WIGRAM - Mozzie (Canterbury) Traditional Cache
WIGRAM - Mozzie (Canterbury)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Welcome to Wigram! The spiritual home of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. This is a cache in a bit of a series remembering the RNZAF Base that used to be here, and this Cache remembers probably one of the finest, most graceful, potent and versatile of WWII aircraft, the de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito. A total of 7781 were built between 1940 - 50, of which 6710 were built for the war. It started life as an unarmed high altitude photo reconnaissance aircraft. It soon saw service as a low to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, and maritime strike aircraft. I could go on and on about the feats of the Mosquito, but needless to say it took part in some of the most daring raids of the war. It played a critical role in the famous Pathfinder Sqns, who flew ahead of the main bomber raid, and lit the target with flares making the resulting raids more accurate. They were also potent raiders, and utilised in pinpoint bombing raids. Many NZers flew the Mosquito during the war, and were prominent in many of these raids. It can be hard to judge just how good an aircraft is, but here is a quote from Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, after mosquito raids had interupted a speech he was making to the faithful in the morning, and then later on in the afternoon, another raid did the same to Goebbals: "in 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy. The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again. What do you make of that? There is nothing the British do not have. They have the geniuses and we have the nincompoops. After the war is over I'm going to buy a British radio set – then at least I'll own something that has always worked!" Well, the end of the War didn't work too well for him, but high praise indeed. The RNZAF bought a total of 89 Mosquito's. The order allowed for a large attrition rate, and only about 22 were operated mainly by 14 and 75 Sqns. 75 Sqn (NZ) was gifted to the RNZAF by the RAF in recognition of its efforts during the War. The aircraft were flown to NZ by a mixture of RNZAF and RAF crews. 4 were lost in transit, and a further 10 were lost in service with the RNZAF with the loss of 10 crew. During service in the RNZAF, one of the most unusual roles was as a film courier for the 1950 Empire (now Commonwealth) Games. The Mosquito was retired from RNZAF service in 1952. A truely magnificent aircraft, that played a major role in the air battle of WWII. A quiet Cul-de-sac (the name of which lends itself to the Cache..), plenty of parking.It's location won't pose any difficulty. It borders my back fence, so no worries with cranks....
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fubhyqa'g or gbb uneq gb svaq. Whfg ybbx va gur evtug cynpr.