Wings of Valor: Restoring A De Havilland Mosquito For Future Generations | Gaining Altitude | Spark
2020 ж. 5 Қаң.
2 673 307 Рет қаралды
Gaining Altitude: The Mosquito Reborn tells the story of a Mossie through archival footage and interviews with veteran pilots. We follow the incredible process of restoring a plane that hasn’t flown in more than 50 years. And, we’ll take to the skies with the world’s only known flying original Mosquito.
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Beautiful. My dad was a Mosquito pilot and I wish he could have seen this. RIP Dad.
Wonder if your dad knew my dad. My dad was a Spitfire and Mosquito mechanic in the RAF
@@MilesCobbett It would be interesting to know. My sister has all Dad`s log books and I can seem to get in touch with her any more. Must have changed phones and email accounts.
mine too - I wish I had asked him about it
Mine too, Photo reconnaissance, RAF Benson and Burma
My father too was a mechanic on spitfires and mosquitos. He was stationed at RAF Manston.
It's great to see this restoration. My father was a cabinet maker in North London before the war and, although he volunteered for the armed forces, he was mobilised into the workforce to build Mosquitos at Hatfield. He would have been very pleased to see one flying again.
My mum also worked in a factory making parts of the wooden airframe
It's 2023, I'm a guy who is an ENGINE man.. I can hear the sound of my friends vehicles by the tone of their engine.. To this day there is no more beautiful sound than a Rolls-Royce Merlin Engine.. I live near an air museum, near Chino Airport, so I hear them regularly and it always makes me look up to see the aircraft...
The de Havilland Mosquito was, in my humble opinion the very best, most succesful, and most outstanding aeroplane of WW 2.
It was built as a jack of all trades, that was so good it mastered them all.
No arguments here. My dad was a Lancaster rear gunner and must've seen them in action, but never mentioned it
@@ianpodmore9666 well, it became a jack of all trades. Not quite all those trades were envisioned during conception… 90% of the discussion over the original envisioned concept with the air ministry was ‘fast unarmed bomber’
@@TheHarryMann Very true, but you get my point.
Wooden Wonder!
Not only astonishing you could restore it so meticulously but to have it fly again is way beyond incredible. Gives me goosebumps to see her take to the air again...
I’m in tears as the engines start and the plane is reborn. I cannot thank you guys enough.
Well here I am a year later watching this again and I can only imagine the joy and accomplishment of what you all achieved. I take my hat off to all those involved.
no loud continous music drowning out the voices, that alone makes that great documentation special by itself
The Mosquito is one of the flight masterpieces in WWII. amazing restoration.
I cried when I saw one in a museum. I never thought I would ever see one. What a treat.
As a kid my Dad used to drive past an all silver Mossie. Unfortunately he never stopped so I could visit it - much to my regret!
The de havilland museum near London has restored the first prototype.
Imagine how I felt when I saw one crash in 1996 :( I think at the time it was the last flying example too.
We have one at the RAF Cosford museum
@@buffplums a beauty she is too! Sadly not flown since 1965 and highly unlikely ever to do so again as she's structurally unfit due to glue failure :( Apparently one of her engines has only had 50 hours use!
The most versatile allied aircraft of ww2 and one of the best planes of the war period
My late father, who survived two entire tours in Bomber Command and who flew many aircraft types, described the Mosquito as his favourite aircraft. It was astonishingly fast, versatile and could fight its way where no heavy bomber could. He felt that the appalling number of deaths in Bomber Command (which suffered proportionally a higher death toll than any other arm within the British armed forces) could have been substantially reduced by deploying the Mozzy than the slower heavy bomber types.
De Havilland had a penchant for building beautiful airplanes. From the Dragon Rapide to the Mossie, the Comet and even the old DH-4 of WWI had it's own beauty. I've long thought the Mossie to be the best most versatile all round British twin of WWII. My British and Canadian cousins knew how to put together an airplane. Well done lads. Well done indeed.
I flew in a Rapide at Duxford museum.
I was very sad about the de Havilland Comet being plagued by metal fatigue.
The greatest aircraft of WWII - thank you so much for getting this beauty back into the skies...
massive thankyou to everyone involved for keeping this beautiful aeroplane flying in perfect condition.
