Mosquito: The extraordinary true story of the legendary RAF aircraft

by Rowland White

Built of lightweight wood, powered by two growling Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, impossibly aerodynamic, headspinningly fast and armed to the teeth, the de Havilland Mosquito was the war-winning wonder that should never have the aircraft the RAF didn't think it wanted then couldn't do without.

Flying on operations barely eighteen months after a single prototype was ordered off the drawing board, it was the answer to its pilots' a stunningly versatile warplane capable of leaving the Luftwaffe in its wake to attack when and where the enemy was least expecting it.

Excelling as a spyplane, night-fighter and pathfinder for Bomber Command's heavies the Mossie's reputation was cemented by a series of daredevil bombing raids across occupied Europe, including on Berlin itself, where only surprise, speed and precision could ensure success.

So when Churchill's top secret Special Operations Executive needed to destroy the Gestapo HQ in the centre of downtown Copenhagen to prevent a devastating Nazi last stand that might prolong the war for many months, there was only one machine for the job - the Mosquito.

This is the story of that legendary aircraft told through that one impossible mission.

Like Rowland White's previous books, Mosquito is an unputdownable mix of utterly compelling storytelling, incredible human stories and fascinating technological detail, which sheds never-before-told light on a pivotal mission that helped bring the war to its bloody and brutal close.

Genres: History, World War II, Aviation, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Technology

536 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2023

Reviews

[Jonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary dual story, detailing the development and some of the famous raids of de Haviland's Wooden Wonder, in parallel with the trials and tribulations of the Danish resistance as they oppose the increasingly oppressive and tyrannical German rule.

The backbone of the aerial story are three low-level epic raids carried out by the RAF's 140 Wing, Operation Jericho, the raid on the German jail at Amiens, followed by another raid, this one on a Gestapo headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark, and finally the epic, and tragic, Operation Carthage, another low level, precision delivery raid. The two latter operations are tied in with the heroism and stoicism of the Danish resistance, and the skill and dedication of 140 Wing and their supporting escorts, in the RAF Mustang force.

The stories are told in engaging, authoritative manner, laying bare the brutality of the German occupation, and linking the activities of the resistance to the planning of the raids. The raid on the Shellhus is extremely well dealt with, explaining clearly the course of the raid and tracing the reason for the civilian casualties which were caused by the raid. Anyone who can get through the last few chapters without a misty eye is a stronger man than me.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, I have read a couple of Rowland White's previous books before and this does not disappoint.
Mosquito deftly weaves the story of the origins of the Mosquito and it use by 2 group during ww2, with the origins of the Danish resistance.
The book chronicles the events and experiences of the aircrew and resistance members leading up to the Shell Haus raid in March 1945 and we find out why 2 group under Basil Embry became known as the Gestapo hunters.
An excellent read, very informative with lots of primary accounts, well worth reading to find out about the lesser known Shell Haus raid.
Rowland White in writing this has once again written a winner.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will become a definitive account of the development of the de Havilland Mosquito aircraft and the story of the close collaboration between elements in the heroic Danish resistance, SOE, and 2TAF the tactical air force designed for intruder operations, like the spectacular raids on the Gestapo Headquarters first at Aarhus and then Copenhagen’s Shellhus.

The author’s painstaking research provides a fitting tribute to the heroism of numerous Danes who led the various resistance groups, and to the airmen in various RAF Squadrons led by the irrepressible and charismatic Air Vice Marshall Basil Embry. The narrative is vivid throughout and exciting as it is fuelled by individual anecdotes and unforgettable episodes involving unforgettable personalities.

It is a gripping read, and using original documents, it is an authoritative account that deserves to be on the top of any list of history best sellers for an epic story from World War II leaving the reader with indelible memories of courage and bravery.

