The First “Stealth” Military Aircraft – IOTW Report

The First “Stealth” Military Aircraft

Sunday, 23 July 2017, 19:30 BFH Uncategorized 17

World War II started for the British in September of 1939 when the Germans invaded Poland. There was a shortage of metal because the military was building tanks, ships, bullets, battle headgear, knives, etc.

The de Haviland company had a design for a small two engine fighter, but there was no metal to spare. So the company hired woodworkers to build the airplane.

Ironically, the shortage of metal made this aircraft invisible to radar. The only metal visible were the propellor hubs and the four 20 mm cannons,which were not big enough to give a solid radar return. The two Rolls Royce engines gave it a top speed of 450 mph. German aircraft topped out at 350 mph.

This is the RAF Mosquito- The Wooden Wonder: a multi-role combat aircraft.

(Mosquito B Mk IV pictured above.)

 

 

Guest post by Extirpates- 

17 Comments on The First “Stealth” Military Aircraft

  1. Ooh! Good topic! The mossie was a terrifically versatile aircraft. To call it a “fighter” really doesn’t do it justice. From the wikipedia article:

    Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito was adapted to roles including low to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike aircraft, and fast photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) as a fast transport to carry small high-value cargoes to, and from, neutral countries, through enemy-controlled airspace. A single passenger could ride in the aircraft’s bomb bay when it was adapted for the purpose.

  3. The Roll Royce engines are a story unto themselves when you list all the aircraft they were used in, including the Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster, Mustang, Mosquito, and. . . the prototype of the BF(Me) 109 as the Benz engine wasn’t ready in time.

  4. Oh Yeah! Do a search on Operation Jericho .. What a fabulous Weapon; Flying Low, Flying Unseen and FAST! Sadly not all of the rescued prisoners escaped.

  5. Another wooden plane was stored in a Terminal Is./Long Beach YUGE hanger during the 70’s.
    I was lucky enough to talk my way into an unofficial sight seeing trip, dirt bike racing buddy was a guard.
    According to the guards, it would still fly, Hughes paid for around the clock security and maintenance.
    The size of it was something to behold, think 747 big.
    After a stint in the Queen Mary complex, it went to Oregon.
    I saw it when it still belonged to HH.
    It’s made of birch, just like the Mosquito.

  8. One of the truly great aircraft of WW II and a legend in its own time. It is, however, a bit of a victim of urban mythology with regards to stealth. The wooden construction was a non-issue even if it hadn’t been covered in non-stealthy paint. The two RR Merlin engines were each almost six feet long with huge mounting rings and plates and coupled with those large propellers were quite radar visible along with the armor plating, landing gear, windscreens, aluminum seats and other equipment as well as guns and bombs. The Germans had no problem spotting them on their Freya sets inbound over the North Sea and the Luftwaffe night fighters acquired them regularly on less capable airborne radar sets.

  9. Thanks for asking John.
    Have a DR. appointment tomorrow.
    Nerve damage, how much is permanent remains debatable.
    The hand that was bitten still hurts and the immediate area around the bite is sensitive as hell.
    Opening a child proof pill bottle is almost impossible, a twist top beer is hard. You really need two thumbs.
    Considering I was maybe minutes from death, I am the luckiest man alive.
    Still waiting to get the bill$, I will have a better idea then. LOL

  10. I believe they mounted radar in the nose for night fighter capabilities. I stop at the USAF museum at Wright Patterson AFB. whatva place and free when I have time when travelling. They have everything. It brings back memories of all the WW2 plastic scale models I glued together back in the early 70s.

  11. OTD, you project tuffitude, myself, I would just curl into the fetal position if it were painful to crack a beer!
    Our prayers and best wishes for a good healup!

  15. OpenTheDoor,

    I have a house (my retirement home) near Brunswick and I would go to Savannah often when I lived in Ga. I miss the shrimp.

    It is a great museum

  16. I’ve been to the Pima Museum in Tucson to see the last remaining Martin PBM Mariner seaplane.

    I’m fixing to go to the Naval Air Museum in P-Cola next.

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