The Mosquito flight sequences from the 1964 film '633 Squadron'. Not many know this film is a remake of a Mexican 1953 title, "Esquadrón Mojito". Info: en.wikipedia.or...
I have seen 2 Mossies. here in Canada . The sound of those twin Merlin's ,along with our Lanc , and Spitfire . Most awesome music . A new meaning to the term ' Heavy Metal " . Takes guts and a belief that what they were doing was for the better of man kind . To all vets , Allied Forces a deep and humble thank you .
Yep,beautiful sound but Mossies being made from. Wood(I’m not sure ofthe “heavy metal” relevance given these were notoriously made from wood ( Ash& Balsa IIRC` but yes Merlins sounsincere appreciation and much thanks to the pilots.and ground crews.
I agree, 👍 I have never heard a such beautyful music. Even the Mustang, it's like a whistle, very agressive, not seductive like the R.and R. XXIII of the MOSQUITO, wich is for me the top of the top.
I used to live in Stamford (UK) and we were regularly visited by merlins - the sweetest sound ever - one is fantastic but two together - either as a Spit and Hurri or better still a Mossie - beats all other sounds
I was priveleged to be an apprentice to the great Tom Herbert 76- 78. He was at De Havillands, Hatfield during the war, and his tool box was made of Mosquito Plywood. He taught me more than I could ever hope to teach anyone else. I still proudly possess (and use) some of his self made tools. God bless you Tom, wherever you are.
I was honoured to be at the De Havilland Mosquito Museum on the Mosquitos 75th anniversary. When they rolled out the original prototype which was bright yellow. Once back inside the hanger all the engineers, volunteers etc in their boiler suites lined up in front of it as the 633 Squadron theme music played. I was so lucky to have experienced this very special piece of history. She may had been a wooden wonder, but even more so a very special lady..... God bless all those pilots and crews who flew her, and even more so to those brave peole who made the ultimate sacrifice for us never to be forgotten R.I.P I
This movie is near and dear to me. I first saw it when I was like 8...and my Grandfather watched with me. He was a pathfinder and flew Mossys.. and he was great at providing details but I could also see his expression..a slightly sad but endearing face. He loved his Mossy..and it he really meant alot to him too. I have since seen it multiple times and my memories of him resurface and brings a smile to my face. Everytime I hear that theme..A thrill still rushes through me. :)
The Mosquito is one of the greatest looking aircraft of that era. I remember being taken to see this by my Dad at the old Crescent cinema in Leeds. These sequences were excellent on a big screen.
I have the movie on DVD and love to pull it out when I am watching aviation films. The mossy is still a fantastic piece of flying machinery. Great engines married to a strong plywood body. It was truly the right plane for the time. Bravo de Havilland!
I think the Mossie was one of the most beautiful aircraft from the war years, second perhaps only to the spitfire. and one of the unsung heroes of that great conflict too., such an amazingly versatile plane that flew in so many different roles and guises.
@@WaruiKoohii You mean the Corsair that the US Navy wouldn't accept because of oil covering the windshield when flying? Still the British sorted that out for you, and taught you how to land it on a carrier!
@@sprinter1832 british boasting sucks so bad. Your stupid pride makes good people selfish. Your aircraft and flying has never been as good as america. And the p38 was way more capable had a longer range, more guns and could carry more bombs. Get over yoirself, be th first englishman not consumed with pride.
watched this movie with my dad in scotland,second movie was great escape, my dad took me to the double feature on a saturday afternoon,i was 6 or 7,lol,but great memories when we watched again,and now he is gone,and this brings me close, thank u
The airfield scenes were filmed at Bovingdon Airfield, the film used mainly TT mk35's ex RAF aircraft used by civilian contractors for target towing. Bovingdon was also the location for an episode of The Avengers screened in 1965 The hour that never was. This featured a scene of Steed climbing into a Mossie which I assume was there during filming 633 Squadron around 1964. Bovingdon was used for several other films including The War Lovers with Steve McQueen well worth looking for the clip on utube of the VERY low B17 beating up the airfield
I was about 8 when I saw this film, went straight out and bought an Airfix Mosquito kit and made it, I had it until I left home and had to bin it, loved that plane. The aircraft in the movie were still (just) operational in the RAF as part of the meteorological flight, the star of the movie Cliff Robertson was an avid pilot and fell in love with the aircraft, he actually tried to buy one but they wouldn't sell.
“ In 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy. The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again.” - Hermann Göering, January 1943 I think this was recognition enough.
Much more recognition? It's widely recognised as the most versatile recon / night fighter / light bomber of WWII and one of the most heautiful aircraft ever built.
Two flying De Haviland Mosquitos are currently being restored in New Zealand. One is already flying while the second is due to fly next year. One will remain in NZ for a year and then return to the UK. Kermit Weeks owned the last official flying Mosquito but I do not know if it is airworthy.
