De Havilland with Counter Rotating Props

[TacAN]

We have been having a friendly discussion in aus.aviation as to whether or
not there was a model of DH Mossie that was fitted with counter rotating
props.
The time frame is not important ie: during war years or post war.
If anyone has a pic of this beastie it would be appreciated

With thanks
Graham (Australia)

[Robert Sveinson]

"TacAN" > wrote in message
...
> We have been having a friendly discussion in aus.aviation as to whether or
> not there was a model of DH Mossie that was fitted with counter rotating
> props.
> The time frame is not important ie: during war years or post war.
> If anyone has a pic of this beastie it would be appreciated
>
> With thanks
> Graham (Australia)

My bet is no. I have not seen a photo of such an animal.
One such aircraft was proposed in November of 1941,
to be numbered DH 101/102. Name change. This proposal
came about with the advent of the Sabre engine availability.
It was proposed that the a/c would be outfitted with
Napier Sabre N.S. 19 SIM two-stage, three-speed (supercharger?)
(32,000 ft.) engine with 15-ft counter-rotating airscrews,
when this becomes available.
The anticipated top speed 430 mph, cruise 328 mph.

It never saw the light of day, but it was an idea.

I hope you win your bet.

Robert



>
>

[bob]

From A.J. Jackson's book "De Havilland Aircraft since 1909":

D.H.99 TWIN SABRE BOMBER
This type number covered proposals made to the Ministry of Aircraft
Production in November 1941 for a scaled-up Mosquito night bomber with two
high altitude Napier Sabre N.S.8SM engines cruising at 300 m.p.h. and having
a range of 2,200 miles and operating at 27,000 ft. with a bomb load of
18,000 Ib. Development was envisaged with Sabre N.S.19 SIM two-stage, three
speed engines driving 15 ft. diameter contra-rotating airscrews to increase
the full load cruise to 328 m.p.h. at 32,000 ft.

In December 1941 the twin Sabre project was renamed D.H.101 and D.H.99 was
re-allotted to designs for a light, twin engined civil aircraft which J. P.
Smith and the Moth Minor team had been working on at the outbreak of war,
and which, due to military commitments, did not materialise.

D.H.101 TWIN SABRE BOMBER

The twin Napier Sabre bomber proposals, formerly designated D.H.99, were
renumbered D.H.101 in December 1941. Air Ministry Specification B.11/41 was
written round them but on April 4, 1942 de Havillands were informed that
Sabre engines would not be available and that Rolls-Royce Griffons should be
considered. In view of the expected reduction in performance with these
engines, the project was immediately terminated.

D.H.102 MOSQUITO REPLACEMENT

This layout was similar to the projected D.H.101 but envisaged a lower
powered night bomber to Specification B.4/42. Referred to as the Mosquito
replacement, it was to have been fitted with two Rolls-Royce Griffon or
Merlin engines and carry a 5,000 Ib. bomb load at a lower speed than its
namesake. Construction began, but work ceased in December 1942 when de
Havillands became preoccupied with the D.H.I03 Hornet.

Bob

"Robert Sveinson" > wrote in message
...
>
> "TacAN" > wrote in message
> ...
>> We have been having a friendly discussion in aus.aviation as to whether
>> or not there was a model of DH Mossie that was fitted with counter
>> rotating props.
>> The time frame is not important ie: during war years or post war.
>> If anyone has a pic of this beastie it would be appreciated
>>
>> With thanks
>> Graham (Australia)
>
> My bet is no. I have not seen a photo of such an animal.
> One such aircraft was proposed in November of 1941,
> to be numbered DH 101/102. Name change. This proposal
> came about with the advent of the Sabre engine availability.
> It was proposed that the a/c would be outfitted with
> Napier Sabre N.S. 19 SIM two-stage, three-speed (supercharger?)
> (32,000 ft.) engine with 15-ft counter-rotating airscrews,
> when this becomes available.
> The anticipated top speed 430 mph, cruise 328 mph.
>
> It never saw the light of day, but it was an idea.
>
> I hope you win your bet.
>
> Robert
>
>
>
>>
>>
>
>

[bob]

If you mean single-rotation props mounted on "handed" engines with opposite
rotation then, yes, there were Mossies with this feature. For instance, the
Mark XVI. The engines were a Merlin 72 (starboard) and a Merlin 73(port).


"TacAN" > wrote in message
...
> We have been having a friendly discussion in aus.aviation as to whether or
> not there was a model of DH Mossie that was fitted with counter rotating
> props.
> The time frame is not important ie: during war years or post war.
> If anyone has a pic of this beastie it would be appreciated
>
> With thanks
> Graham (Australia)
>

[Peter Twydell]

In message >, TacAN
> writes
>We have been having a friendly discussion in aus.aviation as to whether or
>not there was a model of DH Mossie that was fitted with counter rotating
>props.
>The time frame is not important ie: during war years or post war.
>If anyone has a pic of this beastie it would be appreciated
>
>With thanks
>Graham (Australia)
>
>
Do you mean two props driven by one engine (like the Shackleton) or two
props going in opposite directions (like the P-38 and the DH Hornet)? In
either case the answer's No, AFAIK. I'll check the opposite handed case
after I've had my dinner. SMBO has just summoned me...
--
Peter

Ying tong iddle-i po!

[Peter Twydell]

In message <9RCIj.4797$ie3.2010@trndny02>, bob > writes
>If you mean single-rotation props mounted on "handed" engines with opposite
>rotation then, yes, there were Mossies with this feature. For instance, the
>Mark XVI. The engines were a Merlin 72 (starboard) and a Merlin 73(port).
>
>
Can you give a source for that? I've never come across it before.

The Mk XVI did have Merlin 72 and 73 engines, but they were both RH
drive, as were all other Mosquito engines. The difference between the 72
and 73 was that the latter had a cabin supercharger. I would have
thought that if paired handed Merlins had been available, DH would have
used them in the Sea Mosquito. They weren't and they didn't.

Paired handed Merlins were the 130 and 131 used in the Hornet I and Sea
Hornet XX, and the 134 and 135, used in the Hornet F.III and Sea Hornet
21.

Source: British Piston Aero-Engines and their Aircraft.

>"TacAN" > wrote in message
...
>> We have been having a friendly discussion in aus.aviation as to whether or
>> not there was a model of DH Mossie that was fitted with counter rotating
>> props.
>> The time frame is not important ie: during war years or post war.
>> If anyone has a pic of this beastie it would be appreciated
>>
>> With thanks
>> Graham (Australia)
>>
>
>


Please don't top post, it makes it difficult to follow a thread.
--
Peter

Ying tong iddle-i po!