Mosquito Construction Method

Dont know if its true or not , but I was once told that the Vampire nose wheel is the same as a Mosquito tail wheel . Anybody know ?

The vampire/venom nose wheel is the same as the Hornet tail wheel (but not the mosquito).

No, they are different sizes.

Mike, the production process was similar, but the actual design is quite different. Its like saying the Mossie was basically an Albatross – same construction methods, but different design 🙂

Bruce

Dont know if its true or not , but I was once told that the Vampire nose wheel is the same as a Mosquito tail wheel . Anybody know ?

Well sort of.

Vampire design and Mosquito design are completely different. The shapes are nothing like one another. Its a common misconception.

Similarly, the bulkheads are not steel; they are aluminium. The Vampire is a very clever design; all the work is done by the fuselage steel spars, which support the wings, and the engine. Essentially, the wood is a fairing to stop the pilots getting cold. There’s a bit more to it than that of course, but thats the basics!

Bruce

Yes sorry late in the day I meant to say Aluminium instead of steel.I dont like to question an expert Bruce but I am sure I have read somewhere that they had a lot in common and some of the production process was very similar ?.

Well sort of.

Vampire design and Mosquito design are completely different. The shapes are nothing like one another. Its a common misconception.

Similarly, the bulkheads are not steel; they are aluminium. The Vampire is a very clever design; all the work is done by the fuselage steel spars, which support the wings, and the engine. Essentially, the wood is a fairing to stop the pilots getting cold. There’s a bit more to it than that of course, but thats the basics!

Bruce

A lot of people dont realise that a Vampire is made in exactly the same way and I know Bruce will correct me if I am wrong but essentialy a T11/T55 is basically a Mosquito fighter bomber cockpit area with two steel bulkheads inserted one just in fron tof the windscreen and to carry the loads etc of the nose wheel and the rear one just foward of the main wing spar line to form the firewall for the engine bay.And to hang other things on.:diablo::diablo::diablo:

Mike E
www.whirlwindfighterproject.org

Thsre is a good article in Aeroplane this month -a reprint of their visit to Mosquito production in 1943. Lots of good mono pictures as well.

Essentially there is a ‘male’ V on one side of the fuselage, and a ‘female’ V on the other. Lots of glue and joined together, then a cap strip down the centre.

Bruce

Thanks guys. It has long been a question I was meaning to ask, and it has now been answered.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbramptonwytonhenlow/aboutus/dehavilandmosquito.cfm

Scroll down to Construction.

It’s always amused me that the way the fuselage joins together is very much like a large Airfix kit!

Isn’t there a small slot in the wood layers and a joint strip inserted between the halves?

Thanks Muttley.

I take it you mean a joint like this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Woodworking-joint-splice.gif

A Poor Canine Attempt At Explanation…

I cant quite remember the name of the specific wood joint. However I believe that the two halfs have a prepared joint in the wood, the two halfs mated together and then glued along the joint. After this I believe the whole thing is wrapped in doped fabric?

That said im sure a DH Boff will turf up soon with some better explanation than I