Plot was ambiguous about exact location but if target was heavy water electrolysis plant, that was in reality in Vemork, Rjukan, Norway. The plant was attacked unsuccessfully by Operation Freshman (combined RAF and British Army glider troops) in late 1942 with disastrous outcome. It was later disabled by six Norwegian commandos 2/27/43 of SOE's Operation Gunnerside. US 8th Air Force B 17's and later B 24's bombed the plant successfully late 1943 inducing the Germans to move the heavy water operation to southern Germany. The fictional 633 Squadron may have been based instead on 139 Squadron raid at a molybdenum processing plant at Knaben, Vest-Agder, Norway successfully attacked in March 3, 1942 at the cost of one Mosquito and its crew. The mission profile of the fictional 633 Squadron and that of 139 Squadron's Knaben raid are very similar.
You know just as I was watching this just now I thought: "That scenery looks familiar". Then you said the "mach loop", and I knew you were right and where I'd seen this valley before! LOL!
Cliff Robertson was a pilot in real life and owned several warbirds. After this movie wrapped he wanted to buy one of the airworthy Mossies' but for some reason wasn't able to. I saw him come into an airfield once that I had just landed at, he was flying an ME-108 that he owned. Nice guy, loved airplanes. I remember this movie from when I was a kid, still one of my favorites. I watch it every few years.
Having loved this movie since 1964, I instantly recognized George Lucas' debt to it in the final attack sequence in Star Wars in 1977. Only later did I learn that Lucas consciously borrowed from it for his movie. 633 Squadron is a gem that we do not see nearly often enough on cable TV.
I so badly would love to see this movie again. It was most likely 1966 when I saw it and I was 11 This movie made quite the impression on me . Absolutely one of my favorites.
The pub at the start of the clip, and used throughout the film, is the Three Compasses at Patchetts Green (near Watford/Bushey/Aldenham). Still in use today. And only a couple of miles from Leavesden where Mossies were made.
Can never get tired of watching this film, and the music score, Superb. I was lucky enough to work near London Colney for many years which is close to the De Havilland Mosquito Aircraft Musuem located at Salisbury Hall where it was designed, developed and built. They have the World's largest collection of Mosquitos.
My dad was a radar operator/navigator in 307 SQN. Operated over the Bay of Biscay against U-Boats, Home Defense and later over the continent in night intruder missions. He flew in Beaufighters and Mosquitoes.
@hipcat13-- The Mosquito actions against eboats and uboats must have been very interesting-- for both sides. Essentially, it was the deck AA armament of both, manned with only a few seconds' notice, against the Mosquito's 20, 40 or 57mm cannon. The low altitude also may have helped disguise the roar of attacking aircraft until the last moment.
Must have been awesome to be part of that. But for the Germans to hear these engines at sea level and no idea which direction then to see it at sea level must have scared the crap out of them.
My father worked at DH during WWII building Mosquitoes, I have his toolbox made from Mosquito plywood. However my connection does not end there, whilst working at Hunting Aircraft ( who incidentally built Mosquiitoes ) in the 1960’s I heard the unmistakable noise of Merlins approaching only to see a Mossie flyig low dierctly over the approach road, ran outside to see it closely followed by two more the last of which did a barrel roll over the airfield before disappearing in the diection of Hatfield. Magic moment ,unforgettable
Nothing else sounds so beautiful as a RR Merlin. My dad's Mk IIA Hurricane had one and I loved to hear it run. Too vad he had to sell her after 30 years of work restoring it..but it was so terribly expensive to keep flying...$40K for a weekend airshow in just insurance.
My grandfather told me a story about a mosquito flight he went on. A pilot friend asked my grandad to go up with with him for a maintenance check. They did a few circuits around the airfield and nothing much to report. A bit of a wobble, but otherwise ok. They landed and the pilot asked my grandad to go again since he wanted to double check, grandad said he had a meeting with another officer and jumped out. The pilot went up again and the mosquito exploded mid air. My grandad told me lots of stories about the war, but that one always made my blood go cold.
My Dad took my brother and I to see this film in the theater when it first came out. I was 10 years old. I shall never forget seeing this in Panavision with the soundtrack mixed with the sound of those Merlin engines. It was wonderful.
I was the same age and experience as you when my Father took me to see this movie. My Father was in the USAF Strategic Air Command at the time. He had served from January 1941 through March 1970 retiring as a Chief Master Sgt.. We also went together to see "The Dam Busters", "The Battle of Britan", "Tora! Tora! Tora!", and "Memphis Bell", amongst others. He served as crew chief and waist gunner in a PBV-1A: Canadian Vickers built version of the PBY-5A Catalina flying boat, My Father paid a GI Nose Artist two bottles of Good Scotch Whiskey to paint a Vargasesque girl on the nose named "Miss Pick Up. She was painted in the RAF Coastal Commands livery, but with USAF Markings, working A.S.R. in the Channel , North Sea, and Atlantic in partnership with an RAF motor launch. Watching these films together helped us bond and for him to open up about his years and experiences during the War. I count these times as the best experience s of our relationship as Father and Son. I was always proud of my Father, and considered him my hero.
Oh dem Mossies, my favourite british aeroplane in WW2! Spitfire wins beauty contest but Mossie wins the "jack of all trades"-medal. Do not forget that it was fastest plane in European skies almost 3 years!
Love the first 30 seconds of this. The bar staff running out the pub to see the Mossies return is something we all still do when we hear a merlin flying overhead!
