de Havilland Super Mosquito

High-Speed Medium Bomber / Fighter-Bomber Proposal [ 1942 ]

The de Havilland Super Mosquito was to carry-on the excellent qualities of the earlier DH.98 Mosquito platform.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/09/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The de Havilland Mosquito went on to become one of the finest warplanes of World War 2 (1939-1945) with its multi-role approach. The two-seat, twin-engined platform excelled as a fighter-bomber, reconnaissance mount and night intruder across many major production marks for its part in the years-long conflict. It was only natural, therefore, that the base design was to be considered for a myriad of other related projects including a dedicated high-speed medium bomber form and a jet-powered fighter offering.

The DH.99 was drawn up to fulfill a fast medium bomber requirement (B.11/41) of 1941, the same specification that drove the competing twin-engined Hawker P.1005. de Havilland engineers concluded that their two-seat heavy fighter could be converted to the high-speed bomber role using the same Napier Sabre IV engines (2,180 horsepower output each) as the proposed P.1005 and built upon the form of the impressive, in-service DH.98 Mosquito design in short order. The evolving project was initially handed the designation of "DH.99" and then this changed to "DH.101". Beyond showcasing slightly larger dimensions, the DH.101 would also carry a complete operating crew of three (as opposed to the Mosquito's two).

Engineers estimated a maximum speed of nearly 420 miles per hour for their new aircraft. 4,000lb of conventional drop stores would be carried internally and an additional 2,000lb would be carried externally (under the wings). External fuel tanks could also be mounted to help increase the bomber's range which would prove helpful over the vast airspaces of Europe, the Pacific and all points in between. In form, the DH.101 mimicked the design lines of the earlier DH.98 quite closely with its sleek fuselage, forward-set wing mainplanes and single-finned tail unit. Each engine would drive a four-bladed propeller unit in contra-rotating fashion, eliminating inherent torque and thusly increasing control and stability. The undercarriage would be of a tail-dragger arrangement and the crew would all sit under a teardrop-shaped canopy just aft of the short nosecone assembly.

As the project progressed, it became apparent that Napier's engine commitments elsewhere in the war would severely restrict availability of the intended Sabre engine for in-development projects like the DH.101. As such, the Bristol Centaurus radial piston engine was selected as a replacement but it was soon realized that this engine fit would play poorly within the design specs required of the de Havilland fast medium bomber - leading to the abandonment of the DH.101.

From the de Havilland drawing boards arrived a new Mosquito development whose dimensions were more in line with the original DH.98. Power would stem from a pair of Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 inline engines. Instead of the design being pushed as a fast medium bomber, the aircraft - designated DH.102 - was slated to succeed the primary DH.98 fighter-bomber marks then in service. It still carried a crew of three but proposed standard armament now centered on 4 x 20mm and 4 x 40mm automatic cannons for a considerable frontal "punch" against ground- and air-based targets alike.

Two DH.102 prototypes were covered under Specification B.4/42 in 1942 but interest in the design soon waned despite the progress showcased in the construction phase. The DH.102 ultimately faced cancellation on December 26th, 1942 and ended all hopes for a Super Mosquito product.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1942

Origin

United Kingdom

Status

CANCELLED
Development Ended.

Crew

3

Production

0
UNITS

de Havilland - United Kingdom

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

United Kingdom (cancelled)

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.

INTERCEPTION
Ability to intercept inbound aerial threats by way of high-performance, typically speed and rate-of-climb.

GROUND ATTACK
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.

SPECIAL-MISSION: ANTI-SHIP
Equipped to search, track, and engage enemy surface elements through visual acquisition, radar support, and onboard weaponry.

X-PLANE
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

Length

47.6 ft
(14.50 m)

Width/Span

70.0 ft
(21.35 m)

Height

12.8 ft
(3.90 m)

Empty Wgt

24,251 lb
(11,000 kg)

MTOW

33,654 lb
(15,265 kg)

Wgt Diff

+9,403 lb
(+4,265 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the de Havilland D.101 Super Mosquito production variant)

Installed: 2 x Napier Sabre IV liquid-cooled inline piston engines developing 2,180 horsepower each and driving four-bladed propeller units.

Max Speed

416 mph
(670 kph | 362 kts)

Ceiling

29,003 ft
(8,840 m | 5 mi)

Range

1,429 mi
(2,300 km | 1,242 nm)

Rate-of-Climb

3,000 ft/min
(914 m/min)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the de Havilland D.101 Super Mosquito production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

PROPOSED (DH.102):
4 x 20mm automatic cannons.
4 x 40mm automatic cannons.

OPTIONAL (DH.98 / DH.101):
6 x 500lb conventional drop bombs OR 4 x 1,000lb bombs OR 2 x 1,900lb bombs held internally.

Up to 2,000lb of conventional drop stores carried externally. Assumed support for aerial rockets and possibly torpedo armament.

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft automatic cannon

Graphical image of aircraft aerial rockets

Graphical image of an aircraft conventional drop bomb munition

Graphical image of an aircraft aerial torpedo

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

2
Hardpoints

"Super Mosquito" - Base Series Name

DH.99 - Original project designation

DH.101 - Revised project designation; medium fast bomber design; increased dimensions; 8,000lb internal/external bombload.

DH.102 - Revised project designation; fighter-bomber design; reduced dimensions; 2 x Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 inline engines; 4 x 20mm and 4 x 40mm automatic cannon armament.

General Assessment

Firepower

Performance

Survivability

Versatility

Impact

Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.

Overall Rating

The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.

74

Rating is out of a possible 100 points.

Relative Maximum Speed

Hi: 500mph

Lo: 250mph

This entry's maximum listed speed (416mph).

Graph average of 375 miles-per-hour.

City-to-City Ranges

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

Max Altitude Visualization

Design Balance

The three qualities reflected above are altitude, speed, and range.

Aviation Era Span

Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.

>>>>

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Images Gallery

1 / 1

Image of the de Havilland Super Mosquito

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)