The Mosquito was an Italian

wire-guided A wire-guided missile is a missile that is guided by signals sent to it via thin wires connected between the missile and its guidance mechanism, which is located somewhere near the launch site. As the missile flies, the wires are reeled out behi ...

anti-tank missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a Missile guidance, guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy Armoured fighting vehicle, heavily armored military v ...

developed by the Swiss firm Contraves AG in close cooperation with the German firm of Bölkow, and produced by its Italian subsidiary Contraves Italiana SpA. It entered service with the

Italian Army "The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law" , colors = , colors_labels = , march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...

in 1961 and Indonesian armed forces. It was broadly similar to anti-tank missiles of the era, having a fibreglass body with four large wings, cruciform in cross-section and a relatively short body. The missile is transported in a cuboid container that also acts as a launcher. The launcher is attached to a control box that is equipped with a binocular sight and control joystick. When the missile is launched the operator steers the missile using the joystick. He first "gathers" the missile to his line of sight to the target. It is steered in flight by vibrating spoilers in the wings, and spins for additional stabilization, with a pyrotechnically spun gyroscope providing stabilization. Some Mosquito missiles are on display at the

Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full The Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full is the Swiss military museum, located in Full-Reuenthal, canton Aargau. Collection The museum displays military hardware and uniforms of Swiss and foreign armed forces, mainly from World War II and the Co ...

Operators

; ; ;

Specifications

File:Mosquito Starter.JPG, Mosquito with startunit File:Oerlikon Mosquito.JPG * Length: 1.11 m * Diameter: 0.12 m * Wingspan: 0.6 m * Weight: 14.1 kg * Range 350 m to 2400 m * Peak speed: 90 m/s * Warhead: Either 4 kg

hollow charge A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to form an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, init ...

(660 mm versus RHA) or fragmentation * Propulsion: Two-stage solid rocket motor.

References

* * Schweizerische Militärmuseum Full {{Rheinmetall Anti-tank guided missiles of the Cold War Guided missiles of Italy Military equipment introduced in the 1960s