Hey Guys. I know this is not exactly about models, but it is about an iconic plane, the Dehaviland Mosquito, many examples of which where built right here in Toronto. I cannot imagine the rush it must have been to fly at 50 feet off the ground at 400 mph. And it could carry as much bomb load as a B-17!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvEa_UtJl_c

Rob,

Thanks for posting it.  I watched all 44 minutes of it.  Great plane.

Frank

The video inspired me to get my PZ Mossi out yesterday. I had been contemplating selling it. Glad I did not, I forgot how well it flies, and just love the sound of twin props.

I did exactly the same last weekend Rob!

Rob thanks so much for posting this incredible video.  It is absolutely riveting (if one can say that of a story about a wooden plane).   I had no idea how versatile the Mosquito  and how important it was to the war effort.  Truly an amazing story.

Andy

Rob's post has me itching to dust off my Mossi model...Black Rufe
Reading the stories of real Mosquito crews is something any aviation buff should make time for. "Terror in the Starboard Seat" was written by Dave McIntosh(DFC) a Canadian who served as navigator on an intruder Mossi. His pilot was an American Jew, Sid Seid, who had joined the RAF with the intention of single-handedly destroying the Third Reich. Their squadron leader was Russ Bannock, pilot of arguably the most famous intruder Mossi ...Black Rufe. Bannock would later be the test pilot for Canada's iconic DH2C...the Beaver
BTW, McIntosh trained on an Anson, and mine's back on build...

Interesting to hear towards the end of the video that the Mossi was used in low level aerial attacks on the Philips Electronics plants in Eindhoven, Holland when the Nazis occupied the plant.  So that's why so much of the city was new.

I lived in Eindhoven as a kid and went to school there (kindergarten to grade two; or as Andy would say "the best 10 years of Frank's life!").  Then my parents returned to live there in 1971 until 1986.

In 1974 I met the man who re-built Eindhoven after the war.  His name was Theo Tromp. He was a member of Philips' Board of Management.  When the city was liberated he spent 100% of his time for two years re-building the city.  He set all the priorities and made all the decisions.  The most decisive guy I have ever met.  I spent two weeks on his 54 foot ketch sailing it from Aalesund in northern Norway to Amsterdam (1200 NM). 
In the early 1980's I happened to be in Holland when he passed away and attended his funeral.  The Dutch airforce* did a missing man formation overhead the exact moment his coffin was lowered into the grave.  A photo of him I took on the boat in 1974 and gave to his wife after the trip became his official photo published everywhere (announcements, newspapers, etc).  Just one of those lucky shots.


Frank

* he was on the Board that decided on the new fighter plane all the EEC countries were going to adopt to replace the F-104 Starfighter.

I just googled his name.  Here is an excerpt:

"At the beginning of the war, Tromp was asked to come to London on the request of the British Government. At that occasion Watson-Watt persuaded Tromp to produce and deliver as much as possible EF50 RF pentodes, which formed a vital part of the British radar systems. Starting from 1942 Tromp became more and more involved in the Dutch Resistance and espionage for the Allied. He financed the resistance, helped other colleagues involved in espionage leaving the country, and was involved in the building and setting up of a backup radio transmitter network which should come into action in case the Germans would destroy the Dutch broadcast transmitters in an invasion of the Allied Forces. He gathered crucial information regarding the production for the Germans of Philips and other companies in occupied Holland. The group of industrials who were involved in this activity operated under the code name "Harry." The information was communicated to the intelligence agencies in London mainly through carriers who could travel "for bussines" to Switserland. Besides this the production for the German occupier was heavily sabotaged."

(...kindergarten to grade two; or as Andy would say "the best 10 years of Frank's life!)

I may be a bit caustic at times, but I always stick to the facts.  These were the best 6 years of Frank's life - certainly no more than 7!   

Andy