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The Mosquito Reborn

magoo

magoo

SOH-CM-2013
It's a one hour presentation documenting the acquisition and restoration of the old Spartan Air Services Mosquito CF-HML to it's current status as C-FHMJ, painted in memory of war time's "F for Freddy."

http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/s,freddie.html

Owner Bob Jens, the crew at Victoria Air Maintenance, and test pilot Steve Hinton provide interesting commentary. Too much stuff for a one hour show.....wish they made it longer. So much could be expanded upon....so much more could be seen.

Still....a nice clear picture. View it online free at BC's Knowledge Network, available until May 11th.

https://www.knowledge.ca/program/gaining-altitude-mosquito-reborn



 
Unfortunately the video can only be watched in Canada (at least that's the message I get), but I've followed the restoration for many years, even back prior to Bob Jens getting a hold of it, and it is an absolutely fantastic accomplishment. It is by far the most original airworthy Mosquito, as unlike the two other current flyers, built with all new wood, Bob Jens' Mosquito still has (at least for the most part) its original wood construction. Before Bob Jens acquired the aircraft, it was already a restoration project in process for many years (just the other day I ran across some photos/article about it from the 80's) - it is incredible that the eventual/final goal was reached and it flew (though now rumored to remain static indefinitely (it didn't fly last year), or at least until Jens' Spitfire, TZ138, is flown again, so that he can accomplish another of his goals, to get some photos of his Spitfire and Mosquito flying together - which I've heard is the reason why the paint work on the Mosquito looks the way it does/not very authentic, as it was painted to have the same finish as his Spitfire, which the paint work on it is quite dated/not up to current standards of authenticity).

It would be nice if Bob Jens did allow VR796 to fly again, perhaps this year or next, and join in the air together with the Flying Heritage Collection's new flying Mosquito, TV959, which will be making its debut season of flying from Everett, WA this summer (currently it is being painted), which of course is not all that far away from where VR796 lives. It would be the first time that two Mosquito's have flown together since the 80's. Although TV959 already completed several hours of flight testing in New Zealand, it will of course have to be "flight tested" again, likely in April, at Everett, now that it has had to be fully reassembled again, and in all likelihood, Steve Hinton, chief test pilot for FHC (and who test flew VR796), will have the honors.
 
That's what I hear too about the FHC aircraft. Late April - early May. Keeping my calendar clear for that big day.
 
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