[MarkRS]

A Mosquito carrying 2000 lb was at least 20 mph faster than a Spitfire. It was designed that way. Its defence against fighters was to fly away from them. I am a structural designer, among other things, and aluminium structures are not lighter than composite wood ones. That is why the Mosquito was made the way it was. The Hornet and the Vampire were of similar construction. I have a lot of experience with modern composites. Homogeneous metals do not even come close to competing with them. As I said, if the aerodynamics are the same, weight is important. They were doing everything they could to find an extra 5 mph. It is also a myth that the Mosquito was built of wood because a shortage or fear of shortage of aluminium. They had to go to Canada for the right woods. The Mosquito was structurally a much higher tech aircraft than any of the metal aircraft. It was so far out there that De Havilland had trouble selling it to RAF, until they started flying them, that is.