De Havilland Mosquito KA114 then and now ...

[Mark Allen M]

Is this 'warbird' related?

KA114, a Mosquito FB.26, was an early production example built at de Havilland Canada's Downsview factory in Toronto. KA114 was flown straight into reserve storage with the Eastern Air Command and taken on RCAF charge on the 22nd February 1945.
Issued to No. 7 OTU at Debert, Nova Scotia on the 25th of February 1945, KA114 was returned to reserve storage on the 20th of April 1945 and subsequently to No. 2 Air Command reserve storage on the 23rd of May 1945. KA114 was next recorded in store with No. 103 Reserve Equipment Maintenace Satellite (REMS) at Vulcan, Alberta.
KA114 was recorded as still at Vulcan on the 16th of July 1947 and was finally transferred to War Assets for public disposal on the 3rd of April 1948.
Bought from War Assets by a farmer, KA114 was transported to his farm near Milo, Alberta, where it stayed for the next 30 years. In August 1978 Ed Zalesky heard about the now derelict Mosquito and negotiated its transfer to the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transport (CMFT). When Ed and his crew arrived, they found the aircraft to be in very poor condition and minus both engines and undercarriage units, but otherwise relatively complete.
In the process of the recovery, the fuselage forward of the wing disintegrated and the fuselage remains broke in two when being loaded onto Ed's trailer. The wing, fittings and many other components were however in a much better state of preservation.
KA114 was stored for a considerable length of time under cover at the CMFT's storage facility before being bought in 2004(?) by Jerry Yeagan's Fighter Factory.
After a seven year reconstruction and restoration by Avspecs Ltd. in Auckland, New Zealand “The Wooden Wonder” took to the skies once again in 2012 and now represents RNZAF DeHaviland DH-98 Mosquito of 487 Squadron at the Fighter Factory at MAM in Va Beach, VA

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Sun Aug 19, 2018 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

[pjpahs]

Was there for the Mossie's first "Warbirds Over The Beach", and was there for their Me109"s first also. I'm not shy about taking the time and trouble to see great aircraft. When on vacation I'll check where the nearest Museum is and do it. Going to Seattle and Portland in July and I plan on seeing all I can. Madras isn't that far from Eugene ,Oregon, where a wedding takes place between Museums visits.

[ErrolC]

Nice find Mark.

now represents RNZAF DeHaviland DH-98 Mosquito of 487 Squadron

For precision, while the RAF vs RNZAF status of 487 (New Zealand) squadron is convoluted, the individual aircraft in service with the unit were definitely part of the RAF. The RNZAF did not get any Mosquitos until post-war (as seen in the temporary markings for TV959 as NZ2337).

[Zman]

We should give credit for the 1945 Debert photo to my father, Jack Zavitz. He photographed many of the aircraft that passed through Debert while he served as a wireless tech. He was fortunate to go on many check flights and has the hearing loss to prove it!

[Richard W.]

We are in debt to that unnamed farmer who bought the a/c.

I wonder why the engines and undercarriage would have gone missing.