Corgi Aviation Archive Series Diecast Model

de Havilland Mosquito Intruder – “Moonbeam McSwine”, James Forrest ‘Lou’ Luma (American pilot with the RCAF), No. 418 Squadron, January 1944

1:72 Scale.  Length: 6.75”.  Wingspan: 9"


Limited Edition of 1200 Models Worldwide

Encouraged to join the Royal Canadian Air Force following a chance meeting with a RCAF pilot, American James Forrest ‘Lou’ Luma successfully negotiated his pilot training and was posted to fly the de Havilland Mosquito in England, even though he didn’t even know what one looked like at that point. Arriving in England in the summer of 1943, he was assigned to No.418 squadron to fly night intruder missions and was given the luxury of a single flight observing a flight instructor (from the navigator’s seat), before making his first Mosquito solo. Re-assigned to the USAAF in July 1943, Luma was allowed to remain flying with the RCAF as they didn’t want to break up his successful partnership with friend and navigator since training, Colin Finlayson a man with whom he would go on to fly thirty operational missions. The Mosquito fighter the pair normally flew was quite unusual in that it sported nose artwork, something which was the exception rather than the norm on Royal Air Force fighters.

Known as ‘Moonbeam McSwine’, the nose art featured a pipe smoking, gun toting Hillbilly girl of the same name, a character from the ‘Li’l Abner’ comic strip which was popular at the time. The pair scored their first aerial victory when shooting down a Me 410 nightfighter near Wunstorf on the night of January 21/22, 1944, an aircraft which had shot down a British bomber earlier that same night and had returned to base to re-fuel and re-arm. On taking off for this 2nd sortie, the Luftwaffe pilot forgot to turn off his lights, making the fighter relatively easy prey for Luma in his prowling Mosquito intruder.

The de Havilland Mosquito was a British two-seat multi-role combat aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force during World War II and postwar era. When the Mosquito entered production in 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world. It was originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, but was adapted to other roles during the war, including: intruder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, low to medium altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, maritime strike aircraft and high-speed photo-reconnaissance aircraft. The Mosquito’s lightweight wood construction and powerful Merlin engines gave it exceptional performance.


Corgi is a leading manufacturer of high quality, pre-built, die-cast model airplanes. Every model is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using specifications of the original aircraft. Corgi models are made with diecast metal and some plastic components.

This model of a Mosquito Intruder features: