BOAC Mosquito G-AGGF

Here is a description of the BOAC Mosquitos’ bomb bays.

The bomb-bays of the Mosquitos were lined with plywood and padded with felt, petrol pipes diverted, and equipped with safety-belts to prevent the unfortunate inmate being thrown about too much.

Passengers accommodated in the bomb bay were wearing a lined flying suit to protect them from the cold temperature of the higher stratum of air, and they were equipped with an oxygen flask. There was no direct connection between the pilots in the cockpit and the passenger. The communication link was through the crew’s intercom system. In some occasions the passenger, not familiar with how to operate this system, failed to receive messages from the pilot such as using the oxygen mask at high altitude. An electric light was been rigged inside the bomb-bays which provided for light so that they could do some reading during the flight. Each passenger was given a packet of sandwiches and a thermos flask with coffee or tea, and told to hope for the best.

This compartment was barely large enough for a man to lie down inside, and not high enough for him to sit upright. The hydraulic jacks for closing the bomb doors were inside the bay, and folded into the compartment as they closed the doors. In order to avoid having his legs trapped, the long-suffering passenger had to perform further gymnastics by raising his knees right up under his chin. When the bomb doors were shut on him, he could stretch out his legs underneath the jacks and “relax”.

Nils

LIFE archive photo of BOAC Mossie on
http://tinyurl.com/5rbnxt9
and a few BOAC Mossie related pics in Stephen Greensted’s flickr album
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7691137@N06/page7/

Re photos, go to http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/qryPhotoImg.php and enter “CH 14389” in the Reference Number text field.

Nils

There are a couple of photos of a passenger in the bomb bay that have been published in several books, magazines etc. I have copies somewhere. I also have a description on the modifications that were done to the bomb bay to carry passenger. Give me a few days, and I will find it.

I am currently writing a book on the BOAC, ABA and ATC flights between Britain ans Sweden during WWII. There is so much material out there that need to be processed….

Nils

Hi Nils, Wieesso and Anon;

Thank you all for the very helpful information.

Nils; I had also recently been told via Hyperscale that you were pretty much the authority on the BOAC Mosquitos. I feel confident that I will depict G-AGGF accurately with the information that you have kindly provided.

One further question if I may? What would the set up have been in the bomb bay? I did toy with the idea of displaying the model with the bomb doors open, but I’m not sure if this would be accurate as I don’t really know what, if any, modifications were installed there. I realise that passengers were often carried, but haven’t found any decent photos of this area.

Regards;
Steve

Both Caruana and Brown has got it wrong. The upper side and fuselage registrations were Medium Sea Grey, outlined in Aluminium. This is well documented in correspondence between the Air Ministry and BOAC, which is kept at the National Archives at Kew.

Since G-AGGF crashed after just four flights, it never got its undersides painted black.

Vingtor Decals has produced decals in 1/72 scale for all the Mosquitos that were used on the Sweden run. These will also be available in 1/48 scale shortly.

Nils

Mossie G-AGGF

Sad end for this aircraft – it was used on the UK-Stockholm ball bearing run and spread itself over the north end of Glen Esk, Scotland on the way back one night.

There was quite a lot left at the crash site until about 20-odd years ago.

Anon.

Here is a tiny bw photo of AGGF
http://www.ssplprints.com/image.php?id=85060