What can you say to all the people involved except THANK YOU for bringing these wonderful machines to life again. Too many iconic aircraft down the years have been consigned to the scrap heap by successive governments an absolute disgrace.
TRULY! J.C.
The Mosquito is an epic feat of man's ability to not only create but to fly. I was lucky enough to see the one rebuilt here in New Zealand fly for its first public airshow at Hood aerodrome. The sound alone of two merlins strapped to the same airframe made every sensory nerve of my body quiver like jelly and too also see this in person...Moment of a lifetime never to be forgotten🙏
I saw the Virginia-based Mossie fly about 6 years ago. I guess it was a NZ aircraft before moving to VA. Amazing sound and a beautiful bird.
I was there about 9 years old I’m 25 now but seeing that thing fly over the strip is still burnt into my brain
I saw the same Mosquito seen at Hood when it was actually being built in a warehouse in Drury which is south of Auckland. The bloke building it had plans for the wooden moulds and about 12 containers of recovered mosquitos from around the world.. It was a skeleton at that stage.. fast forward about 10 years and I saw that plane again when it flew into Tauranga. Its twin Merlin's were just gorgeous to hear.. I got to walk around it and even stuck my head up into the cockpit. And brother was it fast..It did Rotorua and back in about 21 mins. Lol. Gorgeous plane... Wonder where it is now...
At the age of 82, I have missed a good thing!
''Man's ability to create and fly''. Spoken like a true delusional Anglo liberal. It only shows the ability of white men to engineer and fly, nobody else. If you actually think the other peoples exploited by the British empire could have done this you are truly deranged. But unfortunately it was the deranged liberals who won that war and now destroy every ''Western'' country.
There is a team in New Zealand who have restored several Mosquitos to flying condition. That includes manufacture of new fuselages. This team would probably benefit from talking to them
Interestingly the Australian built Mosquitoes were slightly stronger due to using Coachwood, which was the same timber used for 303 rifle stocks. Those Mosquitoes had to survive in the tropics which were the worst conditions encountered for the plane and a testament to the builder’s skill in glues and paint.
At 51.28 the tears began ! So beautiful.
To me, this is THE iconic warbird of WWII. Such a radical, brilliant design. And the lowest casualty rate of any plane in Bomber Command despite the demanding roles it was assigned. As someone who was brought up on the Biggles books, it is exciting to see one flying again.
It never ceases to amaze me how long a restoration takes compared to the 11 months from concept to first flight it took at the time .
I think there are a few good reasons for that. They're working with parts that already exist and trying to keep as many in the finished version as possible. The people at the time had no such considerations. In addition, the people who are completing the restoration will have other jobs, or be volunteers, and are clearly not working from original drawings, but from inspired guesswork, as the programme makes clear. And finally, the people back then had in imperative. Their survival was at stake. Happily, we have no such problem.
Not having access to the technical drawings and manual does not help either. I am always amazed how these people have the dedication and perseverance to complete decades long projects.
We Found a long lost relative of mine in Brummen commonwealth cemetery Holland (near Arnhem) 5 years ago who died in his mosquito a week after D day, Flying officer Navigator/Wireless operator John Milne Simpson who was a 22 year old navigator and buried next to his pilot Flt lieutenant A.S.H Baillie, a humbling experience finding them, together forever bless them, RIP Fellas and thank you..
Your RIGHT! no matter what anybody says or what ever statistics are brought forth , this plane has to be the most overlooked airframe EVER produced!
For all those involved over the many years and the no expense spared to restore this magnificent plane, I and all true aviation enthusiasts thank you, you have brought a piece of art back to life
For myself, one of the most beautiful aircraft ever made. Fantastic to see - well done you all.
It's all smooth lines and curves. Gorgeous kite and a good shout at being WW2's best all rounder
What a great documentary. The Mossy is such a beautiful plane and there is no mistaking the two 12 cylinder Merlin engines for anything else. Congrats to all those involved in the project, thanks to all the veterans who are still with us who flew these lovely machines and RIP to all those crew who never made it home, we owe you a great deal.
