Two more GREAT museums are the "Battle of Britain" and the "Royal Air
Force" museums. The Royal Air Force Museum is located at "Hendon" just
North of London and covers the complete history of British military aviation
from before the First World War up to and thru the 70s. It includes
Spiftires, a Hurricane, a Meteor, a Mosquito, a Lancaster, and MANY more.
It is Great.
The Battle of Britain Museum is what is says, everything about the
Battle of Britain. Spitfires set up in a "fighter pen" to show how they
were "parked " at the RAF airfields, a mock up of the RAF "operations room"
thtat was underground at Uxbridge, Messershmidts, Heinkle and Dornier
Bombers, AA gun emplacements, and so on . Also a Great place to visit! It
is also located in Hendon.
Regards, Greg Solow
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Richardson <Paul-Richardson@cyberware.co.uk>
To: <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 2:04 AM
Subject: Fw: Mosquito V German V1's
>
> John M wrote
> ----------
>
> > 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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