Mossie SurpriseTook a trip to the De Haviland museum earlier today and was surprised to see something I never realised was a feature on the Mossie prototype.
Handley Page style leading edge slats were fitted to the protoype owing to concerns about possible low speed handling issues. However, they were never used and over the course of history were thought to have been removed. During the the restoration circa 2016, the restoration team were surprised to find they were still attached and had been wired shut and taped over.
I suppose this is common knowledge but it delighted me so I slapped up this picture... and this one:
On the 24th February 1941 while taxying on the rough surface, the tailwheel jammed and the fuselage fractured around the starboard access hatch. The damage was serious enough for the fuselage to be changed and the fuselage of the second prototype, W4051, was used so she is a mixture of both the first and second prototypes but never the less something special.
There is also Mosquito B.Mk.35 & Mosquito FB Mk.VI at the museum and I have some detail shots of the armament layout on the FB if they are any use as refs for anyone.
Big apologies if this is all old hat but I was an excited doggie