04/30/2006. Remarks by Carlo Soliani and Johan Visschedijk: "D.H.98 Mosquito prototype is pictured while it was at the A&AEE for "Performance and Brief Handling trials", these trials ended after only 8 1/2 hours as the fuselage failed on February 24, 1941.

de Havilland D.H.98 Mosquito prototype (W4050) (Dan Shumaker Collection) APS No. 2773

Due to the use of non-panchromatic film, the bright yellow overall finish appears dark in the photo on top of the page, where it is wearing the 'Class B' marking E-0234 applied before the first flight of November 25, 1940, after the first two flights it received the RAF serial W4050.

This aircraft was the first of fifty ordered from the drawing board, allocated s/ns W4050 to W4099 (c/n 98001 to 98050), and this batch consisted of:

W4050 prototype (initially E-0234)
W4051 P.R. Mk.I prototype
W4052 F. Mk.II prototype
W4053 F. Mk.II (converted to T. Mk.III)
W4054-W4063 P.R. Mk.I
W4064, W4065, W4067-W4072 B. Mk.IV Srs.I
W4066 P.R. Mk.IV Srs.I
W4073-W4099 F. Mk.II and N.F. Mk.II (three converted to T. Mk.III)

These early Mosquitoes were characterized by "short type" engine nacelles (each nacelle ends exactly at the trailing edge of the wing, while in all the following versions the "long type" nacelle protrudes well beyond the trailing edge). Also the engine cowling and exhausts are of different shape as adopted by later production models.

de Havilland D.H.98 Mosquito B.Mk.VII (KB300) (Ron Dupas Collection)

All these features are clearly visible in the photo on top of the page and can be more easily appreciated comparing it with the photo above that depicts a Mosquito of a later series (with "long type" nacelles and later exhaust pipes)."