This compelling work of military aviation history from the bestselling author of Harrier 809 chronicles the story of the spyplane, night-fighter and war-winning wonder that was the de Havilland Mosquito.
Built of lightweight wood, powered by two growling Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, impossibly aerodynamic, headspinningly fast and armed to the teeth, the de Havilland Mosquito was the war-winning wonder that should never have existed: the aircraft the RAF didn't think it wanted then couldn't do without.
Flying on operations barely eighteen months after a single prototype was ordered off the drawing board, it was the answer to its pilots' prayers: a stunningly versatile warplane capable of leaving the Luftwaffe in its wake to attack when and where the enemy was least expecting it.
Excelling as a spyplane, night-fighter and pathfinder for Bomber Command's heavies the Mossie's reputation was cemented by a series of daredevil bombing raids across occupied Europe, including on Berlin itself, where only surprise, speed and precision could ensure success.
So when Churchill's top secret Special Operations Executive needed to destroy the Gestapo HQ in the centre of downtown Copenhagen to prevent a devastating Nazi last stand that might prolong the war for many months, there was only one machine for the job.
This is the story of that legendary aircraft told through that one impossible mission.
Like Rowland White's previous books, Mosquito is an unputdownable mix of utterly compelling storytelling, incredible human stories and fascinating technological detail, which sheds never-before-told light on a pivotal mission that helped bring the war to its bloody and brutal close.
Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
ISBN: 9780552178006
Number of pages: 560
Weight: 406 g
Dimensions: 198 x 130 x 35 mm
A captivating history ... White used the history of these operations to weave stories of fortitude and courage into the story of a great machine - Daily Telegraph
This is history as it should be written: adrenaline-charged, exciting, impeccably and painstakingly researched with a cast of vividly-drawn characters. Riding through it is among the greatest, most extraordinarily brilliant aircraft of them all: the Mosquito. One of the most gripping works of history I’ve ever read - James Holland
10/10 - Helen Fry
Wonderful detail, intricate research and most importantly, powerful & moving human testimony, ensure the reader is gripped from the first page to the last by this incredible story - John Nichol
Believe the plaudits - Mosquito is a wonderful tome ... an addictive, moving and tenaciously researched tale ... his best book to date - Flypast
No dry history, Mosquito reads like a thriller, not just based on fact, but factual in every detail ... this is hard to put down ... Unreservedly recommended - Aviation Historian
White's engaging style has the reader hanging on every line. It's like the best adventure stories except this one is the real thing - Best of British
The pace at which White's narrative runs along and the skill with which he ties together the many strands of his chosen story, are exceptional ... an excellent read, unreservedly recommended - Aeroplane
White immerses the reader in the action from the first page ... a must read - Flight International
Weaving together the story of its evolution with vivid accounts of the crews that flew it and the Special Operations Executive on the ground, Mosquito is both a tribute to the finest aircraft Britain produced during the war and a page-turning thriller about its use as the world’s first precision aerial weapon - Tom Petch, author of Speed Aggression Surprise: The Secret Origins of the SAS
An excellent book full of detail and brings both the Mosquito and the men who flew it to life. The story of the women and men of the Danish resistance and SOE interwoven in to the missions of the Mosquito squadrons is... More
The mosquito is not the subject of this book. The Danish resistance movement is. The mosquito has a supporting role in the story but if you want a book focused on the mosquito, this isn’t it. The initial chapters were... More
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