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HISTORY:
In 1941, the RAF wanted to combine the capabilities of the earlier bomber
and night fighter variants of the Mosquito. The result was the FB mk VI.
The FB.VI was armed with four 20mm cannon and and four .303 Browning
machine guns. Two 500 lb bombs could be carried in the bomb bay, and two
more on underwing hard points. Alternatively two 100 imp. gallon drop
tanks and four or eight rocket projectiles could be carried. This aircraft
was a true strike-fighter in the modern sense.IN RAAF SERVICE.
The Mosquito had a difficult introduction into the RAAF. Difficulties with
wood and glue and a shortage of skilled wood-working tradesmen delayed the
Australian production of this aircraft and led to the importation of
British-made examples to bridge the gap.Nevertheless, the type saw service with Australian squadrons in Europe and
with the RAAF in the Pacific during the closing stages of the war.Following WW11, the Mosquito was used extensively for the aerial mapping
of Australia; an awesome task considering Australia's huge area of
7,682,300 square kilometers, a very large proportion of which is desert.The last operational flight by RAAF Mosquitoes took place on 29th August
1953 when four aircraft of No 87 Sqn flew a photo survey mission en-route
from Port Headland (WA) to Canberra (ACT).464 SQUADRON.
This aircraft was an FB.VI assigned to No 464 Squadron which operated from
several bases in the United Kingdom: Feltwell, Methwold (Norfolk),
Sculthorpe (Norfolk), Hunsdon (Hertfordshire), Swanton Morley (Norfolk),
Gravesend (Kent), and Thorney Island (Sussex). In February 1945 the
squadron moved to France and then Belgium before disbanding at war's end.As part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, 464 Squadron's strike activities
were many and varied; the more notable being against V-1 sites, the Amiens
Prison, Gestapo Headquarters in Denmark and Shell House, another Gestapo
Headquarters, in Copenhagen.
Computer Model:
Extracts from the Pilot's Manual are contained in Flying.doc.
An on-line checklist is available, "SHIFT+C", and should be used
until you are familiar with T/O and Approach procedures.This aircraft is fitted with the Sperry Mk111 autopilot, RAF662 ADF,
a variable clock to allow night settings, navigation and landing lights
and BMP texturing for night visibility.
