De Havilland Mosquito
British high-speed bomber

De Havilland Mosquito, DH 98
Type: British high-speed bomber and photo-reconnaissance aircraft.
History: The British De Havilland Mosquito was planned by the de Havilland Aircraft Co in October 1938 as a unarmed high-speed day bomber, with the added attraction of wooden construction to ease the strain on Britain's hard­pressed materials suppliers.
The Air Ministry showed no interest, suggesting instead the de Havilland plant should make wings for existing heavy bombers. In 1940, with extreme reluctance, it was agreed to allow the firm to proceed, the only role thought possible for an unarmed aircraft being reconnaissance.
The first prototype, built secretly at Salisbury Hall by a team which grew from 12 in January 1940 to 30 in the summer, was flown painted yellow on 25 November 1940.
From it stemmed 7,781 aircraft built in Britain, Canada and Australia.

Following, there is a description of the de Havilland Mosquito bomber, reconaissance and trainer types:

PR.I : Unarmed photo-reconnaissance aircraft, with span lengthened from 52ft 6in of prototype to 54ft 2in but still with short engine nacelles.

T.III : Dual-control trainer, first flown January 1942 but produced mainly after the war (last delivery 1949).

B.IV : Unarmed bomber, carrying four 500lb bombs internally. First delivered to 105 Sqn at Swanton Morley in November 1941 and making it's first operational sortie against Cologne, the morning after the first 1,000-bomber night attack, on 31 May 1942. Some later fitted with bulged bomb bays for 4,000 lb bomb.

Taken at the base Swanton Morley in early 1942, this picture shows quartets of 500-pounder bombs going aboard a Mosquito Bomber B.IV of 105 Squadron.

B.VII : Canadian-built Mk IV, used in North America only.

PR.VIII : Reconnaissance conversion of the B.IV bomber with high-blown Merlin 6 engine.

Mk IX : Important advance in bomber (B.IX) and reconnaissance (PR.IX) versions with high-blown two-stage engines, bulged bomb bay for 4,000lb bomb or extra fuel, much increased weight paddle-blade propellers and new avionics (Rebecca, Boozer, Oboe or H2S Mk VI radar).

Mk XVI : Further major advance with two-stage Merlin engines, bulged bomb bay and pressurised cockpit.
PR.XVI flew July 1943 and B.XVI in January 1944, over 1,200 Mosquito bombers of latter being used for high-level nuisance raids with 4,000lb bombs.

B.XX : Canadian-built B.IV (USAAF designation F-8).

PR.32 : Extended-span reconnaissance version with Merlin 113/114 engines.

PR.34 : Strategic reconnaissance version, with Merlin 113/114 engines, extra-bulged belly for 1,269 gal fuel (200gal drop tanks) and pressure cabin.

B.35 : Equivalent bomber version, with PR and target-tug offshoots.

T.43 : Australian trainer version. All Australian production aircraft had US Packard engines.

Users: UK (RAF, RN), Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Free-French, Jugoslavia, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Turkey, USA (USAAF).
(Nationality list for all types, including Mosquito FB fighter-bomber and fighter versions).

Flying with No. 139 Sqn from Marham in the early summer of 1943, this de Havilland Mosquito bomber B.IV shows the potent lines of the marque. The squadron took its Mosquitos to Wyton in June that year on Pathfinder duties, high-altitude attacks and conducting radar dislocation raids using 'Window'.

3d model Mosquito bomber

'Ranger' Mosquito night intruders with the latest avionics were every night over Germany.