@@cbviperess9319 Okay, actually i'm french and i had never heard this nickname (Typy). That's why I wanted to know. Thank you for letting me know. Have a nice day or night ( jet lag)
Queen of the skies!! We had the NF36 (not the best looking model) in the Suez Canal Zone until Sep'52 when we converted onto Meteors. Loved the sound of those wonderful Merlins. What a shame we don't have one flying at Duxford.
The training flights through the hills is in Wales.It is still used today for fast jets.Clips can be seen on you tube.It is a favourite haunt for photographers who get great shots as did this film crew in 1964.What a pity the wrecked three Mossies making this movie.Make you cry really.
One 100% replica has just flown in New Zealand and one is under construction in Windsor, Ontario. I think Kermit Weeks still has an airworthy original in Florida.
yes - an extraordinary aircraft. In the middle years of the war it was the fastest aircraft in service in europe, superior in speed to all single engine fighters, later surpassed by upgrades in other types. It's armament made it a crunching ground attack aircraft with the nose mounted 20 mm Oerlikons, a nightmare for German armour. But amazingly, in its bomber configuration with the perspex nose cone and bomb bay it could carry the same pay load as a B17. It was extremely versatile. And it also had range which meant it could provide pathfinder squadrons for the heavies that went all the way to Germany. But due to its very particular wooden construction it needed highly skilled artisans to put it together which meant it was never produced in large enough numbers. And in Asia, the balsa reacted badly with the humidity. And due to the nature of its operations, it needed exceptional pilots to fly at that speed, often that low against precision targets as it was used in the TAF after Normandy - unlike the bus drivers in the U.S daylight bombers. So, as often happens, there's just not enough excellent - average has to do.
Anne Browning B17 payload 4,800 lbs a heavy bomber with four engines it was purpose built to deliver bombs...the Mosquito ended up with a capacity for 2000 lbs of bombs very respectable for a light bomber.
My bad the B17 had a 17,000 + lb bomb load capacity. It was the original claim in this string that the Mosquito had the same capacity of a B17 that caught my eye. That is certainly not the case. 4,000 makes sense.
Jeff Smith I've seen both numbers quoted this site for instance says 17,000. acepilots.com/planes/b17.html It would depend on fuel load and other parameters for its max load. But its got to have more that a plane with a much smaller lifting surface and half the engines. Or it was a total failure as a design for carrying capacity....and nobody is saying that.
Read the book "Night Fighter" by C.F. Rawwsley and Robert Wright. C.F. was radar navigator for pilot Cats Eye Cunningham. They first flew in Beaufighters but then in the much improved Mossie. They downed at least 26 German bombers at night, and had a lot of close calls. A great book, I read it in 1970 or so. First edition was 1956.
I am a little skeptical of one flight doing a right-hand circuit and the other a left-hand circuit...but, my goodness to have been young, invincible and flying such an amazing airplane in desperate times...God bless the Royal Air Force!
Saw this at the cinema as a kid. They turned up the sound so loud it made my ears pop. Magnificent film, I remember the take off scene on the last practice very clearly, and poor old Johnny Briggs (later Mike Baldwin in Corrie) getting smashed up, but he did get his photo on the back of the excellent paperback novel, which I still have, as well as the LP. There was some criticism of the choice of an American actor for the lead, but he nailed it, a wonderful starring role in a swashbuckling movie.
One or more of the planes seem to be painted-over glass nose versions. At 1:35 and later you can clearly see the oval sighting panel under the grey paint. There are also no cannon ports on the underside - which explains why in the attack scenes, they can only tak-a-tak away with the mocked-up machine guns.
I once commented that, during one of Mike baldwins tantrums, that he'd never been the same since his plane crash. My mate looked at me and said 'what plane crash'. I said the one in 633 squadron. You had to be there but it was very funny. An intimate moment with a long dead friend that still makes me laugh.
The precursor to British Airways used them to fly to Stockholm to buy all the ball bearings before Germany could We also smuggled out Niels Bohr to work on Tube Alloys (our attempt at building an A Bomb, people dont realise that the vast majority of the ground work for the Manhattan project was done by the British before hand, and then the Americans stabbed us in the back by not sharing the information that we had collaborated on and kept all the info regarding the A bomb, just so they had a monopoly, but we sorted that out within a few years
They were actually never under-rated that's a myth perpetuated to keep its' mystique....widely recognised as one of the best aircraft and most versatlile of WWII.
I wouldnt say under rated they knew exactly what she was capable of and more, the Germans feared the mosquito, Especially night fighters trying to land the mossie would wait for them and strafe the buggers. Damn great plane and damn great brave crews.
The very, very best of all ww2 aircraft. Some pretenders, but none as capable, beautiful and as successful. Sorry, Spitfires, Mustangs, Lancasters, Fokke Wulfs, and some others, no contest.
Clever weaving together of several actual wartime events into the fiction of the 1956 book by author Smith, before those individual events became part of the widespread public awareness i.e. the Fleet Air arm attacks on Tirpitz in Norway + The attacks on the Norsk Hydro plant in Telemark, Norway + the exploits of the Light Night Strike force and the Banff wing against shipping and installations in Norway.
