John M wrote
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> Am I wrong or wasn't the Mossy also used for 'diverting' V1
> flying bombs - on a return to sender arrangement? I know
> that Spitfires stripped of all armour plate, guns etc etc -
> and on full boost could just about keep up with a V1 but I
> thought Mossy's were similarly used bewcause they were
> faster
>
> Jonmac
>
The Mosquito was the fastes plane in the world at that time, and because of
this could equal and exceed the speed of the German V1 'doodlebug' rocket
powered flying bombs. But don't let's forget our pals over the pond. The
American P51 Mustangs, albeit with RR Merlin engines installed, were also
faster than the Spits, and I remember reading somewhere that a Squadron of
Mustangs and Mossys were used specifically for 'tipping' V1's.
Apparently pilots would fly alongside the V1's at full chat (ideally when
they were flying over the channel) and put the wing tips of their planes
under the small wings of the V1's and tip them over. If the V1's were
already over England (on their way to London etc) our pilots would 'wing
steer' them to areas of low population.
The Mossy and Mustang pilots got so good at it they apparently wished that
the Germans would increase the range of the V1's twofold (they were
designed to run out of fuel when over London), so that they could then turn
them, steer them back, and point them towards German heavy gun emplacements
in coastal France!! No chance of any of this with the V11's - they went
straight up and came down vertically.
If any of you FOTers ever come to London on trips a visit to the aircraft
section at our Science museum on Brompton road London is a real must. They
have examples of V1 and V11 German rockets, and some of our planes and
engines including cut always of Rolls Royce engines from the 1st 'Eagles'
to Merlins and Griffons. They've also got a prototype of the E28 - our
first jet fighter and the German equivalent. I've been going to the museum
regularly for 35 years, and I always spot something I've never seen before
- a remarkable experience for anyone mechanically or scientifically minded.
It's interesting to note that Dr Werner Von Brun (hope I've spelt that
right), who masterminded all Germany's rocket science ( Engines in V1 and
V2 etc), went to America just after the war and thereafter took charge of
the American rocket program and moon shots etc. I believe he died in the
States about 6 years ago.
Paul
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