Mosquito RS700

I would feel a little uncomfortable criticising the Canadian’s for storing a Mosquito for 30-40 years ! I can’t help but think that in the last forty years
we have destroyed three Mosquito’s on the dump at Thruxton-chopped up
one for ‘633 Squadron’ and during the course of filming destroyed another.
We have also exported two perfectly airworthy machines which are now grounded – sent one from a national collection to Norway and the IWM have sent their’s to a private owner with no guarantee that it won’t be exported.
The Canadian machine hasn’t been stored by the current museum for anywhere near 30 to 40 years. Maybe having received numerous Hurricanes-Bolingbrokes and Lysanders from Canada it’s now the time to recognise their contribution to our aviation heritage by allowing aircraft to survive on farms whereas we just melted them!

I’m not be critical of the Canadians at all, (as you correctly point out, the UK preservation can hardly claim to be pro-Mosquito over the past 40 years 😡 ) I was merely making a sarcastic observation that RS700 seems to have little interest shown in her by her current custodians, until it seems a serious offer to acquire her by an outside party has spurred them into some high levels decisions about ensuring she’s not sold.
I’m all for her being restored, be that by her current custodians or someone else. I just don’t like the idea of her spending another 30 years gathering dust getting shuffled back the bottom of the ‘priority’ list.

Being at work, I haven’t got any references to hand, but 1975 is now 30 years ago, and IIRC the museum had her before that, so my statement of 30-40 years is true IMHO, as that to me indicates a time span of between 30 and 40 years. :confused:

Very interesting. Richard d, where are you getting your information from?

I would feel a little uncomfortable criticising the Canadian’s for storing a Mosquito for 30-40 years ! I can’t help but think that in the last forty years
we have destroyed three Mosquito’s on the dump at Thruxton-chopped up
one for ‘633 Squadron’ and during the course of filming destroyed another.
We have also exported two perfectly airworthy machines which are now grounded – sent one from a national collection to Norway and the IWM have sent their’s to a private owner with no guarantee that it won’t be exported.
The Canadian machine hasn’t been stored by the current museum for anywhere near 30 to 40 years. Maybe having received numerous Hurricanes-Bolingbrokes and Lysanders from Canada it’s now the time to recognise their contribution to our aviation heritage by allowing aircraft to survive on farms whereas we just melted them!

Well isnt this a little interesting then? so from what i read on the above two posts, once the hurricane is restored they can do whatever they wish with the mossie if there is anything left of her by then …

The airplane will remain in storage for now as the museum focuses its immediate efforts on restoring its Mk X11B Hurricane.

Oh well, I dare say it’ll stay in it’s present state for who knows how long then as it doesn’t seem to have been much of a priority over the past 30-40 years…..until someone expressed an interest in obtaining it of course….:rolleyes:

An update for those of with an ongoing interest in the status of the Calgary Mosquito. The City of Calgary, who still own the airplane, have decided upon researching the issue that the export of this airplane would likely violate provincial regulations and federal legislation.

Given these issues they will not release it to the AeroSpace Museum to trade away nor sell. The Museum directors subsequently voted to withdraw any actions or efforts to deal away the airplane. The airplane will remain in storage for now as the museum focuses its immediate efforts on restoring its Mk X11B Hurricane.

If anybody has any history on this Particular ‘Mossie’ I would love to see it.

I’ve been in the pub for the last 8 hours celebrating the landlord’s 50th birthday. If the following turns out to be complete drivel, I apologise in advance.

I don’t deny the staggering temperature changes RS700 has experienced over the last 20-odd (30?) years. But she/it’s been indoors. TA634 sat outside, soaked, baked, fozen etc. I find it hard to believe that RS700 may be in worse condirion than TA634.

The Mosquito seems to survive temperature extremes reasonably well – being a ‘natural’material, wood likes a varied climate rather than being cold all the time, or warm all the time. That said, it is unclear what effect that will have on the glue.

As I mention elsewhere, the potential purchaser should be aware of the possibility that they may be buying a bunch of potentially airworthy metal fittings. Until a survey is done, it wont be clear what the state of the wood is.

Bruce

Summer of 76. Would be regarded as ‘warm’ in Calgary. Winter 81/2: Would be regarded as ‘warm’ in Calgary. Get the pic?

Fair point, again. Although our temperature variations seem extreme to us natives, they are minor compared to other places.

However, during TA634s sojourn outside, we did have a couple of ferocious summers (75/76 or 76/77 I don’t remember) and by Southern England standards, a pretty evil winter in 81/82. I remember the winter clearly, I still have 8 screws in my leg as a result. 🙁 With that and the rain, you would expect more structural problems than there appear to be.

The survey at Salisbury Hall showed there was no reason, apart from lots of loot, that TA634 couldn’t be returned to flight. I don’t know the exact length of time but I guess it stood outside for 10 years plus, with all the vagaries of our weather. Surely RS700 should be at least as good.

Fair point. Although the British spend more time talking about the weather than anyone else, England actually has almost the least variation of temperate variation in the world. Have a look at Calgury’s max, min temps and humidity variations.

That’s not to detract from the effort put into preserving TA634. Complete wooden aircraft have stresses distributed as they are meant to be. Dissasembled aircraft *may* not.

Original build quality and glue type will have a lot to do with possible rates of deterioration or preservation too.

I’m not a Mosquito preservation expert, but I’ve been talking to a couple recently. 😉

The survey at Salisbury Hall showed there was no reason, apart from lots of loot, that TA634 couldn’t be returned to flight. I don’t know the exact length of time but I guess it stood outside for 10 years plus, with all the vagaries of our weather. Surely RS700 should be at least as good?

Good post Firebird. However, I doubt the storage would be fully climate controlled. 20 years of Calgury’s summer – winter cycle could be very unfunny on W.W.II glue and 60 year old softwoods. It depends on how well controlled the environment is, and how stored. Wood needs to be supported correctly or it will deform.

[Caviat Emptor – this is theoretical speculation!]

It would be really handy knowing some more about the condition of the airframe befor e we all fire off on a tangent !!

I’m guessing the chances are it is still quite reasonable having been stored inside in a dismantled state for a good number of years.

Although now 20 years out of date, to quote the last 2 paragraphs from Stuart Howe’s Mosquito Survivors.

CF-HMS was eventually made redundant and was bought by private interests in 1964 with the intention of starting a museum. However, this fell through and it was donated to the Centennial Planetarium Museum in 1972 and has remained stored ever since, dismantled but in excellent condition.
The writer is not aware of current plans, if any, for CF-HMS, but at least until recently the plans did call for the Mosquito to be restored to airworthy condition, with a target date of 1990, but it is presumed that work has yet to start.

Well if a Mossie is in good nick I think it should be preserved as is. If on the other hand it is that deteroiated as was Jerry Yeagans project under restoration in NZ then this is probably the best fate for it – to be restored to fly again. It would be really handy knowing some more about the condition of the airframe befor e we all fire off on a tangent !!

Regards
John P

I just wonder what the prospective owner would make of the above comments should he/she read this thread

I dont think there is anything particularly contentious here.

Bruce

I believe RS700 was imported to Canada July 1956, if this is correct the Cultural Properties Import and Export Act which kicks in after 50 years. This would require it to be offered to a Canadian buyer first and they must match any offered prices, failing this, it can be exported.

This would have delayed any sale of the aircraft and my guess is that the people in Calgary seen this deadline approaching and made the move to sell it.

As to the aircraft leaving Canada, no one likes to see them go but sometimes they’re better of with someone else.

Brian….

I just wonder what the prospective owner would make of the above comments should he/she read this thread

Have our friends in Canada had/got any further news???

Al