Mosquito B35 Dual Control- Spartan Air Services

[gunzo]

Many will be aware that Mosquito B35 CF-HMJ is presently up for sale in the guise of VR796 'F for Freddie'. I am looking for information on the dual control cockpit arrangement of this aircraft in its later period of flying with Spartan Air Services as CF-HML..

 

The only visual references I can find are of Mosquito trainer variants with the fighter style joysticks- nothing with the bomber yokes, and direct communications with those directly involved with the CF-HMJ restoration, while having generously resulted in many other very useful details, have so far drawn a blank on this one.

 

Any Britmodellers able to help?

 

Les

[Crimea River]

The original F for Freddie that HMJ depicts was serialed LR503 not VR196. The latter serial is the actual one for Spartan's CF-HML. Bob Jens tried to get the restored aircraft re-registered as HML but, sadly, that code was in use so he had to settle for HMJ.

 

I have a lot of pictures and archive documents on Spartan's Mosquitos and it's the first I've heard of this particular one having dual controls though I don't profess to know everything. One very poor picture I have of the instrument panel during the very early restoration days in the mid 60's shows ONE control column and it has the bomber yoke and not the fighter stick.

 

Can you refer me to your data that has this aircraft as a dual control trainer? 

[gunzo]

Hi Crimea River

 

My sources are probably well known to you, Canadian Spartan and Mosquito afficianados Robert Stitt and Richard deBoerr. If you look at late images of HML the giveaway is the canopy top access/escape hatch necessitated by the obstruction of the usual passage.

 

I do not presently have means to post them here but if you pm me with a link I can send you appropriate photos, one with the hatch in use.

 

I underestand CF-HML was unique in this regard and otherwise outwardly appeared much the same as others such as HMQ and HMN. Indeed, it may have been a temporary mod, that was removed on retirement

 

Les