By Kevin Wilkins
An update has been received from Darren Dray, Commercial Manager of FlyaSpitfire.com and the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, on the progress of the de Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.VI TE881, also known by its RNZAF serial NZ2345. While the engineering team at Biggin Hill is best known for restoring metal airframes such as the Spitfire, this particular project is being carried out in New Zealand by Mosquito Aircraft Restoration and AVSpecs, internationally recognized for their expertise in rebuilding the famed “Wooden Wonder.”
According to Dray, work on TE881 is advancing steadily under the care of AVSpecs’ highly skilled craftsmen. He noted that the New Zealand-based company has already returned four Mosquitos to flight, with TE881 set to become the fifth airworthy example completed by the team.
The aircraft’s history stretches back to the closing months of the Second World War. Constructed by Standard Motors, Mosquito FB Mk.VI TE881 was completed sometime between late May and December 1945. It was subsequently ferried from the United Kingdom to New Zealand by a combined RAF and RNZAF crew, entering service at RNZAF Base Ohakea on May 28, 1947. Not long afterward, the aircraft was transferred to Woodbourne, where it remained in storage. In June 1955, the Mosquito was declared surplus and sold under government tender to the Williams Brothers, operating as ANSA Orchard Equipment Company in Nelson. Well known for repurposing surplus RNZAF aircraft materials into innovative agricultural equipment, the brothers acquired TE881 with fewer than 70 hours recorded on the airframe. Over time, significant components of the aircraft were later obtained by aviation collector John Smith and stored at his property in Mapua. Following Smith’s death in August 2019, the remains of the Mosquito were rediscovered during the dispersal of his collection. Their recovery marked a pivotal moment, allowing plans for a full restoration to move forward and ultimately leading to the aircraft’s transfer to AVSpecs.
The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar’s Mosquito is expected to return to the air in 2026. With only a small number of airworthy Mosquitos currently in existence—most based in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand—the eventual return of TE881 to the United Kingdom is anticipated to be a landmark event for historic aviation in Europe. For continued coverage of this remarkable aircraft and its restoration journey, readers can explore our full archive of Mosquito-related articles on Vintage Aviation News.
