Glider
Captain
The Wellington AWACS was tried but was quickly withdrawn as it didn't work due to a lack of range on the Radar. A second attempt was undertaken suing a B24 but that had the same problem
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The release height of the V1 from the He111s of KH54 was 1500'.
It was found that the Beaufighter was the better a/c as it handled better at lower speeds than the Mosquito. (the He111 climbed to release altitude at 110mph and released at 150mph) The Mosquito units raised a stink and the Beaus were pulled off He111/V1 interceptions.
To combat the He111/V1s, the British set up possibly the first AWACs. The Wellington would orbit about 30mi. off the Dutch coast in a race course pattern with the n/f in trail. When a target was found the Wellington would then vector the n/f to the target where the n/f's radar would take over the intercept.
see FlyPast April 1987
Why? The Mosquito is one of my favorite WWII era aircraft.
The Wellington AWACS was tried but was quickly withdrawn as it didn't work due to a lack of range on the Radar. A second attempt was undertaken suing a B24 but that had the same problem
From when the mosquito was designed it was proposed by its designers that it would be 30MPH faster than a spitfire, based on what was known then about thrust drag and wetted area. This turned out to be true it was faster than a spitfire and at introduction all LW fighters. After introduction its speed is just a function of what engines were fitted and it was only ever a fast agile bomber, in its fighter bomber configuration 4 cannon and 4 MGs firing on one axis got everyones respect. The mosquito was never developed as a fighter which IMO was an oversight but as it was it was a formidable plane.
It has been posted that Mosquitos had escorts on missions, ALL bombers had escorts for the simple reason that a bomber (whatever it is) needs an escort because you cannot perform a precision bombing run with even one enemy interceptor in the region, a bomb run is a perfect target.
I expect Mosquito night fighters attacked the He-111H22 launch aircraft. They would have a tough time catching a 400mph V1 missle flying @2,500 feet.
I admit that it was my understanding that when the raids were escorted, Mustangs and Typhoons were the normal escorts on Mosquito bomber missions.
Now that really highlights German resource availability vs British resource availability during the final 6 months of the war.
V1 cruise missiles cost 5,090 RM ($2,036) each. I wonder what seven Mosquito squadrons cost?
Now that really highlights German resource availability vs British resource availability during the final 6 months of the war.
V1 cruise missiles cost 5,090 RM ($2,036) each. I wonder what seven Mosquito squadrons cost?
By comparison, the mosquito essntially used non strategic materials, and off the shelf technologies to produce a true war winning peice of machinery.
What does the German rocket program have to do with the pulsejet powered V1 cruise missile?vast sums of money essentially wasted on the germwans in their rocket development program
I admit that it was my understanding that when the raids were escorted, Mustangs and Typhoons were the normal escorts on Mosquito bomber missions.
I think what we're looking at here is not so much as a traditional escort in the case of fighters escorting heavy bombers and protecting a combat box, but rather dedicated aircraft providing "top cover" for fighter bombers going in on a tactical operation. In Vietnam you had F-4s escorting F-4s as well providing cover while the F-4s loaded with bombs struck targets.They were but if you check that site, there were a few - more than afew - instances where Mossies escorted Mossies. There was even one mission where Blenheim fighters escorted Blenheim bombers. Didn't work out so well.
FLYBOYJ Blenheims escorting Blenheims!?!? :eeeeek:[/QUOTE said:Doesn't that simply provide more targets for a turkey shoot?
V-1 and V-2 are about as much the same deal as battlecruisers and submarines.same deal....the germans basically wasted their research and development programs in many cases, on projects that would bear no tangible the foreseeable future. the V1s, and the V-2 programs were within those categories...if ever there was a total waste of money, these have to be considered prime examples