'Highball' Mosquitoes

Martin Bull · #1 (**permalink**) May 4th, 2005, 06:56 AM

Had the pleasure of meeting Des Curtis DFC at the MAA reunion - he provided me with a copy of his self-published book 'A Most Secret Squadron' - the only history of 618 Squadron RAF.

Note the proximity of the number to another well-known suadron - 617 - the Mossie squadron was formed from hand-picked personnel to develop and use the smaller version of the Dams Raid 'Upkeep' bomb - 'Highball', designed to be launched from low-flying Mosquitoes against Axis capital ships.

The amount of training and development carried out by dedicated aircrew and technicians for a weapon which was ultimately never used in anger is heartbreaking !

618 were to be used against the Graf Zeppelin - then the Tirpitz - then in the Mediterranean - then against the Japanese for which they and their aircraft were shipped to Australia : all came to naught.

But a small detachment of 618 did achieve success by developing yet another 'secret weapon' - 'Tsetse' - the 57-mm gun-equipped Mosquito.

618 even tried ( successfully ) skipping 'highballs' into a disused railway tunnel in Wales. A group of enthusiasts trudged through the mud and undergrowth to the tunnel a few years ago and retrieved an inert bomb from the tunnel mouth - it can be examined today at the Yorkshire Aircraft Museum.

Stevin · #2 (**permalink**) May 4th, 2005, 10:01 AM

What a guy to meet, Martin. And what a additiopn to your mossie library! (Is the book for sale, afayk?)

I never heard of 618 Sqn or what they were about. I assume that most crew had already combat experience, otherwise it would certainly be a dissapointment to most to be training for something that never happened.....

Thanks for sharing, Martin!

Martin Bull · #3 (**permalink**) May 4th, 2005, 02:57 PM

The 618 pilots crews were highly experienced and were selected from 235 Sqn ( Coastal Command ), 105 & 139 Squadrons ( Bomber Command ).

The book was printed some years ago exclusively for the Mosquito Museum and I believe one or two copies may still be in their shop......

TA152 · #4 (**permalink**) August 24th, 2005, 03:23 AM

I was looking thru some old aircraft magizanes and found an article on 618 squadron and the highball and upkeep weapons. It did not say who the author was but it has pictures. I can scan it to you if you are interested. It is in the January 1964 issue of Flying Review International. (I don't throw away anything, I just can't find where I put it.)

Kai-Petri · #5 (**permalink**) September 10th, 2006, 05:00 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouncing_bomb

I thought this was interesting....

After the raid the Germans discovered an Upkeep bomb that had failed to explode lying in some woods and subsequently a 385 kg (850 pound) version of the bouncing bomb was also attempted by the Luftwaffe. Designed for use against British shipping, it was given the codename Kurt, and was built at the Luftwaffe Experimental Centre in Travemünde. In trials, dropped by an Fw 190 it proved to be dangerous to the delivering planes as the bomb matched the speed at which it was dropped. Attempts to rectify this with booster rockets were ultimately a failure, and the project was discontinued in 1944.

Von Poop · #6 (**permalink**) January 24th, 2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Bull

But a small detachment of 618 did achieve success by developing yet another 'secret weapon' - 'Tsetse' - the 57-mm gun-equipped Mosquito.

Just found this tiny clip of the remarkable Auto 6pdr / 57MM Mollins gun as fitted to the Tse tse firing from it's split trail:
YouTube - mollins 6pdr automatic firing

Cheers,
Adam.

uksubs · #7 (**permalink**) January 24th, 2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Bull

Had the pleasure of meeting Des Curtis DFC at the MAA reunion - he provided me with a copy of his self-published book 'A Most Secret Squadron' - the only history of 618 Squadron RAF.

Note the proximity of the number to another well-known suadron - 617 - the Mossie squadron was formed from hand-picked personnel to develop and use the smaller version of the Dams Raid 'Upkeep' bomb - 'High ball', designed to be launched from low-flying Mosquitoes against Axis capital ships.

The amount of training and development carried out by dedicated aircrew and technicians for a weapon which was ultimately never used in anger is heartbreaking !

618 were to be used against the Graf Zeppelin - then the Tirpitz - then in the Mediterranean - then against the Japanese for which they and their aircraft were shipped to Australia : all came to naught.

But a small detachment of 618 did achieve success by developing yet another 'secret weapon' - 'Tsetse' - the 57-mm gun-equipped Mosquito.

618 even tried ( successfully ) skipping 'highballs' into a disused railway tunnel in Wales. A group of enthusiasts trudged through the mud and undergrowth to the tunnel a few years ago and retrieved an inert bomb from the tunnel mouth - it can be examined today at the Yorkshire Aircraft Museum.

Got the book when it first came out & like you say for that training what a wast
I think it cove the US Air force testing of the High Ball to on B26 Invader to
Check out the link of a B26 testing the Highball!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgHpx5CpVqM