You can see that a lot of love. passion and emotion went into restoring that aircraft.
My neighbor Lionel Henning was a joiner by trade , and worked on the construction of Mossies in Walthamsow at Blackhorse Road during the war. He also told me that they were having a problem with the gluing process, and played apart in resolving it. In the 1990s I took him to Duxford to see a Mossy on static display, and he gave me and the guide there a memorable recollection of how he helped on the parts of construction. Thanks to those people in this video for bringing that part of history alive again.
The historians of the future will thank you for all your diligent work.
Well done, guys, for keeping history alive. Awesome job!
3:49... "I don't consider this a REAL JOB. It's a hobby and we get paid!" This guy loves his work. That is also the story of MY life.. Nobody could be so lucky.. I RETIRED when I left school and just continued my hobby as a source of income...Radio & TV engineer, but developing into Radio Comms. my hobby as Radio Ham. BUT I did it twice...As a sax/clarinet player, I had a parallel career (er.. hobby!) taking me all around EU and two gigs in USA, playing jazz and Blues in Memphis and New Orleans. To be frank, I never did an honest day's work in my life! Retirement? Still hobbying with Ham Radio and gigging jazz until Covid 19 said "I'll put a stop to HIS little gallop!" and closed down all the venues. Great video. I used to own and operate a radio set which was used in the the Mosquito and the Lanc. The Marconi 1154/1155 combination. It was in my bedroom at my mother's house..If she'd known just how much voltage I'd got in there, I would have instantly become a homeless teenager! Great Video...Thank you!
What a great documentary, no loud pointless music. Plenty of history and to see the people who actually flew the plane in anger was great production. Maybe a little more detail of the work involved getting it back in the air would have been nice? But overall a great way to spend an hour watching one of my favourite planes being brought back to flying condition.
I agree. As an soon to be A&P . I wanted to see a little more of the Maintenance. I did tear up during this video.
@@markthompson4885 Hey Mark. If you teared up a little, you must have been Army. I was Marine. My eyes never tear up, but they did sweat a little.
@@CombatDoc54 spoke like a true Leatherneck! FYI: Eye Sweat is called Tears, outside the USMC! LOL
'Tear up' ... 'sweat'... USAF = 'pucker factor'....
I'm with you there! No loud, pointless music!!! AMEN to that my brother, AMEN TO THAT!!!
RAF De Havilland Mosquito of Canada & UK >>> One of the Fastest Light Bomber of WWII ... Salute & Thank You So Much for the Team who restored this Beautiful De Havilland Mosquito for All Fans to Enjoy!
What a bird. Those lines, that ability and the sound of those merlins. Brilliant, and what a restoration saga for such a historically significant machine. Well done to everyone in the restoration and to the people who made this presentation too. Wonderful. 😁
Those Merlins are amazing !
11-------1
you said it Santa, The RAF sent a large number of them to India to after the War to shore up the RIAF that had done commendable service in Burma. Unfortunately the high humidity and temperatures resulted in the wooden laminated airframe to come undone! end of story.
This had me gripped for the full length of the programme. Thanks so much for uploading this excellent documentary.
Amazing work gentlemen! A living part of history, the Merlin’s sound sweet, the exhilaration I can only imagine. I would like to hear yall took it up to 40,000 and enjoyed the ride!
In 1980, I worked at the largest Multi Disciplinary Design firm in Europe, Building Design Partnership based in Preston Lancashire. There was an old guy who worked there, who said as an apprentice, he worked on the Mosquito as a joiner. They where timber framed and were built in Salmesbury outside the limits of Preston. As a 27 year old I was in awe of this guy who was part of the team that built these iconic planes. Epic.
All of De Havilland's designs were beautifull
17:24 God bless you Sir. The faith you have in my generation is soo very gracious, I wish you could know how encouraging it is to even hear you say those words. It's only because you did it when you were 17 that I'm not charged with that same duty today. Thank you for your service
Wow that is a wonderful response and fills me with optimism. Thank you so much :0)
Such a beautiful machine, and so awesome to see the people working on her being emotionally invested. Brilliant.
Wow, Just wow! God bless all the folks working for many years to make this beautiful airplane fly again. Very, very impressive.
