Warbirds Online grew up in the Dubbo area of NSW and it was seeing the many derelict DH 98 Mosquitos from the former RAAF Base at nearby Narromine which triggered an interest in Warbirds from an early age.
RAAF Narromine in WWII was a secret base which housed the DH98 Mosquito aircraft of the RAF No 618 Squadron – sister Squadron to the famous No 617 “Dambusters” Squadron. The Squadron had been formed in the UK on 1 April 1943 with the aim of deploying a scaled down “Upkeep” bouncing bomb used in the Dambusters raids called the “Highball”, two of which could be carried in the modified Mosquitos mostly for use against shipping.
For various reasons the weapon was never deployed in Europe. In January 1945, the specially modified Mosquitos were sent to Australia with the idea of using them against Japanese shipping targets. However again the special aircraft and their weapons were not deployed, allegedly because of fears that the technology could fall into Japanese hands.
With WWII growing to a close, the Squadron was disbanded and after the war the aircraft were sold off to local farmers for use as parts and materials on the farms. Several partial airframes were eventually recovered with many parts finding their way into restoration projects. One significant restoration of one of the Mosquito Mk IV’s is taking place at the Camden Museum of Aviation and is well advanced to static display status.
Today we present a sample of the State Library of New South Wales photos combined with some images from our own collection.
-
- 618 Squadron RAF at Mascot NSW
-
- DH 98 Mosquito FB 40 A52 128 at Narromine
-
- DH 98 Mosquito FB 40 A52 128 being inspected
-
- 618 Sqn Mosquitos awaiting sale at Narromine
The secrecy of the Narromine Mosquitos was so well enforced that the aircraft were forbidden from landing at most other Australian airfields for fear of their purpose being revealed. Inevitably there were a few accidents during the time the aircraft were based at Narromine. Whilst at school in West Dubbo I was often told of one crash of a Mosquito not far from the school and eventually tracked the site of the incident down. However very little remained, apart from a few small metal objects.
Recently whilst researching photos in the State Library of New South Wales we were amazed to find a selection of Mosquito photos taken at Narromine during their service. One in particular was an excellent image of the crashed Mosquito FB VI Serial HR609, which on 12/6/45 W/O Stacey and Flt SGT Knight force-landed at West Dubbo, after engine problems.
-
- DH 98 Mosquito ex 618 Sqn FB.VI HR621 at Camden Museum
-
- DH 98 Mosquito tail rebuilt in Newcastle NSW
-
- DH 98 Mosquito Mk IV wreck at Narromine NSW
-
- DH 98 Mosquito FB Mk V1 RAF Serial HR609
DH 98 Mosquito Special Modification Specifications
The Mosquitos used were modified as follows: (Per Online Wiki)
The Mosquito selected for the conversion work to carry “Highball” was the Mk.IV series II, the work entailed removing the bomb bay doors and equipping the aircraft with specialized carriers enabling them to carry two “Highballs”, each weighing 1,280 lb (580 kg), in tandem. The bombs were designed to skip across water and to provide weapon stability and accuracy. Before release they were spun backwards at 700 to 900 rpm by a ram air turbine mounted in the bomb bay’s midsection, fed by an extendable air scoop. The bombs were to be dropped from a maximum altitude of 60 ft (20 m) at a speed of 360 mph (600 km/h).
For this role 25 B.Mk.IVs were further modified.
Each aircraft was equipped with Merlin 25s, adapted to provide peak power at low altitudes, driving four-bladed Rotol propellers. These propellers had narrower blades than the standard three-bladed units, meaning that the engines would rev up faster and respond quicker to throttle movement, factors vital in the limited length of carrier take-offs. Longer intakes under the engine cowlings were fitted with tropical filters. The undercarriage legs were made of heavier-gauge metals and the wheels were fitted with the twin brake units of FB Mk VIs.
The rear fuselages were structurally modified with a special internal longeron, and reinforced bulkheads designed to take the additional loads imposed by carrier landings: an additional bulkhead (No. 5a) was fitted. Externally a “V-frame” arrestor hook was fitted. The “snap gear” which released the hook was operated by a Bowden cable from a lever mounted on the cockpit port side.
An access hatch was moved from the starboard rear fuselage to underneath, and an extra longitudinal stiffening strake, identical to that already fitted to the starboard side of production Mosquitos, was fitted to the port fuselage.
The tailwheel fork pivots incorporated end plates to avoid being caught in the arrestor cables. Armoured windscreens were fitted, along with hydraulic wipers.
Three Photo Reconnaissance Mk.XVIs, which were to be used for reconnaissance duties were also fitted with the four-bladed propellers and fuselage modifications for carrier operations.
Warbirds Online acknowledges and is grateful for the use of some material in this story from the State Library of New South Wales and images taken by other Warbirds enthusiasts.
© John Parker 2021
With regards to the crashed Mossie at West Dubbo I have been assisting the son of FlSGT Knight research his time at Narromine.
How we do obtain a copy of the photograph of HR609?
Hi Graeme
I will email you a copy of the photo. Good luck with your research.