I recommend the book “Sabotage: The mission to destroy Hitler Atomic Bomb” it’s about a group of soldiers who stopped the production of Heavy Water. I am not exactly sure if I am right but I think they mentioned something about trying to bomb the plant.
Legend has it that this and Dambusters inspired George Lucas when he plotted the Battle of Yavin. There used to be a video of the briefing scene from 633 squadron with the audio from the briefing in ANH on TH-cam. Fit scarily well.
For the film, they had only 3 Mosquito's that could fly, so to try to create a squadron, they superimposed shots for the illusion of more, although it did not quite make it, as the effect was quite obvious.
I have rather mixed feelings about this film, chiefly because the film's producers deliberately burnt two perfectly good (and rare) Mosquitos for crash sequences - the one time where cgi, had it existed then, would have been put to good use. Pretty unforgivable of them in my opinion.
I'm sure I read some of the aircraft used during the film were due for scrap soon anyway, so the film-makers just made use of them for the film. Even by that point, it was becoming very expensive to maintain WW2 planes. Fewer and fewer Mossies were being kept in the sky.
@Tim Richardson *"Hindsight"* is one thing, but foresight is another. If only I had preserved my 1989 Suzuki RG500 Kevin Schwantz Race replica it would be worth £20k today. Fortunately I did have the means to do that, but in the late 60's - early 70's not many thought that way. *Even as late as 1982 I sold a number plate (45 K) that would be worth many thousands today. I do somewhat ruefully regret that !*
As a young air cadet I did my air experience flights from RAF Bovingdon in Herts. it was there that 633 Squadron was filmed and I saw some of the filming. I watched one scene with George Chakiris being filmed over and over again and found it hugely boring. But the end result was not boring. I also used to see the mossies flying repeatedly over my house. I didn't know that they would soon be history.
I have some photos somewhere of a visit to Bovingdon, probably just after the filming ended. Highlight of the day was to be allowed to clamber all over a big red crash tender.
I was named after an uncle on my Dad's side who was navigator on Type VIs of RAF 107 squadron but he & his Canadian pilot was killed in nighttime intruder action in August 1944 near Paris shooting up trains & sidings.
Apparently the attack depicted in this film was George Lucas's inspiration for the attack on the death star. Not sure if jusy an urban myth, but seems plausible.
What a great plane! Mosquito was so good that German aircraft industry tried to copy it with their Focke-Wulf TA 154 "Moskito", which too was an twin-engine fast wooden fighter. After the WW2 the Swedish coach-builder Skeningeverken Ab began to build omnibuses with same way as Mosquitos were built, also with special glue built wooden coach. So, Finnish omnibus-builder Autokorirakenne Oy from Helsinki (owned by Kutter brothers) bought license from Sweden after some negoti😊ations. The first Autokorirakenne-built coach was ready in spring 1951, and especially with Mosquitos way built! These Kutter-coaches became soon very popular amongst bus firms and travelling crowd too. Kutter-buses were very handsome, well built, warm, silent, lightweigh, well planned and equipped with stylish interior and bequem seats! During years different Kutter-buses became soon well known in Finnish bus routes, to the beginning of year 1978, when the last wooden Kutter model 8 were made. Then Kutter transferred to the steel construction, with new model Kutter 9. All was started with deHavilland Mosquito, which was fast and as a bomber its bomb load capacity was greater than in Boeing B-17 Fortress. Why I wrote this? I especially love the Kutter model 7, which was in building program during yrs 1967 -1970. Very handsome omnibus!!!! Several Kutters are preserved to-day.
This is the only old school war movie which made reference to the many fighter and bomber pilots that fought for Britain during WW2 they came from India West Indies and were often ill treated and overlooked. But they contributed and sometimes gave their lives toward the cause!
@@jgdooley2003it's a nice romantic thought but not true it's yet another perpetuated myth about the war.....in fact De Havilland were the leading experts in making wooden planes and went ahead and made the aircraft anyway before any orders had even been placed by the RAF who were so impressed they signed up.
Early model Mossies Merlin 23 1400 bhp. Later models Merlin 76/77 1700 bhp. And that was not even war emergency power boost. It was not just that they were fast straight and level but could climb like a Spitfire nearly 3000 fpm initial.
@soaringtractor Ha ha there are no facts....only opinions. History is a pack of lies, written by winners and read by losers.(had America even come into the war yet at this stage or were they still dreaming of isolationism and scheming how to screw some more coin out of "arrogant Limey's? )
Of all the 1,000's of movies made in my lifetime 633 Squadron is number one, The characters and Mosquitoes were matched perfectly. The only question I have since I first saw it, is did Cliff Robertson live at the end? The book is not clear either. Looking back at the practicing for the mission scenes , they must have filmed those in what is now called the Mach Loop.
Theres only 2 or 3 of these GEMS left that are flyable in the world excluding Kermit Weeks 1 that I saw fly at Osh-Kosh in 1990 (but now at the EAA museum/not flying presently)Believe it or not I may get a ride in 1 of them very soon! Just sold a cycle to the owner of a restored Mosquito down at M.A.M. museum in Va. I've flown in P51's + T6's,PT17s's but this is a DREAM...I saw this movie as a kid+ always LOVED this aircraft...2 MERLINS are better than 1!! MustangMike.