What an amazing amount of perseverance. My hat is off to the workers and whom ever funded the whole thing. Congratulations.
What an amazing aircraft. To see it fly after all those years and several owners. Fantastic.
somehow the positive and great vibes the Mosquito emanates are being reflected by this magnificent restoration crew. Every one of those talking to us via the camera seems to be a loveable Mosquito lover.
Seeing this video second time again, it does owns a soul, you people have restored the big history. Kudos to the team.
It justifies my thinking that wars are won and lost by technical design and exquisite engineering under extreme pressure and backed by a competent government who deploys people who trust the ones who engaged them and to put their lives totally in their hands because they love the beautiful equipment they were delivered and the soul enshrined within. These aren't planes...their a condensed collection of extraordinary minds with a will to survive no matter what.
Brilliant job, gents. History salutes you. Dad was a B 29 pilot so war birds are in my blood. This docu got me a little misty. Mosquitos don't get the airplay that the heavies do, but if any attack plane can be said to have won the war throughout the entire 1939-45 period, this plywood raptor deserves the brass ring.
I know it's blasphemy, but I'd love to see somebody build a replica of the Mosquito using entirely modern materials, engines, and avionics. The performance would have to be even more insane.
I think that's a great idea. Because the concept would be the same: light weight composite materials. Such a machine would be crazy fast with modern prop engines.
@Nehemiah Scudder Then it starts to become quite a different beast. The wings would have to sweep back to take the additional speed and g-force. With other necessary changes to accommodate the use of jet engines, before we know it, we would end up with another std jet. The comment I originally replied to was about the prospect of replicating a Mosquito, but with modern materials and technology.
,v 16duxford 2engines
The Mossie and Mustang were the sharks of aero design. The evolutionary process complete before it started.
It's is a good thing that those Gentlemen came...We can never honor them all enough for the sacrifices they made and what the had to go through and what they had to do
in the summer of 1973 (I was 16) my mate's dad invited me to an air display at Hawker Siddeley Hatfield England. He was employed there as a sheet metal worker in the pressing plant. They had on display a flying Mosquito which I recall had been built at the Hatfield factory during 1944. it was an amazing sight and sound both when parked and during its flying display.
I wonder in amazement wondering if my grandfather is there in one of the old photos, In recent inheritance, I received all his medals for flying the Mosquito. He was at the start war and was an ace survived the war, or I wouldn't be here. I must go through all the papers and medal etc. He was better at war than family life. I will never be in a position to judge him. Proud of his accomplishments
Thank you very much for putting this video together. All involved have a lot of heart and soul.
Tom Burdge is my Grandpa, was so proud he was asked to speak for this. He passed away the other day at 101 years old. I'm so very honoured to be his grandson. I'm glad this still lives on the internet.
Excellent and very informative production about one the most famous aircraft in WWII ! And congratulations that you gave former pilots and mechancs a possibility to tell us about their very personal experiences.
As someone who used to help with vintage aircraft restoration, I love watching these sorts of documentaries.
Who would down vote something like this? Incredible restoration. Awesome to hear the veterans talk about their experiences.
We've got plenty of live Nazis in the USA to use it against, and there's no such thing a minor problem with a retract.
Eco warriors I would guess!
DeHavilland also realised that there was a vast army of woodworking craftsmen throughout the country that wasn't being utilised due to the preference of aluminium and steel. He basically had a huge workforce itching to do something rather than cabinets and coffins.
That is exactly how the Boeing Boat Company on Lake Washington became the Boeing Aircraft Company, float planes.
I'm sure that they all got a real buzz, knowing that they were building a part of something, out of wood no less, that when assembled with other parts made by others, was going to knock the shit out of the Nazis.
Very well done Canada, you're doing an excellent job of keeping your aviation heritage alive, wish we had an original Mossie in the UK.
These guys are "ordinary" HEROES!!!!!!
Yes. And I think that can be said of just about all the military personnel of the time.
The De Haviland DH 88 Comet Black Magic is one of the most beautiful Aircraft to ever grace the sky.
I recall a film years ago called 633 squadron and since then I've loved the plane 3:15 ,apparently it could out run any German plane and made of timber, amazing aircraft..
