de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito

Nicknamed the ‘Wooden Wonder’ due to its primarily wooden construction, the de Havilland Mosquito was amongst the fastest aircraft in the world following its introduction in 1941. The aircraft was capable of reaching speeds exceeding 400 mph while carrying up to 4,000 lbs of bombs. This aircraft, owned by the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia and piloted by the Museum’s Mike Spalding, is one of 1,032 Canadian-built Mosquitos which de Havilland Canada built at their factory in Downsview, near Toronto. Built late in the war, it entered service with the Royal Canadian Air Force on February 22, 1945. This particular example was restored to flying condition over 8 years in New Zealand and has been flying since 2012.