The Mossy had two counter rotation Merlins, B model 1700 WEP output. It was faster than the G model BF 109. Range was limited to 1300 statute miles. Pressurized. Service ceiling close to G BF 109. With later nose guns it was not to be messed with head on. Wood so hard to pickup at range on radar. Range limited to1300 miles. B 17 6000 lb compared to 4000lb. B17 2000 mile range. Mossy could not make deep penetration raids. Nearly 40 knts faster than earlier and most German fighters. Mossy did not need escort. Fabulous medium bomber/ground attack aircraft.
Its a shame they didn't stick to Smith's actual book which saw 633 start with Boston's before the Mossie arrived with 2 machine guns and 2 short barrelled cannons to make room for the earth quake bombs. Still great theme tune and wonderful aircraft; its a disgrace that we don't have at least one still flying and in the RAF's Historic flight squadron.
Unfortunately you can't keep one of every aircraft we've ever had. I did however volunteer at the museum based in london colney, had the experience of disassembling the W4050 prototype!
I have seen 2 Mossies. here in Canada . The sound of those twin Merlin's ,along with our Lanc , and Spitfire . Most awesome music . A new meaning to the term ' Heavy Metal " . Takes guts and a belief that what they were doing was for the better of man kind . To all vets , Allied Forces a deep and humble thank you .
Yep,beautiful sound but Mossies being made from. Wood(I’m not sure ofthe “heavy metal” relevance given these were notoriously made from wood ( Ash& Balsa IIRC` but yes Merlins sounsincere appreciation and much thanks to the pilots.and ground crews.
I agree, 👍 I have never heard a such beautyful music. Even the Mustang, it's like a whistle, very agressive, not seductive like the R.and R. XXIII of the MOSQUITO, wich is for me the top of the top.
I agree even goring was
Pissed off we had them
Wooden wonders!! Haha 😄
I used to live in Stamford (UK) and we were regularly visited by merlins - the sweetest sound ever - one is fantastic but two together - either as a Spit and Hurri or better still a Mossie - beats all other sounds
I was priveleged to be an apprentice to the great Tom Herbert 76- 78. He was at De Havillands, Hatfield during the war, and his tool box was made of Mosquito Plywood. He taught me more than I could ever hope to teach anyone else. I still proudly possess (and use) some of his self made tools. God bless you Tom, wherever you are.
I was honoured to be at the De Havilland Mosquito Museum on the Mosquitos 75th anniversary. When they rolled out the original prototype which was bright yellow. Once back inside the hanger all the engineers, volunteers etc in their boiler suites lined up in front of it as the 633 Squadron theme music played. I was so lucky to have experienced this very special piece of history. She may had been a wooden wonder, but even more so a very special lady..... God bless all those pilots and crews who flew her, and even more so to those brave peole who made the ultimate sacrifice for us never to be forgotten R.I.P
I
Pound for pound, round for round, the greatest plane of WW2. "Mossie" could do it ALL! There'll never be another like it.
This movie is near and dear to me. I first saw it when I was like 8...and my Grandfather watched with me. He was a pathfinder and flew Mossys.. and he was great at providing details but I could also see his expression..a slightly sad but endearing face. He loved his Mossy..and it he really meant alot to him too.
I have since seen it multiple times and my memories of him resurface and brings a smile to my face. Everytime I hear that theme..A thrill still rushes through me. :)
You were “like 8” what does that mean, how can you be “like 8”, 7+1 6+2 or what??
Pathfinders are a paratrooper regiment
-Lightning Will- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinder_(RAF)
@@-lightningwill-6014 Not in the RAF they're not.
@@-lightningwill-6014 RAF pathfinders flew in to mark targets before the heavy bombers came in.Thought everyone new that.
Respect to those airmen and our commonwealth friends who helped this country in its hour of need.
The Mosquito is one of the greatest looking aircraft of that era. I remember being taken to see this by my Dad at the old Crescent cinema in Leeds. These sequences were excellent on a big screen.
brings tears to my eyes , the musical score is so moving.....god bless these young fearless brave warriors.....
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I have the movie on DVD and love to pull it out when I am watching aviation films. The mossy is still a fantastic piece of flying machinery. Great engines married to a strong plywood body. It was truly the right plane for the time. Bravo de Havilland!
And now you won't have to do that ever again bc you have this edit ;)
633 Squadron, starring, ..... the de Havilland Mosquito!
An Oscar nomination for Best Actor to an airplane! 🇬🇧👍👏
Although, it's understandable if it's acting is considered a little "wooden".. ;)
@@GrinnenBaeritt Good effort.
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One of the coolest aircraft ever made.
THE coolest ever!!
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Totally agree , even the luftwaffe were amazed at the performance of this Aircraft aka the wooden wonder..
My two favourite WW2 machines are both twin-engined - the Mosquito and the P38 Lightning. Great planes, both!
Such a great aircraft, its a damn shame so few were preserved.
