The Mosquito 57mm ‘Anti Shipping’ Molins Auto Cannon

The 57mm Molins cannon was one of the most unusual and powerful aircraft guns ever fitted to a combat aircraft—and it transformed the de Havilland Mosquito FB Mk XVIII into a specialised anti-shipping and anti-submarine weapon.

🔧 What it actually was
• Based on the British QF 6-pounder anti-tank gun
• Adapted by the Molins company (yes—the cigarette machine manufacturer)
• Fitted with an automatic loading system, derived from their high-speed packaging machinery
• Mounted in the Mosquito’s nose, replacing standard guns

💥 Firepower & capability
• Fired 57mm shells capable of penetrating submarine pressure hulls and ship armour
• Semi-automatic: could fire multiple rounds quickly (around 1 round every 2–3 seconds)
• Typically carried ~25 rounds in the onboard loader
• Retained additional .303 machine guns for targeting

🎯 Role in combat

Nicknamed the “Tsetse”, these Mosquitos were used primarily by RAF Coastal Command:
• Hunting U-boats on the surface before they could dive
• Attacking small ships and coastal vessels
• Working alongside rocket-armed Mosquitos that suppressed anti-aircraft fire

⚙️ Challenges
• Huge recoil—required structural reinforcement
• Limited ammo meant precision was critical
• Added weight affected handling slightly, but the Mosquito’s speed compensated

🧠 Why it mattered

The Molins cannon turned the Mosquito into a sniper of the seas—able to deliver devastating, accurate strikes from the air. It was a perfect example of British wartime ingenuity: combining an anti-tank gun, a cigarette machine loader, and a wooden aircraft into a highly effective weapon system.

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