Beautiful aircraft. Well done to all involved to get it back in the air where it belongs. Massive respect to all Mozzie pilots from years ago. My dad was a big aircraft enthusiast. We would often go sit at an airport and just watch planes come and go.
Around 20 years ago I was with my wife and her parents in a small village in North Yorkshire called Hutton le Hole when l heard what l thought was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a Spitfire and Hurricane flying in close formation. It wasn't, but it was a Mossie. The only one I've ever seen flying. Both my in-laws served in the army in WW2 and the look on their faces was unforgettable. As was the sound and sight of that aircraft. Once seen, never forgotten.
Oh wow how spectacular thank you for restoring this historic plane. My father was in the RAF before during and after the war. I’m sure others feel the same it’s like their history being restored.
Such a tiny vertical stabilizer on a twin engine aircraft gives a visual hint on how well designed the airframe is.
The DeHavilland museum at London Colney UK has 3 mosquitos in one building one of them is the original prototype
....and my father was the foreman on the job that built that first prototype... :-)
I was born in London Colney in 1956 my grandad Arthur James Watts, put the first 500 engines in the first 250 aircraft a great mechanic as told to me by my dad another great mechanic of the old school.I'm also a mechanic not even in their league.
@@KathrynLiz1 That's amazing, to think the plane I saw at the Mozzie museum had your fathers hands and eyes all over it back in the day! what did your father go on to do after that? sorry to be so nosey :-)
@@tonywatts7445 You may not think you're in their league but I bet given the same circumstances you would be right up there ! It's obviously in your blood sir :-)
@@kougerat5388 absolutely yes we have 7 mechanics in the family we need a plumber or a sparky Ha Ha
The Mosquitoe is in my top 5 all time. Along with the P51 Mustang , Spitfire , A10 thundbolt aka warthog , and F22 Raptor. Great job guys. I salute all who serve and have served. Much love and respect from here in Mobile, Alabama, USA
some things should just be and this old trusty gal flying in this century is one of them. just beautiful
A very well done to every member of the team. A wonderfull restoration.
i can only guess what pride and satisfaction you felt when she flew, many thanks for your dedication.
My favourite Allied twin engined fighter-bomber. So beautiful, graceful, and lethal. Wonderful to see her fly.
17:33 I hope you're right mate, even though wars won't be fought the same way again, they unfortunately will be fought. Thank you to ALL our veterans and most of all, all those who never came home. you're not forgotten.
Well Done, Great to see that dedication.
Ive had the pleasure of being in one. I was in the cadets 1466 squadron 1975 to 1977 . It was in a hanger but a beautiful aircraft. Well done.
Such an important and amazing part of history, this documentary brought me to a tears! Thank you for sharing ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for showing us a treasure historic beautiful air plane.
Well done everyone in keeping history alive.
That was something! The Mosquito fasinated me from a boy to now, at 67years.
ME too 65 now.
There is no other aircraft manufacturer as closely tied to the genius and romance of aviation as de Havilland.
Wow! Great video. Thanks to everyone who had a part in the project.
What an outstandingly excellent programme. With Mossies so rare , I will never see another fly in my lifetime . The stand out plane of WW2. I was once stood in my back garden in England when I heard the unmistakable throb of Merlin engines approaching . Looking up , there was the Battle of Britain flight . A Spitfire , a Hurricane , and a Lancaster ( which I think was Lincoln at that time) . The sound of 6 Merlins in harmony sent goosebumps up and down my spine .
@Englishman inFrance . . . .You might well yet see one fly again very very soon, one is being re-built on The Isle of Wight, and should fly before long . . .Fingers crossed!!
Ahhh... the sound and fury of Merlins writ large...
Awesome program!!! What a joy this was to see it fly again!!!
In the seventies, I worked for a guy who had been a movie cameraman before the war. He joined the war effort and flew some of the first Mosquitos. As they were totally unarmed they were used for reconnaissance. He used to have to get in, take his pictures and get out quick. I remember him telling me that after he landed he was told that he'd beaten the world speed record, and he did so several more times over the following days.
