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http://www.doghematerassi.it/shop/images/cat/rete_a_doghe_singola_acciaio_metallo_ferro_at_large.jpgTake one 2 foot by 1 foot sheet of 3/8" marine plywood Lloyds of London
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the .22 round has not penetrated all the way through.
The birch-plywood / balsa / birch-plywood structure of the Mosquito, would not surprise me if it could be passed through by a nail pushed with the thumb (not surprisingly, to reinforce the joints, were used screws, not nails, to distribute the stress throughout the entire thickness of the sandwich, rather than only on the outer skin) its strength was given by the fact that the fuselage behaved like a monolithic structure, not by the impenetrability of the single square inch of plywood.
The Germans saw biggest threat in the daylight bombing by the US heavy bombers and therefore made great efforts to get a successful bomber killer instead of a Mosquito hunter. The damage made by the Mosquito was small compared to that was done by the heavy 4-engined bombers. Of course this fast and hard to catch plane scratched the Ego of the Luftwaffe leaders and especially Goering. There was no Mosquito panic in general but of course the night fighter crews feared this plane a lot because many were shot down during landing.
Cimmex
The Germans saw biggest threat in the daylight bombing by the US heavy bombers and therefore made great efforts to get a successful bomber killer instead of a Mosquito hunter. The damage made by the Mosquito was small compared to that was done by the heavy 4-engined bombers. Of course this fast and hard to catch plane scratched the Ego of the Luftwaffe leaders and especially Goering. There was no Mosquito panic in general but of course the night fighter crews feared this plane a lot because many were shot down during landing.
Cimmex
A number of things have been said in this thread about what the Mossie could not do, despite the statements being demonstrably wide of the mark.
I've mentioned this report before, have attached it below. (Sorry about the quality, that's how it came out of N.A.)
The other encounter worth noting is the closest thing I've come to a "Knights of the Air" 1 vs 1 encounter - Mossie and 190 met at low level on reciprocal headings over France, ended with the 190 and its unfortunate pilot in pieces on the ground after losing a turning battle against the Mossie.
There are a lot of different kinds of strength. Take an ordinary sheet of typing/copy paper.
Grab it at each end and try to pull it apart in a straight line, that is Tensile strength. there are several types of or conditions of Tensile strength.
hold it horizontal between one set of fingers and watch it bend, that is bending strength.
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I figure the engineers who actually designed, built the airplanes knew an awful lot more than I ever will about the materials and processes they were using.
Wood is difficult to repair and maintain in the field as larger repairs have to be done under controlled environments.For wood that's pretty good.. I'm surprised that 737's 747's A-320's, C-130's, F-18's/22's/35's, Cessna's, aren't all made from wood. What are ultralights made from again
I don't know how true this is, but somebody told me once the Moskito was easier, faster to build from wood VS metal. Again, I don't know how true that statement is. The British had unique ways of doing things.
Err, try doing a scarf patch in blowing wind with dust and debris all over the place. Can you apply glues in sub-zero temps? No.Mosquito repairs didn't seem to need "controlled environments"..
The birch-plywood / balsa / birch-plywood structure of the Mosquito, would not surprise me if it could be passed through by a nail pushed with the thumb