The Mighty Mosquito Trivia Quiz

Answer: DH. 98

The DH. 98 Mosquito was designed as a response to the British Air Ministry requirement for a twin-engined bomber. Design started in in 1939, under Eric Bishop, who was de Havilland's chief designer.

The DH.88 was the de Havilland designation for the Comet air-racing plane, which later inspired the design of the Mosquito, and the DH. 91 was the designation for the Albatross, four-engined airliner. The DH. 71 was the designation for the famous Tiger Moth bi-plane.

Answer: Salisbury Hall

A London banker named James Hoare built Salisbury Hall in the late 17th century. It had a close connection with Charles II, as his mistress Nell Gwynne lived near the hall. In 1905, Lady Randolph Churchill (the mother of the famous Winston Churchill) lived there, before the property was lived in by Sir Nigel Gresley, designer of the Mallard steam engine, which holds the world speed record for a steam train.

In 1939, the de Havilland design team moved in due to the proximity of Salisbury Hall to their factory in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

After World War 2, the hall fell into disrepair, before being purchased by Walter Goldsmith.

Answer: The Wooden Wonder

The Mosquito got its nickname, "The Wooden Wonder", because its wings and fuselage were constructed from wood, not metal. Another nickname for the Mosquito was "The Timer Terror".

Answer: Troop transport

Despite being a multi-role combat aircraft, the Mosquito could not carry large amounts of troops. However in an emergency, it could carry important people in its bomb bay and navigator seat if need be, or pick up military escapees from neutral countries.

Answer: First daylight air raid on Berlin

In January 1943, a small group of unarmed Mosquito bombers took off to attack a radio station in Berlin, to halt a broadcast by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. This became the first Allied air raid carried out on Berlin during daylight hours. Up until then any attacks on Berlin had been carried at night. Later the same day more Mosquito aircrews disrupted a speech by Dr. Joseph Goebbels.

Answer: Yes

The prototype - series number W4050 - is one of very few World War 2 prototype aircraft still in existence. This Mosquito - an un-armed bomber variant - is preserved at the de Havilland Heritage Centre, beside Salisbury Hall.

Answer: Counter interdiction

Amongst its various roles, the Mosquito was a pioneer of the counter-interdiction role (COIN for short). Small numbers of Mosquitoes were dispatched to attack various ground targets in the run up to D-Day and beyond. The crews had instructions to use up any spare ammunition and weapons they had left on targets of opportunity, ranging from military convoys, trains, and canal barges.

Because of the Mosquitoes ability to attack at very low level - and at high speed without warning, they became the scourge of German ground forces.

Answer: 57mm anti-tank gun

One variant of the Mosquito was an anti-submarine version, capable of sinking U-boats on the surface. As such the "Tsetse" version was designed to carry a self-loading 57 mm anti-tank gun. Although not seeing widespread service, this version did have some success, including shooting down an enemy Ju 88 aircraft, and destroying a small number of surface ships.

Answer: Hermann Göring

The full quote attributed to Hermann Göring is as follows: "In 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy. The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed that they have now increased yet again. What do you make of that? There is nothing the British do not have. They have the geniuses and we have the nincompoops. After the war is over I'm going to buy a British radio set - then at least I'll own something that has always worked".

It should be pointed out there is some debate though whether or not Göring actually said these word.

Answer: The glue holding together the aircraft deteriorated

Because of the high humidity levels in tropical areas, the glue used on the Mosquito to bond the fuselage and skin had a habit of degrading, causing weakness. Another problem was wood-eating insects.

Answer: Improved bombing accuracy by marking targets

Mosquito Pathfinder units were set up to mark targets for Bomber Command at night. Equipped with radar and other navigation devices, Mosquito pathfinders helped raise RAF bombing accuracy to a point night time bombing was almost as accurate as daylight bombing.

