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G0TEZ > FLIGHT 29.01.13 23:15l 48 Lines 1941 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : F10019G0TEZ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Shooting down...
Path: ON0AR<GB7CIP
Sent: 130129/2111Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU #:10283 [Caterham Surrey GBR] $:F10019G0
From: G0TEZ@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU
To : FLIGHT@WW
Quoting Warren.
"A Mosquito used to carry a bomb? I'm surprised one could take off with
that
extra weight so I have my doubts the book was accurate. You know, literary
license makes for a good story however improbable."
You puzzle me sometimes,Warren. The Mosquito was designed as a fighter
bomber but was,in fact. a multi role aircraft. Because it was made if wood
and had 2 merlin engines, it could outperform the Spitfire around at the
time. It could, if necessary, carry three men, pilot,co-pilot and a
cameraman lying down filming through the nose section for reconnaisance.
In fighter bomber role it carried bombs as well as having 4 cannon in the
nose. The early Spitfores had 8x .303 machine guns for combat but, later a
couple of 20mm cannon were added.
The Mossy ws so fast that, when diving, it ran into control problems from
what became known as the Sound Barrier, leading to a redesign of wings and
a high mounted, all moving tailplane to overcome the effects of passing
mach 1, this was before the design of the 1,000 mph Miles M52 with it's
jet engine and the still secret afterburner, invented by Frank Whittle.
As for shooting down aircraft, it is quite possible for a man to be klled
by a .303 Lee Enfield rifle at 400 yards and easier with a Bren Gun, also
.303". That is 1,200 ft, quite enough to hit an aircraft, especially if
you consider that a ME 109 and a HE 110 are far bigger than a man. Of
course, with WWII aircraft flying at up to 20,000 ft, larger shells with
proximity fuses became the norm. As for Baron von Richthofen, there are
various stories. The generally accepted one is that he was killed by a
.303 bullet from an Australian sergeant with a Vickers Gun but everybody
was firing at him so, I suppose you just have to take your pick.
73 - Ian, G0TEZ @ GB7CIP
Message timed: 20:57 on 2013-Jan-29 GMT
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