I was lucky enough to work for Bendix in the Energy Controls Engineering Lab where we did all the fuel system development work for piston and turbine engines. By the time I got there the big piston stuff was gone but the guys that did all the work on them were still there along with their stories and the "Engine Test House" still in tact. Man I loved that job!!! Peace, Mike D.
They used to call the Mosquito "The Wooden Wonder". It could deliver a 4000lb payload of bombs, come home, reload, and do it all over again in the same time as a heavy bomber could make one round trip. And they hit there target more often too. There are no surviving examples because the glue that holds them together breaks down over time.
Wow John, love your knowlage thanks for the engine lession. There is a guy localy that is into Merlins and Allison motors. Bob Goldstone has got a Merlin powered modified three point hydro a 26' Jonescraft with an Allison and a couple of "spare motors" for each. They are just too cool to hear running and better yet to see going. Thanks again John!
It is amazing but the B-17's had to deal with the fw190's and Me109's in broad daylight as they were easier to catch, so they had to carry a lot of armour, guns and ammo which reduced the bomb payload. If it weren't for the B-17's diverting those fighters the Mosquito would have found the going a lot tougher.
Where as that is all true, you still have to give credit for the resourcefulness of the British in building a very good plane with what they had to work with. They also developed some of the early successful night fighting technique, and the Spitfire is one of the most beautiful planes of all time. I think it's the shape of the wing that makes them stand out, but they are very nice looking planes that did their job keeping the Germans at bay in the battle of Brittan. The B-17 did have the toughest duty though. Not so much an armor thing that kept them alive as the interlocking fire that they had in formation. They had 6? 50 cal gun positions on each plane, and a lot of planes. Must have been a scary thing to attack a formation like that.
Don't forget the B-24. It had the same problem as the British Hurricane - it wasn't pretty. It did a hell of a job though.
