SPOTLIGHT PAGE: BACKGROUND
DAVID HALL'S KEMBLE MOSSIE PROJECT
Kemble Mossie mated fuselage sections (at Devonair)
An amazing re-creation of a de Havilland Mosquito B.IV
by David Hall, based at Kemble
Aerodrome.
IT'S the sort of thing many of us day-dream about -
if only we had a Mosquito...
The UK's last flying example tragically is no longer with us, and Kermit Weeks' example in the USA is likely to stay where it is - firmly rooted to the ground. Even static museum examples are very few and far between. Fortunately the
de Havilland Heritage/Mosquito Museum in the UK has worked tirelessly over the years to help preserve what it can, including the Prototype W4050. There are now
also several restoration projects all over the world including Canada and Australia, but sadly this majestic aircraft is
now almost extinct. The generation that built and flew the Mosquito will eventually no longer be with us, and then the mantle will be passed on to those who appreciate and remember the sight and sound of the "Wooden
Wonder"
- the most versatile aircraft of WWII.
The day-dream drifts to thoughts of perhaps building a Mosquito from scratch ...impossible? Well certainly financially for mere mortals or cash-strapped voluntary organizations! All those concrete molds, straps ...main spar ...balsa ... airworthy wafer-thin plywood ...it would cost an absolute fortune, let alone the cost of the Merlins. OK, what about maybe scratch building a Mosquito out of just plywood as a "shape" to at least make it look like the real thing? Why not kit it out with all the right gear and equipment? Why not stick a couple of engines in it and fire them up to at least have her taxiing? What a fantastic tribute and memorial that would be to help remind people of the aircraft and all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Just a day-dream? Actually no. David Hall has gone and done it! Well at
least currently the project is well under way.
We had first encountered David at our Popham Show in 2002 (yes we did make some good contacts at that event!). Luckily for us David kindly became a
"Friend" of Bomber Command Heritage and invited us down to Kemble one day to view his project and have a chat.
Kemble Aerodrome in Gloucestershire, UK, is still an active site for aviation. Many
classic aircraft are based there including the Hawker Hunters of DeltaJets. Kemble is also the home to the
Bristol Aero Collection Museum, which has the only
complete Bristol Britannia and many examples of missiles, engines and other items relating to this famous manufacturing company.
It is also home to Devonair, who specialize in maintaining and repairing de Havilland Dove and Devon aircraft. David's day job is with
Devonair and so he is ideally suited, and placed, to embark on a project of this scale. Apart from being surrounded by aircraft David was inspired by his keen interest in the aircraft and period. Apart from working professionally hands-on in aviation,
aero-modelling has been a bit of a passion. The
Kemble Mossie Project is really the ultimate aircraft model. It is just that it is full-size and somebody has had the vision, facilities, dedication, drive and skill to
actually do it.
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Construction of front section/cockpit was 1st phase of the
project
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We did not really know what to expect and knew only the vaguest details about David's project, so imagine our
surprise when we met David and walked into the hangar and saw a full Mosquito Forward Fuselage completely fitted out with all equipment! We were quite taken aback by how complete the whole thing actually was. Some parts have been acquired through the usual aerojumble route and are ex-Dove/Devon, but many mechanical parts have also been scratch built. The overall effect is staggeringly realistic.
From the outside with her period camo-scheme paint job she looks the part. David has even simulated fabric tape joints! The ex-Canberra Nose Blister hints at a slight deviation from the original for a highly critical eye, but close up, looks solid and is definitely more than good enough.
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