Mossie nf vs He 219 nf

[Lightning Guy]

Probably one of the safest. But so often people talk of the Mossie as if it equipped its crew with invulnerability. It was very good, but nothing was THAT good.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

But so often people talk of the Mossie as if it equipped its crew with invulnerability

becuase the pilots had great faith in their aircraft, they knew she was a good bird and they had a dam good chance of coming back.......................

 

[Lightning Guy]

I've never denied that . . . but she wasn't invulnerable, nothing was. And the successes that the He 219 had against the Mossie proves it. The Mossie was the better plane, but the crew still had to be on their toes.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but even then fighter varients of the mossie were well equiped to take them out..................

 

[Lightning Guy]

Fighter marks, yes . . . bomber marks, no.

 

[Gemhorse]

Well, the fastest variants of the Mosquito was naturally the PR ones, which un-armed and well fueled, flew long distances and great heights...they were usually very 'on their toes...'- The bomber/pathfinders were also un-armed, and depending on their role, may have carried bombs, or else flares and TI's [target indicators], which weren't as heavy...My contention is the one's shot-down by He 219's were possibly these. -You say that that was the He 219's Job, shooting down bombers...The NF/Intruders were a different breed, and being hunters, probably kept their eye's-peeled for their 'opponents'. - I'm not exactly sure , just at this point , whether these variants carried 'tail-warning radar';- the books I've originally read on these chaps, I don't presently have, to check on this now; - But I suspect that some NF variants did carry this type of equipment, as the radar started to improve about the time Mosquitos took over the NF role from Beaufighters, and IFF was starting to come on line. - As Lanc says, the crews knew they had a superb aircraft, and yes, they weren't invulnerable, but they could take enormous damage, and still return....There is alot of documentation to support this, it was a special feature of the wooden design that it 'could take damage', but especially, how easily repaired they could be in most circumstances...- In a nutshell, I feel about the Mosquito, the way you feel about the Lightning, LG...-They were both exceptional aircraft, in their chosen roles...the Lightning particuarly as a single-seater;- the Mosquito, for firstly the 'un-armed' aspect of it's Bomber/Pathfinder/PR variants;.. and the hitting-power and all-round aspects of the Fighter/Bomber variants.....- I saw you 'drooling' over the comment I made about 'putting Griffons' in the Mosquito... -Your immediate comment was 'what about the Lightning too...' - [let alone Merlins..! ].. -They were exceptional aircraft, Mosquitos, considering they were only supposed to last for a few missions....

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

what i think was even more stupid was that in typically british style we didn't even want it at first, it wasn't untill we thoguht we could do with something that didn't use "stratigic material".......................

 

[Gemhorse]

Yeah, Geoffrey de Havilland had a real friend in Sir Wilfred Freeman, I think it was, because the Govt. blokes nick-named it 'Freeman's Folly' originally...the idea was that they had a way to make use of the very valuable Woodworking Craftsmen, and as you say , the Wood as a not needed 'strategic material'....What a success that idea was !!!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i bet we were pretty pissed off we didn't accept it earlier................

 

[Gemhorse]

I feel that it came at the 'right' time... it certainly impressed all it's critics straight-off, being 50 mph faster than the current Spitfire. When you consider that it was wood and proposed as an 'un-armed' aircraft, it was natural that there would be sceptics, but what it went on to become, probably Britain's 'Best All-rounder', I'm inclined to think it was 'Divine-intervention'....

 

[Lightning Guy]

The emphasis of just about every country between the world wars was on the strategic bomber carrying withering firepower and acting like an airborne battleship. Given that background, the idea of the Mossie was a bit hard to swallow. There were similar reservations with using the P-38 as a strategic bomber.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but you can see why they were skeptical of the mossie, IT WAS MADE OF WOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lightning Guy]

Several of the Russian aircraft used wooden compontents to cut down on the requirements of aluminum.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but they were wooden COMPONENTS, this whole thing was wood, and a bet the russian planes you're refering to weren't as impressive as the mossie......................

 

[Lightning Guy]

No they weren't, but the Mossie wasn't ENTIRELY wooden either.

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

Unless.... It had magical Balsa-Oak composite Merlins....

If this please you Hot Space, the wood is from Wales.

 

[Lightning Guy]

Don't forget landing gear, instruments, seats, windows, etc.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

well obviously i meant the fusilage and wings were wood, the controll surfaces were fabric covered...........................

 

[Lightning Guy]

But it wasn't what you said . . .

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

don't get picky...............................