with its crews of being able to get them home even when heavily damaged. Few other aircraft were so highly regarded by the crew that flew them and enthusiasts alike, making the Mosquito one of the greatest aircraft of WWII.   During 1943 Mosquito Squadrons were involved in many precision bombing raids over specific targets in Germany, its design making it ideal for this role - Berlin and back took only four hours and at around 28,000 feet German fighters were unable to touch it.  The first two RAF units to be equipped with the B. Mk IV were Squadron Nos. 105 and 139. Both were used in strikes against specialist targets such as rail marshalling yards and key industrial plants, with the attacks being mounted along the length and breadth of Western Europe. Flying at low level and using maximum cloud cover, the crews were largely able to strike their targets and return with minimal losses. One famous raid was to Berlin on 30th January 1943 - the tenth anniversary of Hitler's ascension to power - when the Mosquitoes presence over the Reich Capital totally disrupted a speech due to be given by Hermann Goering.

Tirpitz Re-Visited by Philip West  In a 10½ hour sortie to Tromso Fjord on 22nd March 1945, Sqn Ldr Frank Dodd and P/O Eric Hill flew low under unexpected heavy fire to obtain confirmation of the final demise of the pride of the German Navy - the battleship Tirpitz.

Signatures :  Warrant Officer Harry Barrett flew as a PR Mosquito Navigator for 17 months from October 1945 to April 1947.  He volunteered for aircrew duties as a navigator in mid-1941, and was selected and put on deferred service until August 1942.  He trained as a Navigator / Wireless Op at Cranwell and in Canada, qualifying in November 1943.  He was on the night-flying staff at 3(P) AFU at South Cerney for nine months.  He qualified as an air-gunner in May 1945 on the Isle of Man.  On joining 540 Squadron at Benson, he and his pilot ferried three Mosquitoes to the Middle East and was then posted to 680 in Palestine, where it was more dangerous on the ground than in the air.  680 then became 13 Squadron.  Harry carried out aerial surveys in Egypt and the Greek Islands, and then went on the Nairobi.  Nine of the 15 Mosquitoes Harry flew in came to grief.

W/O Francis Joseph Baylis AFM C de G (Belg) Kings Commendation volunteered in October 1941 and joined the ACRC Lords in March 1942.  He completed a ITW at Baddacombe and a Wireless course at Cranwell.  He received flying training at Port Albert, Ontario and Charlotte Town PEI and a General reconnaissance Course at Squires Gate, then OTU (PR) at Dyce.  He was posted to 544 Squadron, Benson in January 1944 and flew 63 ops, finishing in April 1945.  he was awarded the C de G with Palme and also served on 13 (PR) Squadron at Fayid 1947-49 and awarded the AFM.  Finally, after ten minths on 540 (PR) Benson he received the Kings Commendation.

Flt. Lt. Peter G Brearley DFC joined the RAF in 1941 from Cambridge University Air Sqn.  He obtained his wings in 1942, and then completed a navigation course at 3 School of General Reconnaissance and after OTU joined 140 Photo Reconnaissance Sqdn in November 1942 until March 1944.  The squadron was attached to Army intelligence revising maps and possible coastal landing sites for the coming invasion.  Targets also included flying bomb sites in Pas de Calais area and other varied sectors of enemy activity.  At first peter flew Spitfires and later Mosquitoes with F/O Leslie W Preston GM as navigator.  He finished his RAF service as a flying instructor on Mosquitoes.

Flying Officer Tom Clark volunteered to join the RAF in October 1941.  On completion of training he spent 12 months flying with Dominion and trained pilots at No 15 (P) AFU.  At No 8 OTU Dyce he crewed with Fl/Lt (later Sqn Ldr) W R Assheton and was posted to 540 Sqn in May 1944.  He completed 48 operations and ceased flying duties in September 1945.

Flt. Lt. Arnold Cussons joined the RAF in July 1940, but pilot training did not start until early 1941.  After EFTS (DH82) and SFTS (Oxford) he was told he must be an Instructor.  FIS at Cranwell, instructing at 14 SFTS Lyneham (then grass field!) then secondment to RNZAF at Christchurch until got back to UK September 1943.  8OTU (Dyve) then 540 Sqn, A flight, January 1944.  Flew 62 operational flights including Damage Assessment of the Tirpitz just 3 hours after it was sunk by Lancasters.  He returned to instructing in July 1945, first as Flt Cdr  Mosquitoes at PRU's 8 OTU then as CFI when Frank Dodd left.  Arnold then went to the Empire Central Flying School as a Tutor.  He left the RAF at the end of 1949 after a time flying Hornets with 65 Sqn, Linton-on-Ouse near York.

Flight Officer Ken Ellis DFM joined the RAF in April 1942 for training as an Observer.  He received his wings as a navigator in Canada and after subsequent OTU training was posted to 540 Squadron (PR) at Benson in January 1944.  His pilot was F/Lt Arnold Cussons DFC and after in excess of 60 missions over Europe, Ken eventually left the Squadron in July 1945.  He and Arnold photographed the German battleship Tirpitz within hours of it being capsized on 12th November 1944 in Tromso Fjord.