The Mosquito. Simply one of the greatest and most beautiful aircraft of all time.
agnostic47 nah the b29 for sure
@@gabrielbrewin-brown351 The Corsair but yeah
I think the Mossie was one of the most beautiful aircraft from the war years, second perhaps only to the spitfire. and one of the unsung heroes of that great conflict too., such an amazingly versatile plane that flew in so many different roles and guises.
@@WaruiKoohii You mean the Corsair that the US Navy wouldn't accept because of oil covering the windshield when flying? Still the British sorted that out for you, and taught you how to land it on a carrier!
@@sprinter1832 british boasting sucks so bad. Your stupid pride makes good people selfish. Your aircraft and flying has never been as good as america. And the p38 was way more capable had a longer range, more guns and could carry more bombs. Get over yoirself, be th first englishman not consumed with pride.
Impossible not to like and admire the De Havilland Mosquito. Impossible.
quite right
jolly good showing, scarce say the blighters will know what hit them
The most versatile aircraft ever built. What a plane!!
Great film and fitting tribute to all those brave young airmen who fought and died in them in ww2.
watched this movie with my dad in scotland,second movie was great escape, my dad took me to the double feature on a saturday afternoon,i was 6 or 7,lol,but great memories when we watched again,and now he is gone,and this brings me close, thank u
The airfield scenes were filmed at Bovingdon Airfield, the film used mainly TT mk35's ex RAF aircraft used by civilian contractors for target towing. Bovingdon was also the location for an episode of The Avengers screened in 1965 The hour that never was. This featured a scene of Steed climbing into a Mossie which I assume was there during filming 633 Squadron around 1964.
Bovingdon was used for several other films including The War Lovers with Steve McQueen well worth looking for the clip on utube of the VERY low B17 beating up the airfield
I was about 8 when I saw this film, went straight out and bought an Airfix Mosquito kit and made it, I had it until I left home and had to bin it, loved that plane.
The aircraft in the movie were still (just) operational in the RAF as part of the meteorological flight, the star of the movie Cliff Robertson was an avid pilot and fell in love with the aircraft, he actually tried to buy one but they wouldn't sell.
He owns a spitfire, seen it at the Canadian Airshow in Toronto years ago..
That would be typical of the RAF. Rather scrap them than sell them.
fabulous aircraft deserved much more recognition
“ In 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy.
The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again.”
- Hermann Göering, January 1943
I think this was recognition enough.
Much more recognition? It's widely recognised as the most versatile recon / night fighter / light bomber of WWII and one of the most heautiful aircraft ever built.
I assure the Mosquito is recognized anywhere it flies.
@@alexcawthorne811 Goering had a love/hate relationship with it! and also awarded 2 kills to any German pilot that shot one down!
I'm sorry but 40 years after I 1st saw it is still an awesome movie.
Two flying De Haviland Mosquitos are currently being restored in New Zealand. One is already flying while the second is due to fly next year. One will remain in NZ for a year and then return to the UK. Kermit Weeks owned the last official flying Mosquito but I do not know if it is airworthy.
Those flying scenes through the valleys were filmed at the Mach Loop in Wales which is still used for training today.
@john o'neill
*Think you are probably right, but it was not considered PC correct to film over Germany even in 1964 !*
Their target in film was iirc Finland or denmark the heavy water plant.? I think most filming was done in scotland
Plot was ambiguous about exact location but if target was heavy water electrolysis plant, that was in reality in Vemork, Rjukan, Norway. The plant was attacked unsuccessfully by Operation Freshman (combined RAF and British Army glider troops) in late 1942 with disastrous outcome. It was later disabled by six Norwegian commandos 2/27/43 of SOE's Operation Gunnerside. US 8th Air Force B 17's and later B 24's bombed the plant successfully late 1943 inducing the Germans to move the heavy water operation to southern Germany. The fictional 633 Squadron may have been based instead on 139 Squadron raid at a molybdenum processing plant at Knaben, Vest-Agder, Norway successfully attacked in March 3, 1942 at the cost of one Mosquito and its crew. The mission profile of the fictional 633 Squadron and that of 139 Squadron's Knaben raid are very similar.
Mac loop amazing
You know just as I was watching this just now I thought: "That scenery looks familiar". Then you said the "mach loop", and I knew you were right and where I'd seen this valley before! LOL!
Cliff Robertson was a pilot in real life and owned several warbirds. After this movie wrapped he wanted to buy one of the airworthy Mossies' but for some reason wasn't able to. I saw him come into an airfield once that I had just landed at, he was flying an ME-108 that he owned. Nice guy, loved airplanes.
I remember this movie from when I was a kid, still one of my favorites. I watch it every few years.
Love this film. Made me fall for the Mossie. Greatest British aircraft of all time and could run rings around the Spitfire.
Beautiful plane we flew them with our RNZAF and we recently had a Mosquito restored.. thanks from NZ 👍🇳🇿
I had a friend, years back, who flew Mossies during the war. He had some great stories to tell.
Having loved this movie since 1964, I instantly recognized George Lucas' debt to it in the final attack sequence in Star Wars in 1977. Only later did I learn that Lucas consciously borrowed from it for his movie. 633 Squadron is a gem that we do not see nearly often enough on cable TV.
