Mosquito RR299 crash

I’m slightly biased, but having seen the standard of work that his guys turn out, I’d say you’d be hard-pressed to find a better woodworking organisation than Tim Moore’s Skysport Engineering. They also have a little bit of Mossie experience, albeit just some repair work done on MAM’s FB.VI.

Haven’t ever visited AJD Engineering, but I gather they know their wood too.

Difficult to answer, as no-one has yet done one. Glynn Powell is the current man in the frame though, as he has successfully completed a fuselage, albeit for static use so far. So, keep your eyes on New Zealand!

Bruce

Here is something I’ve been wondering about. We all know about the different restoration shops worldwide who delivers 1st class rebuilds of Spits, 51s, etc. But all of these are made out of metal. Who is the master craftsman to fix a derelict wooden aircraft, like for instance a Mosquito?

T J

No it doesnt – it was flown into Oshkosh and has been kept in a climatically controlled hangar since then. If we can keep our Mossies from delaminating in the UK, in hangars which are far from climate controlled, there is no reason to believe that RS712 is suffering in this way.

I have however seen reports that the fabric is starting to lift – no small surpise as it has never been recovered since it was built. That may explain the reports that suggest that the aircraft is delaminating.

It would certainly need a thorough overhaul before being returned to the air, and probably some localised wood repairs and a re-fabric. A new wing? I dont think so!

Oh, and a note to the people concerned about RR299 in the latter years of its operation – it was always flown well within its performance limits. The fact is that the Mosquito was an incredibly high performance aircraft for its time. There is still film of Geoffrey de Havilland doing aerobatics in W4052 on one engine, and really wringing it out. You will never have seen RR299 flown in such a way! The accident was caused as a result of the carburettor failing in the middle of a manouevre – a manouevre that was well within the capabilities of the aircraft.

Bruce

Thanks for pointing that out, Bruce!

That’s how I read it too, Bruce. The accident could have happened equally probably when turning in for an approach to land!

It needs a new wing.

No it doesnt – it was flown into Oshkosh and has been kept in a climatically controlled hangar since then. If we can keep our Mossies from delaminating in the UK, in hangars which are far from climate controlled, there is no reason to believe that RS712 is suffering in this way.

I have however seen reports that the fabric is starting to lift – no small surpise as it has never been recovered since it was built. That may explain the reports that suggest that the aircraft is delaminating.

It would certainly need a thorough overhaul before being returned to the air, and probably some localised wood repairs and a re-fabric. A new wing? I dont think so!

Oh, and a note to the people concerned about RR299 in the latter years of its operation – it was always flown well within its performance limits. The fact is that the Mosquito was an incredibly high performance aircraft for its time. There is still film of Geoffrey de Havilland doing aerobatics in W4052 on one engine, and really wringing it out. You will never have seen RR299 flown in such a way! The accident was caused as a result of the carburettor failing in the middle of a manouevre – a manouevre that was well within the capabilities of the aircraft.

Bruce

The wing started delaminating soon after arriving in the U.S.

It was a liitle longer than soon, but yes, it was a certainty to happen given the documented evidence that it happened in service to those aircraft operating in the Far East.
Given Kermit Weeks’ knowledge etc., I was always surprised that this problem seemed to be brushed under the carpet, and sending the aircraft up to the EAA was done far too late to save it.
When I visited the old Weeks facility at Timiami back in 1989, which was already several years after the Mossie had arrived in Florida) I got to have a brief chat with Kermit as he was manning the till in the gift shop ( 😮 ) and I questioned the wisdom of keeping the Mossie in the humidity of Florida given the problems they had in the Far East.
He wasn’t too concerned and kept on about the big new facility he was building which would have a climate controlled enviroment, and it’d be OK then.
Didn’t happen soon enough though for the Mossie….. 🙁

It needs a new wing.

The wing started delaminating soon after arriving in the U.S.

That was it – wasn’t quite sure what the damage was, but I assume this has at least been looked into?

Isn’t the woodwork of that Mossie a little, erm, affected by the humidity and temperatures there, or am I thinking of another one?

The wing started delaminating soon after arriving in the U.S.

I think it’s in a controlled environment at Oshkosh, at least it looked perfect to me there last year.

Must be thinking of another one, then :rolleyes:

I think it’s in a controlled environment at Oshkosh, at least it looked perfect to me there last year.

Isn’t the woodwork of that Mossie a little, erm, affected by the humidity and temperatures there, or am I thinking of another one?

Kermit’s Mosquito hasn’t flown since it was placed at the EAA museum in Oshkosh in 1991 or so. It now needs work so I doubt it will be flying anytime soon either.

John

one person i know was lucky enough to fly in her before the accident shame. 🙁

Wathever kind of display that was flown with this plane, I can only see it this way:

A tragic loss, of pilot and engineer, and one of Britain’s most historic warbirds.

🙁

J.V.

I felt distinctly uncomfortable at seeing a unique airworthy machine being displayed in a semi-aerobatic fashion.

I request that this doesn’t signal the annual reopening of this discussion.

Moggy

before the accident no-one would have not been comfortable with the display

Not quite…….I, for one, had noticed how increasingly energetically the Mosquito had been displayed over its final years. Best Mosquito display I ever saw was a sensational one at the Shuttleworth Pageant 1995, but I felt distinctly uncomfortable at seeing a unique airworthy machine being displayed in a semi-aerobatic fashion.

Thanks for the link and the explanation, Moondance and JDK.

Cheers, Transall.

Whilst on the Sticky subject.. What was the cause of The TFC P 38 Crash