Mosquito Photographic Reconnaissance Variants
Reconnaissance marks began with the PR.Mk I of which ten were delivered. These were followed by the PR.Mk IV which were born as conversions from existing B.Mk IV bombers and equipped with four cameras. Five more conversions became the PR.Mk VIII with two-stage, two-speed supercharged Merlin 61 series engines of 1,565 horsepower for higher altitude function. The PR.Mk IX then followed in 90 examples based on the B.Mk IX with Merlin 72/73/76/77 series engines of 1,680 horsepower and increased fuel capacity and, thusly, increased operational ranges. The PR.Mk XVI introduced a pressurized cockpit for high-altitude service and was outfitted with three external fuel tanks for increased range. The PR Mk 32 was similar in scope and intended for high-altitude, long endurance reconnaissance with Merlin 113/114 engines of 1,960 horsepower and based on the NF.Mk XV night fighter. Final reconnaissance versions arrived as the PR.Mk 34 and the PR Mk 34A which lacked cockpit and fuel tank armoring but brought about increased ranges through a bulged fuselage design. The PR.Mk 35 was based on the definitive bomber form described in the next paragraph (B.Mk 35). The PR.Mk 40 was the Australian reconnaissance development of the FB.Mk 40 fighter bomber. The PR.Mk 41 was, therefore, a further development of the Aussie PR.Mk 40 though with two-stage engines.
Mosquito Fighter-Bombers
The initial fighter-bomber (FB) Mosquito form became the FB.Mk VI and this variant was powered by 2 x Merlin 21/25 of 1,460 and 1,635 horsepower respectively. The Mk VI proved the definitive fighter form and used in the day/night "intruder" raiding role. Their airframe supported internal bombs as well as underwing hardpoints for bombs, rockets and external fuel tanks. The nose-mounted machine gun armament (4 x 7.7mm) and underfuselage cannon armament (4 x 20mm) were both retained for the offensive role. These were followed by the FB.Mk XVIII which numbered 45 and featured a single 57mm autocannon for ship-busting sorties and additional armor protection at low combat altitudes with wing support for launching rockets. FB.Mk 26 (Packard Merlin engines) and FB.Mk 40 were both produced in Canadian factories and proved similar to the original FB.Mk VI. The FB.Mk 40 fighter-bomber was the basis for the Australian PR.Mk 40 mentioned previously.
Mosquito Dedicated Bombers
The first Mosquito bomber sortie was a an armed sortie charged with photographing the aftermath of a recent 1,000-strong Allied bomber raid over Cologne following May 30th - the aircraft sent in with bombs to attack any remaining targets of opportunity. The initial Mosquito bomber version was the B.Mk IV Series 1 of which ten were converted from PR forms. These were followed by 273 examples of the B.Mk IV which carried up to 500lb of ordnance in the internal bay and 2 x 250lb bombs underwing. 245 examples of the B.Mk XX were produced in Canada following the B.Mk IV specification and powered by Merlin 31/33 engines. The B.Mk V was a pressurized high-altitude variant with Merlin 21 powerplants. The B.Mk VII was a Canadian-produced mark with Merlin 31 series engines and 25 were produced (the USAAF taking on six) and underwing hardpoints. Fifty-four examples of the B.Mk IX high-altitude version were produced with Merlin 72/73/76/77 engines with support for the 4,000lb "Cookie / Dangerous Dustbin" blockbuster bomb. The B.Mk XVI was a high-altitude pressurized version of the B.Mk IX. The final bomber variant became the B.Mk 35 outfitted with Merlin 113/114A engines. By now, the airframe could carry up to 4,000lb of ordnance and reach speeds of over 400 miles per hour and altitudes nearing 40,000 feet. Surplus airframes served in the target tug role (as T.Mk 35) and as ultra-fast, high-flying photographic reconnaissance mounts (PR.Mk 35).