I watched this movie back about 60 years ago at Kolkata, india 🇮🇳 and could not forget it all my life !
Me n my brother looked at the movie 633 squadron when we were kids 😂😂
I so badly would love to see this movie again. It was most likely 1966 when I saw it and I was 11
This movie made quite the impression on me . Absolutely one of my favorites.
Surf the internet and youl see it all for free
It’s hard to believe that the first time I saw this movie it Was in a theater! The years go by so fast and time stops for no man! Great movie ...-
The pub at the start of the clip, and used throughout the film, is the Three Compasses at Patchetts Green (near Watford/Bushey/Aldenham). Still in use today. And only a couple of miles from Leavesden where Mossies were made.
Can never get tired of watching this film, and the music score, Superb. I was lucky enough to work near London Colney for many years which is close to the De Havilland Mosquito Aircraft Musuem located at Salisbury Hall where it was designed, developed and built. They have the World's largest collection of Mosquitos.
The Mosquito's are the true stars of this movie.
4 Mossies together = visual and audio heaven!!!!
This. Never. Gets. Old.
My father was PILOT 254 SQN @ RAF North Coates was so young telling me 300mph at 15 feet over sea / land he was after German Shipping / E BOATS
johncare
My dad was a radar operator/navigator in 307 SQN. Operated over the Bay of Biscay against U-Boats, Home Defense and later over the continent in night intruder missions. He flew in Beaufighters and Mosquitoes.
@hipcat13--
The Mosquito actions against eboats and uboats must have been very interesting-- for both sides. Essentially, it was the deck AA armament of both, manned with only a few seconds' notice, against the Mosquito's 20, 40 or 57mm cannon. The low altitude also may have helped disguise the roar of attacking aircraft until the last moment.
johncare v v
Must have been awesome to be part of that. But for the Germans to hear these engines at sea level and no idea which direction then to see it at sea level must have scared the crap out of them.
My father worked at DH during WWII building Mosquitoes, I have his toolbox made from Mosquito plywood. However my connection does not end there, whilst working at Hunting Aircraft ( who incidentally built Mosquiitoes ) in the 1960’s I heard the unmistakable noise of Merlins approaching only to see a Mossie flyig low dierctly over the approach road, ran outside to see it closely followed by two more the last of which did a barrel roll over the airfield before disappearing in the diection of Hatfield. Magic moment ,unforgettable
Those Merlins sound lovely on a low pass.
Nothing else sounds so beautiful as a RR Merlin. My dad's Mk IIA Hurricane had one and I loved to hear it run. Too vad he had to sell her after 30 years of work restoring it..but it was so terribly expensive to keep flying...$40K for a weekend airshow in just insurance.
James Rose damn for that price it might be cheaper to not insure and play the stock market in case something goes wrong.
Thanks. That was truly beautiful. Stunning. Speechless with joy. Thank you.
My grandfather told me a story about a mosquito flight he went on. A pilot friend asked my grandad to go up with with him for a maintenance check. They did a few circuits around the airfield and nothing much to report. A bit of a wobble, but otherwise ok. They landed and the pilot asked my grandad to go again since he wanted to double check, grandad said he had a meeting with another officer and jumped out. The pilot went up again and the mosquito exploded mid air. My grandad told me lots of stories about the war, but that one always made my blood go cold.
My Dad took my brother and I to see this film in the theater when it first came out. I was 10 years old.
I shall never forget seeing this in Panavision with the soundtrack mixed with the sound of those Merlin engines.
It was wonderful.
I was the same age and experience as you when my Father took me to see this movie. My Father was in the USAF Strategic Air Command at the time. He had served from January 1941 through March 1970 retiring as a Chief Master Sgt.. We also went together to see "The Dam Busters", "The Battle of Britan", "Tora! Tora! Tora!", and "Memphis Bell", amongst others. He served as crew chief and waist gunner in a PBV-1A: Canadian Vickers built version of the PBY-5A Catalina flying boat, My Father paid a GI Nose Artist two bottles of Good Scotch Whiskey to paint a Vargasesque girl on the nose named "Miss Pick Up. She was painted in the RAF Coastal Commands livery, but with USAF Markings, working A.S.R. in the Channel , North Sea, and Atlantic in partnership with an RAF motor launch. Watching these films together helped us bond and for him to open up about his years
and experiences during the War. I count these times as the best experience s of our relationship as Father and Son. I was always proud of my Father, and considered him my hero.
william york Your father lived a life you could write a book about. I am so glad that you had a full life with him.
Oh dem Mossies, my favourite british aeroplane in WW2!
Spitfire wins beauty contest but Mossie wins the "jack of all trades"-medal.
Do not forget that it was fastest plane in European skies almost 3 years!
First mach loop up that valley. Marvelous!
One of the best flying films ever.
Lord how I love sound of a wound up Merlin. More joyful in pairs. God bless the folks who came up with it.
Love the first 30 seconds of this. The bar staff running out the pub to see the Mossies return is something we all still do when we hear a merlin flying overhead!
