De HAVILLAND DH98 MOSQUITO 61
Left and right: Arguably the most infamous raid
that the Mosquito was involved in was Operation
‘Jericho’, the low-level attack on the Gestapo
prison in the French town of Amiens. Inside
its high masonry concrete prison walls were
held 717 French resistance fighters and other
political enemies of the German Third Reich. The
Mosquitos breached the prison walls, completely
destroying the Gestapo barracks and killing
most of its soldiers. Nearly 300 French prisoners
escaped though many were recaptured. The
mission was flown by 18 Mosquito FB VIs from
No 464 Squadron RAAF, No 487 Squadron RNZAF
and No 21 Squadron RAF. Although hailed as a
success, two Mosquitos were lost in the attack
and an estimated 100 of the prisoners were killed.
Below: Domain of the night fighter. Mosquitos
of No 100 Group RAF were responsible for
the destruction of 257 German aircraft from
December 1943 to April 1945. Mosquito fighters
from all units accounted for 487 German aircraft
during the war, the vast majority of which were
night fighters