Flight Officer Eric Hill DFC DFM joined the RAF in 1941 and crewed up with F/Lt F L Dodd AFC in January 1944.  He joined 544 Mosquito PRU Squadron (detached from RAF Benson to Leuchars) in March 1944.  They did all their 53 operational flights together, including flying diplomatic mail to Churchill at the Big Three Conferences in Moscow, Athens and Yalta.  They photographed the battleship Tirpitz at anchor in Alten Fjord (north Norway) in July 1944 having lost their cockpit hood cover moments before.  In other sorties, they survived a half-hour chase by two ME262 jets over Magdeburg and a ME109 attack while on one engine over the same city.  Frank Dodd stayed in the service as a pilot after the war, finally retiring as Air Vice Marshall, CBE DSO DFC AFC*** AE LRPS.

W/O S F (Paddy) Hope joined the RAFVR in July 1940 and trained as a WOP / Nav at Blackpool, Yatesbury, Torquay and Staverton, joining 236 Squadron, Coastal Command at Carew Cheriton, S Wales in October 1941 on Blenheims.  After 3 operations, he converted to Beaufighters Squadron before moving to Wattisham, where he did 3 operations on Beaufighters over the German Bight.  Paddy then transferred to PRU Benson on Mosquitoes in May 1942.  He completed 20 more ops with F/O F Mckay (NZ) before bailing out over Belgium in December 1942 after engine failure.  After evading for one month, he was captured at the Spanish frontier with Comete Line Leader (A deJongh) and held by the Gestapo for questioning, for four months.  He was made a PoW in Germany until returning home on 11 May 1945.

Fligh Lieutenant Walter le May DFC joined the RAF in 1941, and trained as an Observer in Canada, joining 140 Squadrom, Army Co-operation Command, at Hartford Bridge (now Blackbshe).  The squadron, engaged on photo reconnaissance, was unique in that one flight was equipped with Spitfires while a second flight, converting from Blenheims to Lockheed Venturas, was used for night operations.  In June 1943 the squadron became part ofthe 34 Wing 2nd Tactical Air Force, and later converted to Mosquito IX & XVI.  Mainly involved in night operations, he, with his pilot, F/Lt Ray Batenburg DFC, RNZAF, crossed the French coast a few minutes after midnight on D-Day, and took photographs of key points, followed by nearly two hours of low level visual reconnaissance, at heights down to 200 feet.  After operational flying he was appointed Night Ops Controller 34 Wing, and, afterwards Ops Controller at HQ2 Group, Gutersloh.

Flight Lieutenant Tom Pratt DFC joined the RAF in 1940 and after initial training in Paignton, Duxford and Hidlington he was posted to West Freugh.  He left there in 1943 and went to Squires Gate for navigational training, and then to Dyce for conversion to Mosquitoes.  He was posted to 544 Sqdn at Benson and stayed until the war was over.  Tom says "I flew 68 sorties and was fortunate to be chosen to fly to Moscow, when Churchill attended the Yalta Conference, and had an extremely pleasant few days being entertained by the Russians!"  Tom finally left the RAF in 1946.

Flight Lieutenant Mike Randles volunteered as a Wireless Operator in 1941, but on call up immediately remustered for aircrew.  His lengthy training as a navigator/ wireless op/ photographer culminated in jooining 540 Squadron at RAF Benson.  With his pilot, Flight Lieutenant Guy Trevor, who sadly lost his life in a flying accident shortly after the end of the war, he completed 35 PR operations from Benson, Dyce (Aberdeen) from which they concentrated on Norwegian targets, and Coulommiers in France.  Their longest operation of over 1500 miles took over six ours to photograph 18 targets in Norway in November 1944.  Mike claims he was a lucky one, having been shot at only twice and escaping interception by German jets over Prague, Arnhem and Osnabruck.

Flying Officer Joe Townshend DFN joined the RAF in February 1942 and after a wireless course at Cranwell went to Canada for Navigation, GR and an OTU on Torpedo Hampdens on Vancouver Island.  He returned to England for an OTU on Mosquitos at Dyce where he teamed up with F/Lt H C S (Sandy) Powell DFC.  After four ferry trips to Rabat in Morocco, he joined 540 Squadron in May 1944 and completed 50 Photo Reconnaissance operations over Europe, including finding the Tirpitz at Tromso for the Lancasters to sink in November 1944.

In Safe Hands by Stephen Brown  In Safe Hands depicts a scene during 1942.  Having been damaged in action over Northern France, the crew of a Mosquito B Mk IV has brought their aircraft down safely into the field of an English farm.  

When the De Haviland Mosquito was introduced in 1941 it was a revelation.  A precision bomber that used speed as its primary means of defence, it was successfully employed in a wide range of roles and across many campaigns.  Made almost entirely of wood, it was universally acclaimed by its crews for both its excellent handling and its ability to take heavy punishment and still get home.