de Havilland Mosquito B.IV
de Havilland · United Kingdom · first flew 1941 · bomber
The Mosquito B.IV was the initial production bomber variant, relying on pure speed for survival rather than defensive armament, with a glazed nose for the bomb-aimer and a clean fuselage optimised for the bombing role.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Side-by-side cockpit with a large bubble canopy and no under-nose gun pack; the fuselage underside is smooth from nose to bomb bay |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Glazed bomb-aimer's nose with a flat panel below the cockpit — the B.IV has extensive forward glazing with a pressed-glass bomb-sight window, unlike the solid nose of the FB.VI
- No wing hardpoints or cannon blisters under the nose — the belly is clean with only the bomb-bay doors visible
- Side-by-side cockpit with a large bubble canopy and no under-nose gun pack; the fuselage underside is smooth from nose to bomb bay
Against the FB.VI, the B.IV's glazed nose and absence of under-nose cannon or rocket rails are immediately apparent; against the NF night fighter the B.IV has a flat-panelled transparent nose rather than the solid AI radar nose.
Specifications
- The de Havilland Mosquito B.IV has a length of 12.43 m (41 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.51 m (54 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 611 km/h (380 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The B.IV entered service with No. 105 Squadron in 1942 and immediately demonstrated the concept of the unarmed high-speed bomber. It conducted some of the most audacious precision raids of the war, including the low-level attack on the Gestapo headquarters in Oslo. The variant could carry four 500 lb bombs internally or, with bulged bomb-bay doors, a single 4,000 lb Cookie.
Variants
The B.IV Series II introduced bulged bomb-bay doors for the 4,000 lb bomb; the B.IX and B.XVI were later high-altitude bomber variants with pressurised cabins.
Where you'll see it
No complete B.IV survives; the de Havilland Aircraft Museum at Salisbury Hall holds components and the prototype restoration, while the Mosquito Aircraft Museum preserves related marks. Airworthy Mosquitos are FB.VI or T.III variants.
Related aircraft
- de Havilland Mosquito NF.II / NF.30
- de Havilland Mosquito
- de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI
- de Havilland Mosquito T Mk III
- Avro Lancaster
- Avro Lancaster B.I
- Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress
- Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Woomera
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