The People's Mosquito

[Phantom Phil]

Now that KA114 has now flown, I'm wondering what has happened with this project?? All seems quiet on the Facebook page also!!

[David Burke]

There are an awful lot of metal parts to find to rebuild a Mosquito -the easiest way by far to to find a donor aircraft in the same way as KA114. I hope they go that route .

[HR339]

There are an awful lot of metal parts to find to rebuild a Mosquito -the easiest way by far to to find a donor aircraft in the same way as KA114. I hope they go that route .

Easy is a funny old word. Donor aircraft with metalwork in a usable state are pretty thin on the ground. Even having the remains of KA114 AvSpecs still built a lot of metal parts, and had to search high and low for others.

[Oxcart]

There are an awful lot of metal parts to find to rebuild a Mosquito -the easiest way by far to to find a donor aircraft in the same way as KA114. I hope they go that route .

They've got one

[David Burke]

The website description of' The People's Mosquito' NF.36 is : 'The aircraft was destroyed by fire, and the remains were subsequently buried where they remained until they were unearthed again in 2006'

Destroyed by fire doesn't paint a picture of an aircraft to me!

[Bruce]

No-one should underestimate the task.

However, it has been done now, and there are enough parts in New Zealand now to do it twice more.

With the right funding - and it is all down to that, it could be done a fourth time as well. BUT, it needs realism, it needs teamwork, it needs parts,and above all it will need a lot of money. Get that lot together, and there is a chance.

David, above is quite right; they may have a tentative identity, but they dont have a donor aircraft. KA114 was a donor in every sense of the word - all of the parts of that aircraft that could be used again are incorporated in the wonderful achievement we see today. None of the NF36 could be.



Bruce

[David Burke]

The more I see the pictures of KA114 flying - the more viable some of the U.S Mosquito remains look - in particular FB.VI PZ474

[K5054NZ]

Discussion online inspired by KA114's progress has seen members of the group suggest they have a timeline to flight of three to five years. I'd suggest five, conservatively, unless they already have work underway.

[Stan Smith]

Keep in mind that it took over 17 years to make the fuselage moulds alone.

[Bruce]

PZ474 is a very real candidate; except that it is somewhat scattered, with parts all over the place. If it could all be brought together again, it could be a very real prospect for a future rebuild.

There are also the remains of RG300 and TA717 floating about which could be used. In the UK, TJ118 could be a candidate. All of these have significant remains which could be used. Not so the NF36



Bruce

[OHOPE]

Glynn told us when we visited his workshop that he had two shipping containers of Mosquito parts and doubted if he had enough for his rebuild .

[Propstrike]

There does not seem to be a compelling reason to build the ugly NF36, especially when you are starting with only a shoe box full of bits.

What they clearly do need is a massive boatload of cash, and while there are people out there with such resourses, they would have to be asking themselves what are the advantages in joining forces with T.P.M .

That is a bit of a tricky question.

[HP111]

The project seems to me rather over-hyped seeing that they have no substantial hardware to show and do not seem to even be raising money. Some enthusiastic responses from people very eager to see a Mosquito fly again are not enough to make the project viable. I feel somewhat bemused by the whole thing.

[Firebex]

Its a great idea dont get me wrong but as has been said before there original stated goal of building the aircraft soley in the UK from scratch is over ambitious.

The items they seem to have from their donor aircraft are miniscual and I question if they would on the basis of what they have find favour with the CAA ,I know it is a contentious statement and comparisons hav ebeen made with Spitfire rebuilds etc.But in the most case there are substantial remains of spitfire projects and with the vast number that have been recovered and rebuilt there is an accepted standard that everyone is working to.

As ha sbeen said 17 years to get where they have got to in NZ casts questions to say the least on quoted target builds of 4-5 years ?. We hav espent 18 months on the Whirlwind project alone on Drawings so far and not one piece of metal will be cut for another few months.

As has also been said there are far more feasible base machines to work with than what they have already in what does not seem to constitute more than contents of a corn flake box.

I hope to be proven wrong.

Mike E

www.aircraftrestorationgroup.org

[Andrewc]

Latest update TPM meets the CAA

http://peoplesmosquito.wordpress.com...meets-the-caa/

Andrew

[Firebird]

Latest update TPM meets the CAA

http://peoplesmosquito.wordpress.com...meets-the-caa/

From the above.......

"Following the meeting, the CAA furnished The People’s Mosquito with an approved list of contractors for their consideration."

[Seafuryfan]

I'm not usually one for 'knocking', but I cannot for the life of me understand why the group have gone for the most ugly variant of one of the most beautiful aircraft. It can't help their aim of attracting support, can it? Maybe it's just me

[The Blue Max]

Im sorry, however much I admire the goal untill someone come up with more that a pile of scrap dug out of a hole as a starting point I think they are p*****g in the wind. As Bruce has pointed out there are candidates for rebuild out there and thats where they should be starting from. I would have hoped that if they are at all serious and have any hope at all they would have already had the list that the CAA handed them and allready spoken to them. I still do not see a sense of reality here Im affraid.

[K5054NZ]

There are also the remains of RG300 and TA717 floating about which could be used.

I've been in touch with the owner and he has at least RG300 "quite complete" including engines in the US, I'm waiting to hear back about TA717.

I'd love to see PZ474 return to the skies as it is an ex-RNZAF aircraft and the last to fly here in NZ during the 20th century. Must get around to buying those lottery tickets!

Best of luck to them, I will definitely follow with interest but a "nice" nose aircraft would be lovely ;-)

[Ant Harrington]

Perhaps I'm being a total cretin (wouldn't be the first time, would it? ) but not long ago there was the suggestion that the finished aircraft would be donated to BBMF. Is this now not an option? I thought the idea of donating to BBMF was to save the complication of having to get the project through UK CAA channels- it would be test flown in NZ and then be taken on by BBMF. That was ofcourse just a loose plan, and no agreement had been reached with BBMF.

I'm imagining the UK CAA route now makes the project much more complex and expensive?

[charliehunt]

From their website:

"Our number one goal, once the project is completed, as during the war, is to hand the aircraft over to the RAF, in this case the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, to operate. (Please note: at this time no official agreement has been made between the two organisations.) "

[avion ancien]

At least TPM group has the good grace and good sense still not to be soliciting donations from the public, particularly as it appears that still the group has not achieved charitable status. It appears that there has been no change to their website, for a considerable number of months, concerning when and how donations will be accepted and their plans to become a CIO.

[Bruce]

Bearing in mind that they get shot down every time they put their heads above the parapet, I can appreciate why they are staying quiet.

The right time to come begging will be when they have a costed plan which will guarantee an outcome. Until then, its best if they stay quiet.


Bruce

[David Burke]

Ant - there is no way a Mosquito could be built abroad and then donated to the BBMF for them to fly . The aircraft would need to be certified in the U.K -have some kind of design authority and have some kind of traceability for the components used.
Regards the group itself -its been its own worst enemy in the publicity and plausability of what it proposes. The first job for anyone who knows anything about Mosquito's would be to examine what is out there and see what can be acquired. Then cost out what you propose to do and lastly build a management structure that can achieve that.
Acquiring badly damaged Mosquito components with an identity but of little use is not the way ! If you want to rebuild a Mosquito it needs to fire the imagination - a post war ugly night fighter doesnt!

[CeBro]

I am glad there are "ugly" aeroplanes too, otherwise we only would have musea full of pretty Spits and Lancasters.:diablo:

Cees