Answer: Yes

B.O.A.C (British Overseas Airway Corporation) operated a number of Mosquitoes between RAF Leuchars - in Scotland - and Stockholm in Sweden. The primary uses for these Mosquitoes were to carry important pieces of machinery and ball bearings, and occasionally important people such as famous physicist, Nils Bohr and George Bell, Bishop of Chichester.

Answer: Operation Chastise

Operation Chastise was the code name for the famous "Dambusters" air raid on the dams supplying water and power to the Ruhr.

Operation Jericho was the famous air raid carried out by Mosquito aircrews on the Amiens Prison.

Operation Carthage was the code name for the attack on the Shellhaus building in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Operation Oyster was the code name for the attack on the Phillips radio factory in Eindhoven.

Answer: Sent fighters to escort the Mosquitoes

When the USAAF first received the photoreconnaissance versions of the Mosquito, they were sceptical given that it was unarmed. As such, they initially sent escort fighters to escort the Mosquitoes for protection. Allegedly, on one such mission, the pilot of the Mosquito was cruising at operational speed, when the leader of a group of Mustang fighters escorting the Mosquito requested the pilot slow down as the Mustangs were struggling to keep up.

At the time the USAAF were unaware that the Mosquito was one of the fastest aircraft during World War 2, until the introduction of even faster aircraft - namely, jet fighters - at the end of the war.

Answer: Guy Gibson

After successfully leading the famous "Dambusters" air raid, Wing Commander Guy Gibson was given a desk job, much to his displeasure. When he spotted a Mosquito flying overhead, he pestered his superiors to be allowed back on active duty.

On September 19th, 1944, Gibson took off on a mission to bomb Bremen, when his Mosquito crashed near the Dutch town of Steenbergen. Mystery still surrounds why Gibson's Mosquito crashed, with theories range from aircraft failure and/or pilot error, to Gibson being shot down by friendly fire. A street in Steeenbergen is named after him.

Answer: Yes

Such was the impact of the Mosquito on German forces, that they attempted to create their own version. Designed by Kurt Tank - designer of the Focke-Wulf Fw. 190 - the Focke-Wulf Ta. 154, "Moskito" was requested by Erhard Milch, a German officer who helped oversee aircraft development for the Luftwaffe.

However, due to the type of glue used in the Ta. 154's construction, there were a number of wing failures, along with crash landings due to the complex landing gear. As a result the aircraft saw only limited service.

Answer: Two

Due to the Mosquitoes effect on German forces during World War 2, it is claimed that Luftwaffe pilots who shot down a Mosquito were able to claim it as two "kills". Mosquitoes were a particular thorn in the side of ground forces and shipping - attacking at low level and without warning.

In addition, the night-fighter variants were sent out to loiter around enemy night-fighter airfields, shooting down aircraft as the came into land. As a result, a large number of German pilots actually ended up making crash-landsings, such was the fear that a Mosquito night-fighter might be lurking in the area.

Answer: Hornet/Sea Hornet

Too late to see service in World War 2, the de Havilland Hornet (the naval version being called the Sea Hornet) did see limited service with the RAF and Fleet Air Arm.

Although tracing its roots back to the design of the Mosquito, the Hornet was radically different, having a slimmer body and laminar flow wings. In addition, some of the fuselage was clad in aluminium. The Hornet was also one of the fastest piston engined aircraft in the world, capable of flying at over 480mph.

Answer: 1963

Despite having been retired from front line service, a small number of Mosquitoes were retained as high-speed target tugs, trailing targets used in the training of fighter pilots. The last Mosquitoes were finally retired in 1963, being sold for use in the film "633 Squadron", a film about a fictional Mosquito squadron in World War 2.

Answer: Yes

For a number of years there were been no airworthy examples of the Mosquito. However, in 2012, the restoration of a Mk 26 fighter-bomber version (KA114) in New Zealand was completed, and it is now homed at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Plans are underway elsewhere are well to try to bring back more airworthy Mosquitoes.

There are also a number of Mosquitoes displayed in various countries, with the main concentration located in the UK and New Zealand, either on display or under restoration.