[Alexander Theofanidis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ένα ακόμα βιβλίο για τους κολλημένους με τον Β' Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο που ενώ υπόσχεται να «φέρει κάτι φρέσκο», καταλήγει να αναμασά γνωστές ιστορίες.
Από την αρχή, φαίνεται ότι ο συγγραφέας είναι μαγεμένος από τον μύθο του Mosquito, παρουσιάζοντάς το σχεδόν ως υπερφυσική πολεμική μηχανή, παρά το γεγονός ότι ήταν ένα ξύλινο κατασκεύασμα. Η αφήγηση συχνά γίνεται υπερβολικά εξυμνητική, σχεδόν ακούς sound effect «αγγελάιζερ» σε κάθε σελίδα, παραβλέποντας σημαντικά μειονεκτήματα του σχεδιασμού του και τις δυσκολίες που αντιμετώπισαν τα πληρώματά του.
Η έρευνα είναι καλή, αλλά όχι για να λερώσεις τις πάνες σου. Αν έχεις διαβάσει άλλα βιβλία για το ντηβέλοπμε (sic) και τις επιχειρήσεις του Mosquito, δεν θα βρεις πολλά καινούργια στοιχεία εδώ. Ο White καταφέρνει να αποδώσει κάπως το κλίμα της εποχής, όμως ό,τι κερδίζει εκεί το χάνει από τη φλυαρία και τις περιττές λεπτομέρειες.
Η αφήγηση είναι αποσπασματική, πηγαίνοντας από τεχνικά θέματα σε ιστορικά γεγονότα και μετά σε προσωπικές ιστορίες χωρίς πραγματική συνοχή. Αν δεν είσαι ήδη βαθιά χωμένος στην ιστορία της RAF, ίσως χαθείς εύκολα. Και αν περιμένεις κάτι συναρπαστικό, ίσως απογοητευτείς από το ξηρό, σχεδόν ακαδημαϊκό ύφος σε αρκετά σημεία.
Τελικός βαθμός χαρακτηρισμός: Ένα βιβλίο που απευθύνεται περισσότερο σε φανατικούς της στρατιωτικής αεροπορίας παρά σε γενικούς αναγνώστες. Αν δεν έχεις ξαναδιαβάσει για το Mosquito, ίσως το βρεις ενδιαφέρον. Αν όμως ξέρεις ήδη αρκετά, δεν θα σου προσφέρει κάτι καινούργιο.

[Stephen Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 - Standard Rowland White. Informative and exhilarating.

However I have an issue with the slightly misleading title - with Mosquito taking the lead. I thought this would be a deep dive into the history and development of the wooden wonder, with the RW classic telling of an exhilarating raid.

There was a brief overview of the development, then the vast majority of the book covered the work of the danish resistance. I almost feel the book should be titled: The Danish Resistance: and how the Mosquito helped. Although it was fascinating to hear how the information from the resistance helped shape many of the missions (gestapo building raids, freeing prisoners or tip offs about German vengeance weapon sites) I wanted to hear more about the plane itself.

The last third of the book is what you’d expect, a fast paced telling of a raid in Copenhagen (which until the fairly recent Netflix film The Bombardment) which achieved its goal with great success but after a cruel turn of events, a school was accidentally targeted too with tragic results brutally and honestly.

A great read, but the issue is it’s just not what I expected. I wanted more about the history of the mosquito, more of its missions, nerdy details on the technicality of flying the plane and what made it so unique, test flight and development details and perhaps more about its reputation and fandom in the public mind.

[Andy Spence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only 3 stars from me as wanted a book on the Mossie and this is more about the resistance in Denmark and what part the mossie played.
But saying that it was a great read just not what I was expecting.

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just been in Denmark for work and and already fascinated by the story of Operation Carthage - the raid on the Shellhus Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen - I thought Roland White’s Mosquito was a brilliant book.

What really stood out for me was the way that White was able to weave the stories of the Danish resistance movement and the development of the De Havilland Mosquito together. He begins by addressing the subjects separately, giving a solid overview of how the Danish resistance slowly came into being before exploding into activity in mid 1943. He explains how the Mosquito almost never came to fruition, how it was supported by members of the Air Ministry at the start of the war and spearheaded by a determined Geoffrey De Havilland. White finally pulls the resistance movement and the aircraft directly together, culminating with a nail biting blow by blow account of the Carthage raid at the conclusion of the book.

The focus on the resistance, SOE and the various Danish and German actors pitted against each other may turn off a reader looking for a title wholly devoted to the mechanics and operational history of the aircraft. But I thought that White’s technical analysis and contextual placement of the Mosquito within the war, along with a host of colourful characters was superb.

I have become fascinated with the stories of the RAF air crews and Danish resistance fighters featured in the book. Ted Sismore, Ralph Hollingworth (SOE), Basil Embry, Frank Denton, Ole Lippman, Flemming Muus and Monica Wichfeld are names that will stay with me for a long time to come.

(Read half in hardback, half on audiobook).