Every so often I come back and watch this once again.
what an absolutely beautiful machine , and bringing joy to the men who flew them is priceless , thank you so much for getting another wooden wonder airborne again , we owe you a debt of gratitude , beautiful just beautiful .... Shaun.
You cant say it any better than that, and I totally agree to it.
The Passion these guys have is fantastic to See. What a privelege/
Sure as all heck it is the same one!! So great to see it's still going strong!
Glad to see a Mossie being restored again. I lived near Woodoford and used to see the one flying there before it crashed.
A fabulous aeroplane. I saw Kermit Weeks (?) Mosquito at Wycombe Air Park (Personal Plane Services) , before it was flown to the USA, long time ago now. I think the Mossie just has the edge on the Spitfire for grace and beauty. It makes me proud.
Terrific video. What a great restoration of a magnificent airplane. Thank you all
Omg this is amazing. I was once in school to be an A&P mechanic as well as a pilot. I appreciate this so much. I wish to see this fly in person one day.
Thank you for this very cool documentary. I had the pleasure of watching both of the 'restored' Mosquitos in NZ fly in the last few years. Interesting listening to the comments about how the NZ team are helping with it, but not giving them credit for what they have really achieved;- they have recreated the aircraft moulds to form the fuselages from scratch, mostly without any technical drawings at all, and scrounging any Mossie bits worldwide over almost 30 years. I knew a RAF Wing Commander 30 odd years ago when flying gliders (WC Claude Rennie RAF) we used to, at the end of the day, get him drunk to get him to tell us stories of his air time in them. He said, with tears " it was the most beautiful airplane, but a complete bitch on takeoff. Sometimes he'd have to use brakes as well as throttles to keep it on the runway.
I was there for the first display at Ardmore. The crowd went silent as she first flew over. Wow what a feeling! I understand that the pilots spoke to an ex-RAF Mosquito instructor who actually trained the Chinese to fly theirs. he passed on the current technique to take off which was to hold on the brakes and advance to around half power, release the brakes and slowly advance the throttles to take off power as she heads off down the runway and she wouldn't swing. Works a treat! Similar technique to the Griffon powered Spits.
Thank you,exceptional aircraft restoration !
A lovely documentary, and it awakens memories for me, as well, back to the age of 2 1/2. Refugees from eastern parts of Germany, we emigrated in ‘51, first for 3 years to Montréal. Our parents helped make ends meet by sub-letting a room to a de Havilland employee, an ex-POW fellow German. He got use of our bath one evening a week. Decades later, I was doing a Urology expertise; the patient (same guy!) surprised me with our common past, and clammed up. Mom reminded me, laughing, when I asked her why that could be. Weekly shouting matches: “Please, shut the vent window - Stop fogging up the whole apartment!” “I’ve gotta breathe, too, dammit!”
What a great Story. Hats off to the folks that made this happen. Cannot imagine why 343 people thought it right to not like this story.
I was in the RAF from 70 to 80 as ground crew. I never worked on Mossie's but I did work on the Chipmunk's and to boot, they were at Little Rissington which was the other half of Cranwell, and so they were in CFS colors as is the one in the center of your hangar behind the doors (31:12 / 57:56). I also worked on Hawker Hunters, Varsity's, Jet provost Mk 3,4 & 5's Jetstreams, Bulldogs and finally when they shut Rissy down. I was posted to Lyneham where I did my last four years on Fat Albert's (C130J's) I loved working on aircraft and carried on after DeMob at Bae Filton in Bristol for 17 years. I love what your doing to that Aircraft. I must admit, back then, I never thought I would ever get so excited about seeing a chipmunk trainer lol. Keep up the fantastic work Guys. Sorry for any typos but its the fauly of 69 year old optics lol
That hangar looks exactly how a vintage hangar should look. To the uninitiated it looks like chaos, but once you're standing among the aircraft everything makes logical sense.
And the smell . . . as they click & ping cooling down, then you really know you're home. Lights off, beer o'clock : )
Thank God for these dedicated men who keep history alive , congratulations ,makes me feel fantastic ,The Mossie & The Lannie my favourite planes of all time, video like this just makes a man smile ,tear up a little as well !👏👍🖖❤