Glyn Powell’s Mosquito restoration – T43 NZ2308

In New Zealand, following on from the first flight of Jerry Yegans de Havilland Mosquito, FB Mk26 KA114, comes news of two further Mosquito restorations in the wings and progressing well.

Glyn Powell’s de Havilland Mosquito is an Australian built FB Mk40, converted to  T Mk43 standard as a trainer and flown post war by the RNZAF as NZ2308; a dual control Australian equivalent of the British T Mk.3. Built  at the Bankstown assembly line as a FB Mk.40, A52-20 was converted to T43 status as A52-1054. It was one of four purchased by the RNZAF in June  1947. Disposed of in 1955 it ended its days on a farm at Riwaka in the north of  the South Island New Zealand until  bought by Glyn Powell. It is being restored to  airworthy using a new build fuselage and wings by Glyn.

The aircraft is now  structurally complete with tail and wings mated to the fuselage the aircraft is to be finished in the Silver scheme it wore when in RAAF service. Recently, it has come to  light that the Mosquito will now be completed with the injection of funding  from a UK based organization “The Flying Mosquito Trust” and eventually operated in the UK. The restoration of this  historic de Havilland Mosquito will take another 3 years and it is hoped it will remain in  New Zealand for a period of time prior to its departure to the UK. Sadly, the  Mosquito is not a aircraft which takes kindly to frequent dismantling and  reassembly, so one imagines it is unlikely to return to NZ again once it  departs.

In any case this de Havilland Mosquito  will make a stunning addition to the ranks of the flying Warbird population and  a great tribute to Glyn.

© John Parker 2013