[Joshua Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plane go neownnnnnnnnnn

[K A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivid account of some of the low level precision bombing carried out by the skilled crews of mosquitoes in support of the allied landings, local resistance and special forces. From panzer fuel trains to V1 launch sites and Gestapo headquarters. Interspersed with accounts from the resistance and how these missions helped them to survive and keep fighting until the ultimate allied victory.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really first-class story of the Mosquito through the war and beyond - plus stories of the Danish resistance fighters that relied on it so much for support during their struggle against the German occupation. Excellent book.

[Simon Mee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eighty-nine children died during Operation CARTHAGE, alongside them sixteen teachers and nuns. Many were drowned in the bomb shelters before they could be rescued as a result of ruptured plumbing along with the run-off from the gallons of water hosed on to the site by firefighters to try to slow the advance of fire from the apartment blocks on Maglekildevej.

Sure, you’ve heard about the RAF’s Mosquito. But did you read about the time they bombed the Gestapo Headquarters in Copenhagen to help the Danish resistance? Less than two months before the end of the war in Europe? Oh, they killed senior members of the resistance imprisoned there? Oh, and they accidentally bombed a school, killing 89 school children?

Cool. How about that Mosquito then?

Setting the Scene

But a week after Ole Lippmann first signalled Baker Street there had been no sign of the RAF. The Chief Organiser would have to try to make his case more forcefully.

This is what White does well with Operation Carthage:
- selects a lesser known action in World War II (Operation Carthage);
- approaches it from multiple angles with a detailed history of similar actions by the Mosquito and its contribution in unexpected areas (such as the chromium trade with Sweden), along with Danish resistance members, who themselves have family connections with Danes serving with the Axis and Allies; and
- centres on major characters with contributions by a number of others, providing a thruline from early 1940 to the execution of Operation Carthage in March 1945, along with the aftermath.

There is a lot to respect with what White is trying to do – exploring a specific event from multiple perspectives, with a substantial lead in time to explain how the Operation Carthage is a (somewhat) natural result of everything leading up to it. Mosquito is an attempt to humanise the battle from multiple perspectives.

Scene of a Car Crash

Tell me,’ Dose asked, ‘how many dead?’‘About seventy-five,’ came the reply. Of these, twenty-six were real Gestapo. As many as thirty others were Danish collaborators and informers, whose zealous support provided their employers with valuable local knowledge.

Stakes seems to be a major problem for me. The Danish resistance movement was one of the weaker ones in Europe (perhaps the saving of the Jewish population being the greatest achievement). The only thing the bombing served was its continued existence, which mainly served political postwar purposes. Even then it is questionable to what extent it was possible, White is almost assiduous in avoiding any suggestion the German occupation authorities may have been looking to a postwar world by the time of the bombing. It feels unlikely that a major sweep was in the offing (and honestly, the Gestapo had the upper hand already).

A hint I am on the right track is the subtitle:

The Epic Story of the Air Attack that Changed the Course of World War Two

We can quibble over details, but that subtitle wildly over-states the impact of Operation Carthage. Yeah, it’s puffery in the heading, but White makes an unconvincing lunge or two at in the main text.

It would be unfair to discount the individual stakes, and there are a number of characters who’s fates turn (mostly adversely) on the raid. They are real stories and White writes about them well, to the extent that he does write about them. However, with the exceptions of Sismore, Embry and Muus, they are overly brief. If the main plot was stronger, it would fit together fine, but the weaknesses of the minor pieces become more obvious.

One other issue I had was the disjointedness of the structure. While the goal is to combine different perspectives, it actually made for unenjoyable reading. I experienced this of a sort in Holland’s Battle of Britain, and for some reason it felt worse here.

Oh yeah, and the raid killed a bunch of kids.

Poul Bruun had always understood that there would be a price to pay for his actions as part of the Resistance. He’d gone into it with his eyes open. And he considered he’d paid. Some, like Karl Weddell-Weddellsborg and Mogens Prior, neither of whom were to recover from their injuries, have paid in other ways.

While there are more poorly written books that still have something to offer, I would honestly skip this one. It took me six months to read it when it is not overly long, which is probably the best summary of its worth to me.

[Brendan Newport · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this somewhat lengthy volume. Yet even at 480+ pages, including a thorough Index, Bibliography, cutaway drawing of a Mosquito (!) and a Glossary, it's an easy read. Rowland White's writing style makes for an easy read, without being 'chummy' and simple. There are some particularly brilliant, stand-out pieces of writing, such as the account of the Mosquito start-up procedure, and racing across The North Sea at less that 50ft.

