Video: Avspecs Ltd Rolls The de Havilland Mosquito Into The Sun

 
 This under-2minute video shows a time lapse of the crew at Avspecs Ltd in Auckland New Zealand putting the wheels on their stunning de havilland Mosquito restoration and rolling it into the sunshine. If you don't know about Avspecs, you really should... I admit I'm just beginning to learn about them myself. I saw their stellar P-40 restoration at the 2011 National Aviation Heritage Invitation (NAHI) at Reno Stead during the Reno Air Races where it won 1st place in the Warbird Category. Honestly, that P-40 looked almost supernatural - it was truly stunning. (learn more about the P-40 here)

 I'd have every reason to think that this Mosquito will have a similar aura about it, especially since the de Havilland Mosquito is on my top ten list of most important aircraft ever built. From its advanced lightweight plywood used in the primary structure; the passionate beauty of its design; the phenomenal performance and versatility; and its critical role in World War II - these are just some of what made the Mosquito such an important aircraft.

 My understanding is that there aren't any airworthy Mosquitoes today, but this one isn't the only project in the works. I'm researching the details on the other projects and hope to post later on the status of putting one of Britain greatest accomplishments back into the sky! 

(click to enlarge)  Follow the Avspecs Ltd Mosquito progress at their facebook page

2nd Annual AirPigz/Air Force Museum Meetup: January 27-29, 2012

A de Havilland Mosquito in U.S. markings at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio

 2nd annual AirPigz meetup at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio will
take place January 27-29, 2012 (Fri, Sat, Sun - come 1, 2 or all 3 days)

Click here to be added to the meetup email list for more details

(10 pix)

 Come-if-you-can to this casual gathering of avgeeks to again experience the amazing collection of aircraft at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Nine people made the trip in 2011, including two that flew via the airlines to join in. Museum admission is free and of course the meetup is too. This is a great winter getaway and a fantastic aviation history experience.

 Friday (January 27, 2012) will include the behind-the-scenes restoration shop tour. You must register in advance with the museum for the restoration shop tour (free) that only runs on Fridays - click here for more info and to register (look for the behind-the-scenes info in the lower left) - BE SURE YOU REGISTER FOR THE JANUARY 27TH DATE. Tour check-in is at 11:45am, with the short bus trip across Wright-Patterson AFB at 12:15pm. The guided walking tour runs about 3 hours... and it's worth the trip no matter how far away you are! Check out the pix below from the restoration shop last year.

 Saturday & Sunday (January 28 & 29, 2012) will give you the chance to take in the massive collection of unique and historic aircraft at your own pace, with a casual gathering for lunch (buy your own) in the Valkyrie Cafe inside the museum from 11:30 to 12:30 both days. You can come for just one of the meetup days, or two, or even all three if you have the availability.

 We'll plan to meet in the entrance lobby Saturday and Sunday at 9am (museum hours are 9 to 5) and then people can journey into the museum on your own or together with friends. For more info on the meetup, click here to get on the Air Force Museum Meetup email list.

 And here's a few more pix from last year at the museum to help convince you that you should make the trip! (and you can also check out the AirForceMuseum AirPigz category for a few more posts)

The 'Swoose' B-17 project in the Air Force Museum restoration shop

Click to read more ...

CoolPix - Vintage Military: Awesome Lineup Of 10 de Havilland Mosquitos

(click pic for hi-res)

 Here’s another CoolPix in the 'Vintage Military' category.  A lineup of 10 de Havilland Mosquitos that appear to be factory fresh and ready to go to war.

 In my mind, the de Havilland Mosquito is one of the best aircraft of all time for a variety of reasons.  Fabulous structural engineering resulted in an extremely light but strong airframe made mostly out of wood.  Great aerodynamic design made it an exceptional performer… extremely fast with a top speed of nearly 400 mph, and great handling qualities as well.  And then there’s the gorgeous lines of its shape.  Everything just seems to be in the right place.

 Be sure to view the hi-res version (click the pic) and look at the details of the airplanes.  It also looks like there’s a wind sock on beyond the last airplane in the line.  And look at that field… huge, smooth, and with short grass.  This is an absolutely awesome picture!

 Loads more Mosquito info at dhmosquito.com.