Mostuito Night Fighters
There proved a bevy of night fighter forms developed by the British from the base DH.98 design. These began with the NF.Mk II of which a total of 466 were produced and were broadly based on the F.Mk II fighter. Slightly modified versions emerged as the NF.Mk II (Special) which saw their radars removed for extra fuel storage and improved ranges. The NF.Mk VI fitted bombs and underwing rockets. The NF. Mk XII fitted AI Mk VIII radar and 270 examples were produced. The NF.Mk XV were four examples of converted F.Mk XV mounts with AI Mk VIII series radar and relocated machine gun nose armament (to a fuselage gunpack) intended for high-altitude interception. The NF.Mk XVII was born from 99 examples of NF.Mk II mounts converted with American SCR-720 (British AI.Mk X) series radar and Merlin 21/22/23 engines. The NF.Mk XIX were improved NF.Mk XIII forms for support for either radar (American or British) installation to which 220 examples appeared. The NF.Mk 30 became the last war-time Mosquito variant and fitted Merlin 76 two-stage engines of 1,710 horsepower for high-altitude work to which 526 examples of the type were produced in all. The Mk 30 proved the definitive night fighter example of World War 2 and assisted British bomber formations during their night time raids over Germany and elsewhere. The NF.Mk 36 was a high-altitude post-war variant with American radar and Merlin 113/114 engines, seeing 266 examples produced. Similarly, the NF.Mk 38 was another post-war model with British radar and 101 examples delivered. The NF. Mk 36 deserves special mention here as being the only all-weather fighter in service with the RAF until 1951 to which the type was finally succeeded by new jet-powered night fighters. Likewise, the NF.Mk 38 deserves its own special mention as the final Mosquito mark produced, this in November of 1950 out of the Chester facility.
Navalized Mosquitoes
Several Mosquito airframes were converted to serve as dedicated torpedo-bomber aircraft that began with the TR.Mk 33 "Sea Mosquito" prototype. The prototype was the first British twin-engine aircraft landed on a British carrier (March 1944 on the deck of the HMS Indefatigable). Such aircraft were completed with four-bladed propellers, a revised and reinforced undercarriage, bulbous covered radome (housing an AN/APS-6 system) and an arrestor hook for carrier based landings. Additionally, wings were hinged to fold for a smaller footprint aboard space-strapped British carriers of the period.TR marks were powered by Merlin 25 series engines and armed through 4 x 20mm cannon and up to 500lb of internal ordnance with optional support for external rockets and an externally-mounted torpedo. 50 TR.mk 33 aircraft were produced. The TR.Mk 37 then followed and was differentiated by its use of the ASV Mk XIII radar suite. Sea Mosquitoes were not available in useful numbers until 1946, World War 2 having concluded in 1945.
Miscellaneous Developments
Several other lesser-storied versions of the Mosquito were inevitably produced. This included dedicated trainer mounts in the T.Mk III, T.Mk 22 (Canadian equivalent of the T.Mk III), T.Mk 27 (T.Mk 22 with Packard Merlin engines), T.Mk 29 (FB.mk 26 conversions) and T.Mk 43 (Aussie version of the T.Mk III). Target tugs were the TT.Mk 35 and TT.mk 39.
Mosquito Production
Production of Mosquitoes ranged beyond English factories for Canadian and Australian lines also contributed. Talks with setting up American lines fell to naught. Canadian production amounted to 1,133 examples available in ten marks ranging from the mentioned British bombers, fighter-bomber and trainer forms. Australian marks numbered six and included a photographic reconnaissance mount, several fighter-bomber forms and a trainer variant. In all, eight notable producers took part in manufacturing of various Mosquito marks, the primary supplier becoming de Havilland of Hatfield. A total of 7,781 Mosquitoes were built throughout the war and into the ensuing Cold War years, production spanning from 1940 to 1950. Operators proved numerous and included Australia, Belgium, Burma, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, France, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, the Soviet Union (Lend-Lease), Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States (limited) and Yugoslavia. Many became post-war operators.
V-1 Rocket Hunters
The DH.98 Mosquito was also one of the few wartime aircraft that could match the speed of incoming German V-1 rockets being launched from enemy-held territories across northern Europe. Such terror weapons accounted for the deaths of 30,000 British citizens during the war - the V-1 and subsequent V-2 rockets proving nothing more than a last-ditch effort on the part of the collapsing German war fronts. The DH.98 could utilize its speed to intercept such weapons and destroy them with relative ease only assured by a steady hand at the controls. In this role, from June 1944 onwards, Mosquitoes accounted for 428 V-1 rockets intercepted. Mosquitoes joined other Allied aircraft in hunting and destroying V-rocket launch sites throughout the Third Reich.
The DH.98 endured in post war service, entering the inventories of many foreign air forces. Mosquitoes (FB.Mk IV) were used in anger over Java against Indonesian extremists which marked some of the last combat sorties of the fine aircraft. The RAF retired their final Mosquito fighters in 1950.
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