It did though need a 'Dramatis Personae', at the front, because keeping a handle on all of the individuals concerned gets a bit unwieldy, particularly if some pages go by since the last mention. That's only a minor quibble.

It has to be pointed-out, this is not a definitive history of the Mosquito and is not written to be. The Mosquito story is just too big a subject; individual volumes could be written on its various role, like the best night-fighter of the War, best anti-shipping strike aircraft (the Banf Wing in Scotland) best reconnaissance aircraft, best high-speed bomber, best...(well, you get the idea).

Mosquito is a history of the aircraft as the best low-level precision strike aircraft, a role that never rightly existed before WWII and for which the Mosquito simply didn't have a competitor, on any side. And, through the exploits of RAF No. 140 Wing and its associated squadrons, the Mosquito and its crews became hugely adept at being a 'Gestapo and SS' hunter, providing a precision strike capability to the Allies in being able to destroy individual building in built-up neighbourhoods.

That in itself would be a story, but White weaves another story; that of the Resistance movement in Denmark, a nation that had initially, to the Danes ensuring shame, capitulated to the Nazis early in the War without firing a shot. Riddled with collaborators and 'Danish Nazis' many Danes realised that after the War, Denmark risked being forever associated as a collaborator nation. So they fought a lengthy campaign of sabotage to make it clear to the Allies and future generations that Danes had indeed fought back, and were willing to risk the wrath of the Gestapo and SS like any other occupied European country.

The connection between the Danish Resistance, the SOE (Special Operations Executive) and the RAF isn't shoe-horned into the narrative; the original proposal for the attack on the Gestapo's headquarters in Copenhagen (the Shellhus) which forms the final fifth of the book, was first mooted at a party held by the SOE, with 140 Wing guests, to celebrate the famous Mosquito attack on Amiens prison, which enabled hundreds of Resistance prisoners to escape. The history of the Danish Resistance is woven-in to the narrative with ease, whilst White doesn't neglect other key events in the account of the Mosquito throughout the War.

And not just the Mosquito. I'd never heard of Belgium aristocrat Baron Jean Michel P.M.G. de Selys Longchamps unauthorised single-handed attack on the Belgium Gestapo headquarters in Brussels, in his Typhoon. The headquarters was at 453 Avenue Louise, and I used to live in Brussels, in a flat at 443 Avenue Louise!

The quality of research is fabulous, the photos selected marry to the text perfectly. I'm aiming to get Rowland's Into The Black with my next batch of book purchases. In-the-meantime, Mosquito is going to be living on a shelf, and will be sure of a reread.

[Cropredy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first learned of this book when listening to a riveting talk by the author on the We Have Ways of Making You Talk podcast. Since I had read two other books by the author, I knew he could be an engaging writer (Harrier 809: The Epic Story of How a Small Band of Heroes Won Victory in the Air Against Impossible Odds, SAS: Storm Front: The Storming Bestseller from the Author of Harrier 809).

I struggled how to rate this book -- on the one hand, the podcast's riveting story was about the Mosquito raid on Gestapo Headquarters in Denmark towards the end of the war. But this only occupies the last 15% of the book. Howland made the decision to cover all of the personalities involved in that raid (including the Danish resistance) from pre-war, through war's inception, through the middle years, right up to 1945.

As such, a lot of ground got covered not only about the Danish Resistance, but the development of the Mosquito, its use in various roles, the pilots and navigators, some spectacular precision raids, and more. So, there was a lot of interesting stuff, some of which I already knew (raid on Amiens - Operation Jericho) and some of which I didn't (or had learned decades ago and was now only dimly aware of, e.g. Jewish Danes spirited out of the country to Sweden)

Because so many threads were intertwined, the book is long and loses its punch, regaining it only in the last 15%. As such, and it is hard to describe, the book needed more focus -- is it about the wonderful capabilities of the Mosquito, it is about the precision flying skills of its crews on various missions, it is a history of the Danish Resistance, is it about the collaboration between the Mosquito squadrons and the SOE? The book ends up being all those things and hence is "sprawling".

Howland tried his best to make each chapter short with a "page turner" tease in the last line but this was a bit weird when reading a history that spanned 6+ years.

Excellent photos and a useful map of Copenhagen

4 stars for being interesting
3 stars for being "sprawling"

I went back and reread my review of Storm Front and a lot of what I wrote there applies to this book too.

