Photo of the Day: Oct. 1, 2012

The Roaring 40's Harvard display team perform during an airshow commemorating the rebuild of de Havilland Mosquito KA 114, on September 29, 2012 in Ardmore, New Zealand. (Simon Watts/Getty)

From Warbird Alley:

The all-wood Mosquito bomber was designed with war in mind. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, the Mosquito was as fast as a fighter and could carry the payload of a medium bomber. Flying high and fast, it was believed it could perform the mission without defensive armament. In a display of incredible foresight, deHavilland constructed the airplane almost entirely out of balsa and plywood in case strategic metals became scarce. The Air Ministry originally wanted nothing to do with the aircraft, and rejected it as unsuitable because of its wooden construction.

Zachary Fryer-Biggs
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Zachary Fryer-Biggs

Senior Staff Writer at Defense News
Zach is the State Department correspondent, cyberwarfare, research & development and business reporter for Defense News.
Zachary Fryer-Biggs
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