Mosquito FB Mk. VI range

[Nick Beale]

I've been reading a book on the Amiens prison raid (The Jail Busters by Robert Lyman). In talking about the development of 2 Group tactics he writes:

Because the range of a Mosquito was 350 miles this meant that, keeping 10% in reserve for emergencies, the distance flown to a target needed to be no more than about 157 miles.

He's talking about a configuration of 2 x 500 lb bombs underwing and the same in the bomb bay (so no additional fuel internally or externally) but even so this seems a very short range. None of my references gives a figure for this particular loading — is he entirely wrong or confusing range with radius of action perhaps? (Nothing else in the book suggests any great knowledge of aviation, by the way).

[Delmenhorst]

(Nothing else in the book suggests any great knowledge of aviation, by the way).

Forgive Robert Lyman - he is ex-Army (Light Infantry)

[andy bird]

More aviation titles to be released by Rob fairly shortly.

Not all the alts suggested went into the final version unfortunately.

Andy Bird

[Dave Wallace]

"Mosquito" by Sharp & Bowyer has the range of a Mk. IV Bomber as 1220 miles at economical cruise and a height of 20,000', 990 miles at high speed cruise at the same height. This was with a 540 gallon fuel load.

[udf_00]

453 gal.
-20 gal. run-up & t/o
-50 gal. reserve
-50 gal. 12 mn combat
333 gal.
At sea level 220 mph IAS 2000 rpm outbound 2.75 miles per gallon
At sea level 220 mph IAS 2000 rpm inbound 3 miles per gallon
Rather a 900 miles range.

[Juha]

Maybe the authors had been confused between radius of action and range, a 900mls range means more or less a 350 mls radius of action.

[Graham Boak]

The 900 mile range has already included the allowances so 450 rather than 350 would be a radius. Or just take the cruder estimate of one third of the range - giving something over 400 miles. I agree that the author appears to have confused the two.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by udf_00

453 gal.
-20 gal. run-up & t/o
-50 gal. reserve
-50 gal. 12 mn combat
333 gal.
At sea level 220 mph IAS 2000 rpm outbound 2.75 miles per gallon
At sea level 220 mph IAS 2000 rpm inbound 3 miles per gallon
Rather a 900 miles range.

?? If we assume that the Combat Radius is defined by remaining internal fuel then isn't the radius defined by that attainable for a maximum (approximately)of 1/2 of available 333gallons? and further as 1/2 of the fuel per each engine?

The Mustang 1650-7 at 2150RPM/40" Boost gobbled up 50 imperial gallons per hour at SL for a cruise speed of 289mph IAS/TAS.

For a simple approximation The Mossie in the example above, (assuming near equal Merlin economics for same RPM/MP) consumes approximately 100 IGph drawing from the 162 gallons available for the return trip.

So = 162 gallons/100Gph = 1.62 hours at 220 mph = 356 miles. That is non conservative because the fuel consumption with external bomb load is approximately 10% greater outbound so it would draw more then the returning inbound leg and the return leg would have less than 150 Imp gallons remaining (in consideration of above combat and reserve figures).

If those figures are for US gallons then the return 'air time' is ~162/120 = 1.35 hours at 220mh = ~300 mile combat radius.

Pure nonsense if the comparable Merlin fuel consumptions are not close between Mustang and Mossie.

[drgondog]

Many 'authors' draw from published data without context for Gross Weight at Take off, external stores and think for some reason that a straight ferry run is comparable to a combat Radius... most do not understand to concept of 'Legs' or a mission profile or that your Return is Entirely dependent on internal fuel remaining when you turn for home.

[udf_00]

At sea level 220 mph IAS 2000 rpm outbound 2.75 miles per gallon

Means a consumption of 80 gal/hour total
2000 rpm, +4 ib./sq.in. boost and 220 mph recommended speed for greater range.
220 mph, not 290 mph. Using 100 gal/hour also means flying at a speed greater than 220 mph.

"That is non conservative because the fuel consumption with external bomb load is approximately 10% greater outbound"
The charts are given with no indication about the load, so I don't know if it's without underwing stores; with 2x250 or 2x500 lb bombs;
with 2x42, 2x50 or 2x100 gal drop tanks; 2x4 RP (with or without drop tanks); Depth Charges).

-50 gal. reserve &
-50 gal. 12 mn combat is conservative.

Inquiry was about a 350 miles range, the radius was infered.