Mosquito B.35 VR796 Restoration at Victoria Air

[JDK]

Does anyone know what became of the T.III that was owned by TFC? IIRC it originally was hanging in a museum in the UK, which involved one of the wings having been sawed off for space. IWM obtained it with the plan to make it a flyer but it seems to have fallen off the radar?

The museum which 'sawed off the wing' was the Imperial War Museum, for when it was displayed at IWM Lambeth as that was the thing to do then. It was eventually traded to TFC (not IWM) with a stated intent to restore to fly, there being a) the wing and second engine acquired as part of the deal, and b) an alleged repair scheme. Some time later the aircraft was traded on.

[Bruce]

Bruce, there seems to some confusion as to what the CAF owned or owns now in other sources on the web. The Mosquito Page website states that RG300 had previously been owned by Jim Merizan. The Mosquito Page website also states that the CAF owned "RF670/N9868F Note: this aircraft may actually be PF670/N9868F", noted as a FBVI in their list for the USA. Do you have any thoughts on these aircraft? I guess everyone has forgotten what the identities are of what the CAF bought. Wouldn't this info be on the "title" or whatever is used in the sale of aircraft? Title transfers for aircraft was discussed as some point on another post some time back, at any rate, its confusing what Mosquitos the CAF has owned!

I have never seen any definitive proof for the continued existence of the FBVI in question. Many years back, the museum was donated a piece of Mosquito fin, with the N registration still intact, but I am not sure which aircraft it came from. I will have to have a dig and see if I can find it.

My understanding was that Jim Merizan owned PZ474, and the remains of TA717.

The remains of PZ474 (the wing) were last noted at Chino; TA717 is also with Jim Dearborn.

I have seen pictures of the remains of RG300 which comprise the entire nacelle assemblies, plus a host of other metal parts. Were one to construct a further Mosquito along the lines of KA114 currently in New Zealand, it would be quite conceivable for RG300 to rise from the dust again!

Bruce

[PeterA]

Here is a shot I took of Duane Egli and Ed Jurist departing Luton, UK, for the first leg of their trans-Atlantic flight. This would be early 1970's from memory. This was to be a CAF aircraft.

Note modified RAF markings and US civil registration N9797.



p.s. RS709/G-ASKB 10 December 1971

[gregv]

thanks for the link TriangleP, great shots!

So what's the story on the woodwork of the airframe, inspection wise? How do wood components get inspected to ensure that all the glue bonds are still holding, that there is no hidden rot etc.? Is there a form of x-raying that does the trick, or ???

Great to see this project moving ahead!

greg v.

[dhfan]

I guess Bruce will fill in the details next time he reads this thread as the DH Aircraft Collection inspected TA634 to check for voids and glue separation.

It was a bit more high tech than a hammer but I can't remember if it was X-rays or not.

[Bruce]

I dont know the exact details, but we pioneered a method to X-ray the wooden structure.

The resulting film shows voids in the structure, and can identify where the glue is not holding up. However, we also used destructive testing on similar parts from other aircraft to determine how well the glue was holding up in general.


Bruce

[Michel Lemieux]

As to how they "inspect" hidden structure... may they tap it with a little hammer? Or hire someone with a trained woodpecker? Its actually a serious problem, only Victoria Air Maintenance could answer.

Bob Jens told me ( about 5 years ago ) that the airframe was checked over before any commitment was made on it's resto.

They used a combination of X-Rays & ultrasounds ( similar to an echograph ( spelling ? ) to do it & costed a heck of a lot of $

[retroaviation]

This is a bit off topic from the original post on this thread, but does anyone have a picture of the blue Mossie that was at the CAF many moons ago?

Gary

[chrisbmw26]

Does anyone know where any parts of Mosquito RG300 are currently today?... i would love to see it or even purchase a part maybe as my grandad F/LT F. E. Thayer navigated this mossie on its trip to beunos aires in 24 hours on September 22nd 1946...

Would also love to hear from any relatives of Airmen that flew with my Grandad

Many thanks Chris

[mike furline]

Does anyone know where any parts of Mosquito RG300 are currently today?... i would love to see it or even purchase a part maybe as my grandad F/LT F. E. Thayer navigated this mossie on its trip to beunos aires in 24 hours on September 22nd 1946...

Would also love to hear from any relatives of Airmen that flew with my Grandad

Many thanks Chris

This shows it being sold to Jim Dearborn. with a hyperlink to an e-mail address.
http://www.mossie.org/Mosquito_loc.htm