Mosquito (No. 488 Squadron RAF) Giclée Art Print

Original illustration of the de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito, a multirole aircraft used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) throughout the Second World War. Depicted here is an NF Mk.XIII, a night fighter variant Other variants of the Mosquito served as bomber, fighter-bomber, and reconnaissance planes.

This Mosquito depicted here is HK365, of No. 488 Squadron RNZAF, a Royal New Zealand Air Force squadron serving under the command of the British Royal Air Force. In the early hours of the morning on 22 March 1944, HK365 - piloted by Dutchman Christiaan Vlotman and Englishman John Woods - intercepted a Luftwaffe bombing run headed for the Marconi factory in Chelmsford. The engagement saw HK365 shoot down two Ju88 bombers. Fellow No. 488 Squadron aircraft shot down three more bombers, with a further six downed by No. 410 Squadron. One of the downed bombers - possibly the first shot down by HK365 - crashed at RAF Earls Colne, damaging several USAAF B-26 Marauder bombers. HK365 successfully returned to its airfield, RAF Bradwell Bay.

No. 488 Squadron was first formed in New Zealand in September 1941, and equipped with Brewster Buffalos. It was based in Singapore until the Fall of Singapore, and was disbanded in March 1942, with most of the pilots moving to No. 14 Squadron RNZAF. No. 488 Squadron was soon reformed in July 1942, based at RAF Church Fenton in Yorkshire and equipped first with Bristol Beaufighters, before being re-equipped with Mosquitos in August 1943. The Squadron was disbanded with the end of the war approaching in April 1945.

This illustration by Rob Wisdom is a high quality Giclée art print on cotton-rich fine art paper.

12x16" art print shown. Cropping and title position (if applicable) may differ slightly on 'A' size art prints.