[Graham Boak]

I stand by my comments: given that metal replaced wood in all but a very small handful of designs, including ones originally designed in wood, the matter seems clear. Given that no-one will ever spend an equivalent amount of effort designing a metal version of the Mosquito, the point is probably unprovable.

It is not true that DH had trouble selling the Mosquito to the RAF: it was supported throughout its design, development and production phases. Do you seriously think an unapproved aircraft would have been allowed such a diversion of design effort and two precious Merlins? No doubt there were elements in the RAF that thought it the wrong choice, but the same comment can probably be made about every aircraft the service has ever had (including the Spitfire). The RAF, with the associated Ministries and Establishments, cannot be expected to speak with a single voice on such complex matters. Any manufacturer may understandably consider that (at certain times) it failed to get all the support it wanted - that's not the same as being unsupported at all.

A quick look gives me a max. speed for the Spitfire Mk.V of 374mph at 13.000ft. and the Mosquito B Mk.IV at 380mph at 17000ft. It is important to quote not just the top speed, but the altitude for which it is quoted. 6 mph is probably the penalty for the Spitfire's flat armoured windscreen as opposed to the Mosquito's V-screen, but is little more than the variation from one aircraft to another off the production lines. The Mk.V Spit had been in service a year before the Mosquito reached the squadrons, and the Mosquito was of course flying against the Fw190, which could reach over 400mph at similar altitudes.

Which might help to explain why the Mosquito day bomber loss rate was higher than that of the Blenheim it replaced, and why it was removed from service as an unarmed unescorted day bomber after use by only two squadrons. The pure bomber never did return - the fighter-bomber variant did, but served as a conventional light bomber under fighter escort, and only after the threat from the Luftwaffe had been considerably reduced.

The Mosquito was a wonderful design, with many fine features and a great service career. However, many of the stories are propaganda myths - particularly for the bombers - and a more measured judgement is needed. It couldn't "walk on water".