Q&A ยท 2:49:17-2:49:32

Mosquito airframes in tropical climates

A viewer raises reports that hot, wet South Pacific conditions damaged Mosquito airframes and affected deployment choices.

Question

Did hot, wet Pacific conditions make the de Havilland Mosquito unsuitable?

Short answer

Problems existed and influenced deployment, but they were dealt with and did not make the Mosquito broadly unusable.

Notes

The question raises reports of Mosquito deterioration in the hot, wet South Pacific climate. Problems occurred, but they were addressed and were less severe than the broad claim suggests. The practical concern is connected with the greater frequency of Bristol Blenheim deployments in the Far East. The climate problem cautions against assuming that an aircraft design performs identically in every theatre, while the evidence stops short of declaring the Mosquito unusable.