[Tim Richman · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandfather was a Mosquito navigator in WW2, and if you’ve got an interest in the topic this will fill your boots. For one, it turns out the Mosquito really was a brilliant and unique aeroplane – as much as you already knew it – which makes the backstory worthwhile. And second, the “most extraordinary mission” of the subtitle truly was a cracker – riveting, odds-defying, heroic and tragic and filled with pathos by the end of it, begging to be turned into a movie.

But the book is 100 pages too long, with too much tangential exploration of the Danish resistance during the war, which unfortunately slows things right down in the middle. White needs to convey the political importance of the climactic mission - it's a way for Denmark, initially neutral before German occupation, to be seen to contribute to the war effort and thus raise its post-war status. But there are too many characters getting up to relatively random things along the way, and White - otherwise a decent writer - has an ultimately annoying way of segueing from one chapter to another with supposed cliffhangers or clever connections that you struggle to follow because you've forgotten who's who.

That all pales into insignificance when the Mossie (and Mustang) crews finally set off across the North Sea at wave height to blow away Nazis in Copenhagen. From that point, it's a corker.

[Davidg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wooden Mosquito was light and had a smooth skin and was powered by two Merlin engines. These combined to make one of the fastest planes of WWII, until the jet-powered Me262 came along. Combined with additional fuel tanks, this meant that it could precision bomb at low altitude a long way from its UK bases. One of the most impressive missions was the bombing of the Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen.

In this book, White tries to combine the story of this raid with the story of the plane itself. In order to do the first full justice, what we get is a detailed history of the Resistance in Denmark and it’s connections to SiS in the UK. Compared with the amount of detail on this story, there is less on the technical development of the plane itself.

The two stories are intertwined so that we shift from Mosquito missions to Denmark and back, on completely different timelines. One story might be in 1944 and the other in 1942. This makes it a confusing read at times, with all the names in each timeline. However, the material is never less than interesting.

4.5 stars

[Mr N P Leversuch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the book was about the Danish resistance fighters and some other aspects the Mosquito was involved in.
The last third of the book was an interesting read about the amazing and courageous raid on the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen. The exploits and heroism of the pilots and resistance fighters justifies the telling of this narrative, and they deserve recognition. This section of the book was well written and should have been reflected as the main title of the book.
However, given the prominence of the word Mosquito in the book’s title, I was expecting a much more technically detailed description of the development, test, use and capabilities of the aircraft itself. The reality was just a superficial treatment of the aircraft and then the rest of the book is really about the resistance fighters in Denmark and the use of the Mosquito to destroy some Gestapo buildings and hopefully free some freedom fighters. This action is worth the telling, but it is not the expectation set by the title, and I felt I had been mislead about the topic of the book.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit to feeling a little unsure after a few chapters - the text frequently jumps between different settings and people and can be difficult to follow. However, this gradually unfurled into a thrilling and unmissable narrative of the Mosquito, the airmen who flew on it, and perhaps above all, the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women of the Danish Resistance.

As a non-fiction reader, I rarely find books which I "can't put down", but the further I read, the more I had to continue. I really must commend the author on their ability to create and hold tension, and also on how vividly the stories are told. The writer's style lets the reader inhabit the people and places described, letting them imagine the fear and courage, the misery and hope of the dark days of WWII. And I believe this is so important today, as the last veterans pass, so that we can better understand the sacrifices made and the true horror of war such that its lessons are not forgotten.

[Kurt Rackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling, informative, masterful research and storytelling!

Just A brilliant read. It's hard to appreciate just how spectacularly successful the DH Mosquito was when looking back over 80 years of legend and history, but Rowland White succeeds in conveying some of the sheer magic of flying and operating this revolutionary aircraft which couldn't have appeared at a more opportune time.

Sleek, impossibly fast and unlimited in versatility, this account really does bring this fabulous aeroplane to life in its proper context.

Beautifully written, the final account of Operation CARTHAGE reads like a page-turning thriller.

A really super book that should be essential reading for any aviation or history fan.

