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The Mosquito Aircraft Association of Australia Incorporated |
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ABN - 68 831 327 047 |
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Mosquito Specifications |
B XVI (RAF service Merlin 72/73 or 76/77) |
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Type: Unarmed pressurised high altitude bomber.
Dimensions Wingspan 54 ft 2 ins Length 40 ft 4.5ins (tail down) 41 ft (tail up) Height 12ft 3.5 ins (tail down) Wheel track 16 ft 4 ins Wing Area 454 sq ft 42.18 sq m.
Engines Two Rolls Royce Merlin 72/73 or 76/77. Two stage two speed supercharged intercooled V12 engines. Coolant Ethylene Glycol/Water Capacity 1649 cu ins 27 litres. Max power Merlin 72/73 Take Off 1280 hp at 3000 rpm and +12 lbs boost. 1,710 hp at 8,500 ft 18 lbs 1,505 hp at 21,000 ft 18 lbs
Max power Merlin 76/77 Take Off 1250 hp at 3000 rpm and +12 lbs boost. 1,655 hp at 10,000 ft 18 lbs 1,475 hp at 21,000 ft 18 lbs
Gear change 21,000ft Max cruise 2650 rpm +7 lbs Max climb 2850 rpm +12 lbs Engine weight 1645/1665 lbs
De Havilland (Hamilton Standard) three blade constant speed fully feathering.12 ft diameter
Fuel Capacity 100/130 Octane Fuselage 2 x 68 gal(46.5 gal with mod 457) Inner wing 2 x 65 gal 2 x 78 gal Outer wing 2 x 24 gal 2 x 34 gal Long Range 151 gal (in bomb bay not normally fitted) Drop Tanks 2 x 40 gal Metal or 2 x 50 gal Wooden or 2 x 100 gal Papier Mache
Maximum Fuel 887 Imp gal (844 gal with mod 457)
Performance Max 415 mph @ 28,000 ft Max Cruise 358 mph @25,000 ft Econ Cruise 250 mph Climb 7.75 min to15,000 ft. Ceiling 38,500 ft Range Max 1,485 miles
Empty 15,510 lb Max 23,350 lb
Armament Total loads of up to 4000lbs:
4 x 500 lb bombs or Target Indicators internally
500 lb on each wing racks
1 x 4,000 lb HC bomb internally.
Typical load for the Light Night Striking Force to Berlin was
1 x 4,000 lb HC bomb and 50 gal fuel tank on each wing. This gave a range of 1470 miles. Enough for “Berlin and back before the bar closes.”
Typical flight time 4 hours 20 mins = 250 mph average if direct route taken, though indirect routes were usually taken to the target. By way of contrast: Lancaster 8500 lbs in 7 hrs. B17 5000 lbs in 8 hrs
Crew Pilot and Observer (Navigator)
Equipment Mark XIV Bombsight Oboe Blind Bombing Equipment , H2S (some aircraft)
Pressure cabin The aircraft was fitted with a pressure cabin which could maintain a cabin altitude of 24,500 ft at 35,000 ft.
Construction Spars Canadian Spruce Plywood Beech and Birch Panel core material Balsa
Limited amounts of walnut were also used in sections such as the wing attachment points.
Number built A total of 347 B XVI’s were built of which none survive today. |