Until the introduction of jet aircraft towards the end of the Second World War, the deHavilland Mosquito held the distinction of being the fastest aircraft in any force involved in the global conflict. A technological marvel, the Mosquito was built almost entirely of wood. Wood was adopted for construction to speed the design process, tap into construction materials not readily used by the war effort and to employ new labour.
Specifications
- Wingspan: 16.51 m
- Length: 12.55 m
- Powerplant: 2 x Rolls Royce Merlin 21 V-12 engines (1,070 kW ea)
- Maximum Speed: 679 km/h
- Cruise Speed: 444 km/h
- Range: 3,240 km
- Crew: 2
Excerpt from Alberta Aviation Museum – 30 Years of Progress
Spartan Air Services purchased our Mosquito as surplus from the RAF and used it for aerial photography and survey work across Canada and in Kenya. Former 418 Squadron commanding officer J. K. Campbell purchased the aircraft and donated it to the City of Edmonton, who subsequently loaned it to the museum. Our volunteers restored the aircraft to represent a fighter-bomber flown by Russell Bannock during the Second World War.
You can learn more about this aircraft by purchasing a copy of our 30th Anniversary Souvenir Book or by visiting the museum today!
