The Christmas day mission 1944!

Lieutenant Baker tightened his harness and said to his Navigator Sergeant Black,

“You ready for this Rhubarb? (Low level intruder flight over enemy territory nick-named a Rhubarb by the RAF)”

“Of course Skipper, lets do it”

Lt Baker pushed and pulled the cold start lever 8 times and primed the Mosquito’s Two Rolls Royce Merlin engines with priming fuel. The twin Magneto’s were set to on. The electric fuel pumps wined softly and the low fuel pressure lights were extinguished. The ground mechanic gave a thumbs up as the Accumulator trolley was connected to the Mosquito’s batteries to save power for start up.

Lt Baker pushed the starter motor button for the port Rolls Royce Merlin 76 V12 engine. A high pitched wine signified the starter had engaged and was working correctly. The three bladed propeller spun slowly at first then disappeared into a blur of power. The 1,233 hp rated Merlin was set at fast idle for warm up. The Dynamo bolted to the Merlin engine powered the inboard electrics and the cockpit instruments flickered into life.

Repeating the same procedure Lt Baker started the starboard Rolls Royce Merlin 76. Once the engine temperature gauges registered warm a thumbs up signalled to the ground mechanics to remove the wheel chocks. A green light from the runway control signalled the mission was on! It was 10.50 am. Christmas day 1944.

The pilot Lt Baker released the pneumatic brakes and the Wooden DeHavilland Mosquito fighter bomber aircraft leapt forward at the chance of flight. At 110 knots Sam pulled back on the control column and the wooden wonder kissed the ground goodbye. The twin-stage gear-driven superchargers compressed air greedily and fed the fuel air mix into the V12 Merlin engines.

Sam set the throttles in the quadrant to three quarter power and engaged the Anti-Grav locks on the two throttle levers then trimmed the Mosquito into a fast climb. Sergeant Bruce Black fed constant course corrections for the journey over the English channel and into France. As per the mission briefing Sam dived the Mosquito to zero feet as they passed Paris (Zero feet is in reality anything under 100ft which is the limit of their altimeters accuracy)

Sam flicked the safety switch to off for the 4x Hispano 20mm cannons that were mounted in the nose of the fighter bomber. Streets flashed past at an incredible 320 knots (Approximately 360mph) the streets blended into countryside with ease. A train appeared ahead and Flak (Anti-aircraft fire) rose from the last carriage on the train! Pom, Pom shells poured past the speeding camouflaged Mosquito. Lt Baker made a quick decision.