Kind regards
John
Hi Graeme,
I am the Eldest Grandson of Jack Cecil (W/O Stacey).
My brother has the logbook and original photos, also we have some film shot from the nosecone of the mossies. I know the Imperial War Museum have copies of many of the photos, but it would be nice to have an online archive for future generations.
All the best,
Richard
Hi John
We had in our fb group photo of Mosquito crews from 618. squadron RAF. It supposed to be taken in Australia in early 1945. De Havilland is trying find names of the airmen on the photo. I would like to ask for help, if it is possible.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards
Pavel
Hi Vincenc
Thank you for getting in touch. Send me a photo to warbirdsonline@bigpond.com and I’ll see if I can help you.
Kind regards
John
My Dad was a pilot with 618 at Narromine he may well be on the photo. I visited Narromine a few years ago as I understood there was a Mossie there however I did get into the museum. Please send me the photo I will see who I can identify as I have some names.
Hi Tony
These photos are from the NSW state archives. If you contact them and lodge a request they should be able to give you a copy of the photo.
https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/
Kind regards
John
Hello my father was in the 618 squadron at Narromine. I found a photo of him in the Narromine Aviation Museum
Hi Francene
Thanks for sharing this information.
Kind regards
John
My Father was part of 618 squadron. His name was Arthur James Astell. He died many years ago but I just wonder if anyone remembers him? I can’t see him on the photo’s but he was a photographer so maybe that’s why.
Hi Janet
Thanks for getting in touch. I hope that someone may shed some light on him.
Kind regards
John
My father, Frank Seymour, was also part of the squadron – one of the radio engineers. I am preparing his eulogy and came across these great photos. He lived until 100 and died just last month. He told me about RAAF Narromine and the bravery of the pilots as well as the danger that would have been involved had the weapon they developed ever been deployed. He said that, although in theory the planes could return if they were not shot down, everyone understood that the pilots would not have been able to land their planes on the ship so there would be no coming back for them.
We will remember them.
My elderly friend former Flt Lt Bernard Lloyd Hammond, sadly now no longer with us was a pilot on 618 Sqn both in the UK and in Australia.
Following flying training in the USA, Bernard started his operational flying with 235 Squadron, flying the Beaufighter out of RAF Leuchars in Scotland with detachments to a number of airfields in Cornwall. He was then selected to fly the Mosquito with the ‘most secret’ 618 Sqn.
Following the plan to sink the Tirpitz going belly up, part of the squadron was posted to RAAF Narromine, including Bernard and his regular navigator Sgt Gardener. As is well documented, that operation, this time against the Japanese also went belly up.
Bernard lived at Marham, a village in Norfolk and close to RAF Marham where today the F35Bs of 617 and 207 Sqns are based when not a sea on one or the other of our two RN aircraft carriers. Over a 12 month period or so he told me the story of 618 Sqn both in Scotland and at Narromine.
Over the years a number of the inert Highball bombs have been recovered from Loch Striven where they were ‘bounced’ at the hulk of a former RN warship. Bernard described this as the most exciting flying of his WW2 career with the RAF.
His ‘good morning old boy’ or ‘see you next week old boy’ is still a fond memory.
Hi Alan
Thanks for sharing this information.
Kind regards
John
My father flew Mosquitos in 305 (Polish) Sq RAF and from this connection my interest in Mosquitos has developed. Over the years, enough material has been collected to rebuild a Highball Mosquito DZ546, ex Narromine. In these remains are brackets and control shafts for actuating the wind turbine driven Highball mechanism, matched to original mechanism drawings found in the RAF Museum archives. These drawings match some remains of a Highball cradle from DZ543, which crashed in the UK, now held in the most excellent dH Museum in Herts, UK. An inert Highball recovered from Loch Striven, where training took place, is also displayed. Recently, the Narromine airfield wartime dump was excavated, with many interesting finds donated to the Narromine Air Museum. The theory was that the obsolete Highball air turbine mechanism, replaced with hydraulic drives for postwar Sea Mosquito and Sea Hornet use, may have been cut up and buried in the dump, rather than returned to the UK, but no such luck. I wonder if anybody who connected with former 618 Sq personnel can ever recall what happened to the Highball mechanisms when the Squadron was stood down in mid 1945. I understand the Highballs were dumped off the coast of NSW for safe disposal, but am hoping the Highball mechanisms did not meet the same fate.
My father was Wing Commander Anthony Binks who was in 618 squadron and served there until it was disbanded in July, 1945.
Do you have any photos or records of his tenure while he was there please?
Kind regards,
David Binks
Hi David
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m sorry we do not have any photos on your father. Perhaps it may be best check with the RAF or IWM.
Kind regards
John
Hello John,
I attended a lecture at Lane Cove Library one evening in 2023? about Squadron 618 based at Narromine NSW from 1944?but I cannot remember who gave that lecture. It was not a big room but it was packed full. Can you please tell me the lecturer’s name? Many Thanks & Best Wishes.
Hi Abe,
Good to hear that you attended to talk. Sorry I don’t know about the lecture or the name of the lecturer. You may need to contact the Library to ask.
Kind regards
John