De Havilland Hornet

The de Havilland Hornet was a development of de Havilland's classic Mosquito and was designed as a long-range fighter for use in the Pacific Theater. The Hornet, DH-103 in the company's internal numbering scheme, first flew in 1944 and remained in service until 1956. Powered by twin "slimline" Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, it was the fastest operational twin propeller-driven aircraft ever flown by the any of the world's air arms and the fastest wooden aircraft ever built.

The prototype achieved 780 km/h (485 mph) in level flight, which was reduced to 760 km/h (472 mph) in production aircraft.

A navalised version, the Sea Hornet was also developed.

The Hornet was somewhat unusual in that it had propellers that rotated in opposite directions, the engines being of different marks to achieve this and accounting for the the Merlin marks used being written as 130/131.