CAF Mosquito Questions...

[Elroy13]

Not certain Elroy but I think that is Kermit Weeks mosquito and is on long term loan to the museum- anyone out there know for sure?

I have to admit the Mosquito is the one airplane I would fly overseas just to see one flying.

Steve S

I know it belongs to Kermit now, or I believe it does. But I thought the CAF owned her before Kermit. I could be wrong...

[Mike]

I know it belongs to Kermit now, or I believe it does. But I thought the CAF owned her before Kermit. I could be wrong...

Wrong Mosquito. As has been said before, the CAF one went via Tallichet to Doug Arnold in the UK, then to NMUSAF at Dayton.

The Weeks one came from Willie Roberts in the UK, and is emphatically NOT the ex-CAF one.

[Old Shep]

I'm not real sure if the CAF ever really "owned" the Mosquito. In the early days of the CAF the relationship between the owner/donor and the CAF was rather blurry. For example, the six Thunderbolts seen in many formation pix are sometimes thought to have been "owned" by the CAF. They belonged to Ed Jurist and I believe Tallichet, but were operated under some kind of agreement by the CAF for a relatively short period.

There is a paper trail at CAF HQ...I'll see what I can find. Perhaps Mosquito can use his superior sense of smell to see if he can find out about the twin-engined Mosquito.

Old Shep

[warbird1]

I'm not real sure if the CAF ever really "owned" the Mosquito. In the early days of the CAF the relationship between the owner/donor and the CAF was rather blurry.

Do you know if the CAF's Mosquito ever attended any airshows or made any public appearances while it was supposedly owned by them? Do you know what years or how long the CAF might have owned the Mosquito?

I still have one of the old CAF history books that I bought in the 70's down at Harlingen that has a brief part on that Mosquito. They claimed to have the Mosquito, but I believe what you said Old Shep.

Any more info would be nice, thanks.

[Lynn Allen]

I can remember in Harlingen many years ago, behind the main hangar there were sections of Mossie parts laying around. I now wonder which Mossi Ober put his #12 through??

Lynn

[Firebird]

Great shot here of USAFM's RS709 next to Week's RS712 and TA719 (now on static display at IWM Duxford) at the Battle of Britain Display at RAF Biggin Hill in Aug 1963, just before being sold off by Mirisch Films after the finish of the filming of 633 Squadron.

[PeterA]

Mosquitoes aren't my speciality but here are a couple of shots of one with a US connection.

Ed Jurist and Duane Egli swung by my place and invited me to the departure for the US of N9797 at Luton. This would be some time around 1970. If the date is important I could check in an old Control Column mag. Note the modifications to the RAF markings that had to me made to satisfy the transit authorities.



Here is a later shot of what may well be the same aircraft but now with Doug Arnold back in the UK at Blackbushe. Note a rare shot of Doug - no relation.



PeterA

[RickH]

Gary, is the Mosquito canopy that was hanging from the rafters in the storage hangar gone ?

[Firebird]

This would be some time around 1970. If the date is important I could check in an old Control Column mag.



Here is a later shot of what may well be the same aircraft but now with Doug Arnold back in the UK at Blackbushe.

There is currently on ebay a colour slide for sale of RS709 taken at Booker in 1970, so your date would be about right.

It is the same aircraft at Blackbushe, no other surviving Mossie has completed 3 x trans-atlantic crossings......maybe it's the ONLY Mossie to have done 3.....

[retroaviation]

I just got the following information e-mailed to me by a WIX lurker...

"So this is what I have on the three Mossies that the CAF owned.

De Havilland FB MK. VI PF670 was owned by Jack Amman when he used it for Aerial
Surveys in Libyia, and then came to San Antonio in 1959. By 64 it was derelic. John Terrell of Tulsa
purchased it for spares in 1960 and then in 1961 he sold it to Lynn Childress who
was a early part of the CAF he donated the remains to the CAF after it was broken up
during transport in 1966.

De Havilland FB Mk 34 RG300 was another one of Jacks aircraft and like PF670 it
went through the same ownership changes this might explain why there seemed to be a lot
of Mossie parts laying around in the early 80s. Both of these aircraft were paint
Robin Egg Blue with White Stripes.

De Havilland B.Mk.35 RS709 was used in 633 Squadron and was aqcuired by Ed Jurist
who donated it tot he CAF for a tax right off then David traded it for the help
of the P-47s this is still sort of a mystery on how and why but that is what my
paperwork shows."

And no, we don't have anymore Mosquito parts here, including the canopy. Everything was recently sold to a private collector.

Gary

[PeterA]

There is currently on ebay a colour slide for sale of RS709 taken at Booker in 1970, so your date would be about right.

I checked. It departed Luton on 10th December 1971.

Good heavens, that is over 36 years ago!!

PeterA

[Warbirdnerd]

I just got the following information e-mailed to me by a WIX lurker...

"So this is what I have on the three Mossies that the CAF owned.

De Havilland FB MK. VI PF670 was owned by Jack Amman when he used it for Aerial
Surveys in Libyia, and then came to San Antonio in 1959. By 64 it was derelic. John Terrell of Tulsa
purchased it for spares in 1960 and then in 1961 he sold it to Lynn Childress who
was a early part of the CAF he donated the remains to the CAF after it was broken up
during transport in 1966.

De Havilland FB Mk 34 RG300 was another one of Jacks aircraft and like PF670 it
went through the same ownership changes this might explain why there seemed to be a lot
of Mossie parts laying around in the early 80s. Both of these aircraft were paint
Robin Egg Blue with White Stripes.

De Havilland B.Mk.35 RS709 was used in 633 Squadron and was aqcuired by Ed Jurist
who donated it tot he CAF for a tax right off then David traded it for the help
of the P-47s this is still sort of a mystery on how and why but that is what my
paperwork shows."

And no, we don't have anymore Mosquito parts here, including the canopy. Everything was recently sold to a private collector.

Gary

Thanks Gary and Lurker!

[warbird1]

I just got the following information e-mailed to me by a WIX lurker...

"So this is what I have on the three Mossies that the CAF owned.

De Havilland FB MK. VI PF670 was owned by Jack Amman when he used it for Aerial
Surveys in Libyia, and then came to San Antonio in 1959. By 64 it was derelic. John Terrell of Tulsa
purchased it for spares in 1960 and then in 1961 he sold it to Lynn Childress who
was a early part of the CAF he donated the remains to the CAF after it was broken up
during transport in 1966.

De Havilland FB Mk 34 RG300 was another one of Jacks aircraft and like PF670 it
went through the same ownership changes this might explain why there seemed to be a lot
of Mossie parts laying around in the early 80s. Both of these aircraft were paint
Robin Egg Blue with White Stripes.

De Havilland B.Mk.35 RS709 was used in 633 Squadron and was aqcuired by Ed Jurist
who donated it tot he CAF for a tax right off then David traded it for the help
of the P-47s this is still sort of a mystery on how and why but that is what my
paperwork shows."

And no, we don't have anymore Mosquito parts here, including the canopy. Everything was recently sold to a private collector.

Gary

Thanks Col. Rohr!

[soko121]

My dad was the pilot on one of those 3 transatlantic flight. He bought the plane over to Blackbushe for Doug Arnold, i will never forget my mum took me and my sister out of school to meet them after the crossing. we stood at the side of the runway ( me a 6 year old in '76) and watched as this almighty mosquito "beat up" the field. Never to be forgotten. the hair on the back of my neck still stands up. Years later (200) i was flying a citation on a transatlantic ferry and we stopped in to see Sven in Iceland for a weather brief, he had pictures on the wall of the mosquito trip and remembered my dad flying it. very cool. gotta ask dad to drag out those pics again, i saw an old one of the crew wearing battery heated socks, thermal suits and such. Good times!