de Havilland Mosquito NF.II / NF.30
de Havilland · United Kingdom · first flew 1941 · bomber
The Mosquito night fighter variants are distinguished by their extended solid radar nose, which replaced the glazed bomb-aimer station of the bomber and the gun ports of the fighter-bomber with an opaque AI radar installation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Extended solid nose cone housing AI Mk.IV (NF.II) or AI Mk.X (NF.30) airborne interception radar — the nose is longer, more pointed, and entirely opaque compared to both bomber and fighter-bomber variants
- No bomb-aimer glazing and no under-nose cannon pack; the NF variants carry four .303 guns in the nose and four Hispano cannon in the belly, but these are less prominent than the FB.VI's nose gun ports
- Later NF marks (NF.30, NF.36) fitted with Merlin 76 two-stage engines visible as slightly longer, narrower cowlings with a double-row exhaust pattern
The solid extended radar nose is the definitive identifier against all other Mosquito variants — the B.IV has a glazed transparent nose, the FB.VI has a short solid nose with prominent gun ports; only the NF marks have the long blunt radar cone.
Specifications
- The de Havilland Mosquito NF.II / NF.30 has a length of 12.5 m (41 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.5 m (54 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 597 km/h (371 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The NF.II entered service in January 1942 with No. 157 Squadron and quickly proved the Mosquito's exceptional suitability for night fighting. Progressive marks improved the radar from the early AI Mk.IV through the centimetric AI Mk.X, culminating in the NF.38 with American APS-6 radar. Night fighter Mosquitos claimed hundreds of Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed.
Variants
The NF.II used AI Mk.IV; the NF.XII and XIII introduced the centimetric thimble nose; the NF.30 used AI Mk.X with an elongated nose; the NF.36/38 were final production night fighter marks.
Where you'll see it
NF variants survive in several museums; the RAF Museum Hendon holds an NF.II, and the Mosquito Aircraft Museum at Salisbury Hall preserves various marks including night fighter airframes.
Related aircraft
- de Havilland Mosquito B.IV
- 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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