[David Campton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb book that was not at all what I expected. The title led me to believe that it was simply a geeky, but well-told history of this iconic aircraft, akin to Glancey's "Spitfire", whilst the small print under the title, and indeed the introductory reference to the movie "633 Squadron" suggested it would culminate in a stirring account of a particular raid, which I had not previously heard of. And both were true, but so much more. Before coming to that climactic event, the author wove together the lives of particular pilots, Danish SOE agents and Resistance fighters, and indeed the unique war experience of the entire Danish nation. And in the wake of the raid he did not hide the heavy toll paid by local civilians, particularly the children of the French school. Informative and moving.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mosquito, built largely out of wood, was an aircraft the RAF initially didn't want yet it turned out to be one of the most successful and versatile machines of World War 2, serving in a variety of roles - bomber, fighter, reconnaissance and more.

White has the rare ability of making a historical non-fiction narrative read like a thriller. The story of the Mosquito is told though the prism of one of its most daring raids, the attack on the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen. This means you also get a history of the Danish resistance but the tales are skilfully interwoven.

Essential reading for anyone with an interest in WW2 history.

[Dan Cohen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book on the history of the Mosquito (warplane) and the Second World War missions for which it was most famed. The book is structured to lead up to a description of a particular mission against SS headquarters in Denmark and vast parts of the book are really about the Danish resistance efforts, rather than about the airplane. These were interesting but not really what I was looking to read about. I would have liked a bit more on the development and missions of the airplane.

Still, it's a good book and worth a read.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible written narrative and superbly researched book, which delves into the events that run up to Operation Carthage.
I do kind of agree with a few others that there is a bit too much focus on the Danish resistance story rather than focusing on the story of the 'wooden wonder' aircraft itself.
Rowland manages to capture towards the end every minute detail from the salt drying on the front window of the Mosquito, to the Danes who escaped the Gestapo headquarters. I really enjoyed this book.

[RichardGreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slightly misleading title as it’s as much about Danish resistance as the Mosquito. However, having said that, it’s a fascinating read which explores lesser known aspects of WWII. The narrative jumps around involving many people and places. This is initially disconcerting but, once you are familiar with the names, it becomes less of s problem. The final section which describes the raid on the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen is brilliantly written and leaves a lasting impression of what it must have been like to fly this plane in such dangerous circumstances.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very surprising book. On the surface it looks like a typical military aviation history book. Technically, it is that. But under the cover lies the telling of a story worthy of a blockbuster movie. The Mosquito airplane is a big part of the story but the story is big, encompassing espionage, the Danish resistance, thrilling battle sequences and unforgettable characters.

This book reads like a movie and the movie is great. History at its best. Couldn’t recommend this more.

[Alan Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, but it is mainly about the Danish resistance, and I am sure there is plenty more that could have been written about the rest of the plane's history.
The authors writing style is not the best. I sometimes had to read a sentence more than once to understand it. And he gives us a lot of pointless information, such as telling us that the wheels flattened the grass as the plane moved forward. There were also a number of technical terms that were not in the glossary.

[Paul Bulmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rowland White's Mosquito soars with the incredible tale of a magnificent wooden warplane , a marvel of aviation ingenuity that danced through the skies. Yet, this same wonder is shadowed by the heartbreaking reality of its mission: the poor, innocent human casualties left in its wake. It's a truly haunting and deeply thought-provoking read that juxtaposes mechanical brilliance with profound human sorrow.

[Clyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent military history -- well researched, very detailed, and well written. In this book Rowland White makes a great case that the Mosquito was the best multi-purpose aircraft of WW2, covering its development and deployment throughout the war. The aircraft was incredible as were the people who flew it.
This book also tells the story of the Danish resistance to the Nazi occupation during WW2. That story is told interspersed with the story of the Mosquito in war until they come together in one of the most daring missions of the war.
Good book. 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Paul M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not JUST the story of the Mosquito, its pilots, and their missions…it is interwoven with the story of incredible selflessness of Danish citizens and the Danish resistance. The book culminates with an in-depth account of Operation CARTHAGE from multiple perspectives. I have been to Copenhagen, I only wish I had known more about it when I was there.

[KOLIN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing true story about the development of the de Havilland Mosquito aircraft and its use in World War II. The characters jumped to life through the vivid recollections - testament to the research that was undertaken.

I would love to see the story depicted as a motion picture as has all the elements, especially the Danish resistance and their bravery throughout.

[Hamid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent history focused on the Mosquito but very much one for fans of air war given the hyperfocus. White tries to alleviate the pressure of writing something interesting about one machine by delving into the Nazi occupation of Denmark, the resistance and how they fold into specific Mosquito-fleet missions. This gives it a good mix of machine p*rn and humanity.