Great flying scenes. I love those Mosquitos.
Terrific to see the great de Havilland Mosquito in flight! I think it was it good movie too, featuring the few Mossies available.
I remember in the fifties and sixties I wanted to fly a Mosy, a Typy and a Corsair. Brilliant machines with style.
What is a Typy please ?
@@guiguiferrand2296 typhoon most likely unless referring to the Tempest.
@@cbviperess9319 Okay, actually i'm french and i had never heard this nickname (Typy). That's why I wanted to know.
Thank you for letting me know.
Have a nice day or night ( jet lag)
Nothing like a relaxing flight through the Scottish Highlands !
Wales pal .
@@duncancallum Scotland.
Queen of the skies!! We had the NF36 (not the best looking model) in the Suez Canal Zone until Sep'52 when we converted onto Meteors. Loved the sound of those wonderful Merlins. What a shame we don't have one flying at Duxford.
The training flights through the hills is in Wales.It is still used today for fast jets.Clips can be seen on you tube.It is a favourite haunt for photographers who get great shots as did this film crew in 1964.What a pity the wrecked three Mossies making this movie.Make you cry really.
One 100% replica has just flown in New Zealand and one is under construction in Windsor, Ontario. I think Kermit Weeks still has an airworthy original in Florida.
yes - an extraordinary aircraft. In the middle years of the war it was the fastest aircraft in service in europe, superior in speed to all single engine fighters, later surpassed by upgrades in other types. It's armament made it a crunching ground attack aircraft with the nose mounted 20 mm Oerlikons, a nightmare for German armour. But amazingly, in its bomber configuration with the perspex nose cone and bomb bay it could carry the same pay load as a B17. It was extremely versatile. And it also had range which meant it could provide pathfinder squadrons for the heavies that went all the way to Germany. But due to its very particular wooden construction it needed highly skilled artisans to put it together which meant it was never produced in large enough numbers. And in Asia, the balsa reacted badly with the humidity. And due to the nature of its operations, it needed exceptional pilots to fly at that speed, often that low against precision targets as it was used in the TAF after Normandy - unlike the bus drivers in the U.S daylight bombers. So, as often happens, there's just not enough excellent - average has to do.
Anne Browning B17 payload 4,800 lbs a heavy bomber with four engines it was purpose built to deliver bombs...the Mosquito ended up with a capacity for 2000 lbs of bombs very respectable for a light bomber.
+seaglider844 4000 for B.6 actually. But it had to be "Cookie" drum bomb - standard bombs would not fit into bombbay.
My bad the B17 had a 17,000 + lb bomb load capacity. It was the original claim in this string that the Mosquito had the same capacity of a B17 that caught my eye. That is certainly not the case. 4,000 makes sense.
+seaglider844 B-17s had a 4,000 lb. bomb load...
Jeff Smith I've seen both numbers quoted this site for instance says 17,000.
acepilots.com/planes/b17.html
It would depend on fuel load and other parameters for its max load. But its got to have more that a plane with a much smaller lifting surface and half the engines. Or it was a total failure as a design for carrying capacity....and nobody is saying that.
Great planes, not had the recognition they deserved.
True. The acting was as wooden as the Mosquitos' airframes. btw, did you notice in all those cockpit shots there was no sign of the Mosquito's tail?
Which you hadn’t said that really bothering me now
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Read the book "Night Fighter" by C.F. Rawwsley and Robert Wright. C.F. was radar navigator for pilot Cats Eye Cunningham. They first flew in Beaufighters but then in the much improved Mossie. They downed at least 26 German bombers at night, and had a lot of close calls. A great book, I read it in 1970 or so. First edition was 1956.
I am a little skeptical of one flight doing a right-hand circuit and the other a left-hand circuit...but, my goodness to have been young, invincible and flying such an amazing airplane in desperate times...God bless the Royal Air Force!
Cliff Robertson, who plays the commander of the squadron, was a great actor.
Saw this at the cinema as a kid. They turned up the sound so loud it made my ears pop. Magnificent film, I remember the take off scene on the last practice very clearly, and poor old Johnny Briggs (later Mike Baldwin in Corrie) getting smashed up, but he did get his photo on the back of the excellent paperback novel, which I still have, as well as the LP.
There was some criticism of the choice of an American actor for the lead, but he nailed it, a wonderful starring role in a swashbuckling movie.
They used Robertson again in the role of a Canadian Major in the "Devil's Brigade" and he did a good job on that one also.
Best WW2 planes there were. Mosquitos could do anything! My favorits!
I'm an American and I'll take the British as an ally anytime, anywhere. Brave, smart, resilient.
Bovingdon airfield in Hertfordshire! a real operational airfield in WW2 where a US Airforce squadron was based
They now have a Mossie at East Kirkby Airfield,i helped with transport to get her their from Elvington.
Awesome sound of the throttled back engines at 50sec
One or more of the planes seem to be painted-over glass nose versions. At 1:35 and later you can clearly see the oval sighting panel under the grey paint. There are also no cannon ports on the underside - which explains why in the attack scenes, they can only tak-a-tak away with the mocked-up machine guns.
I once commented that, during one of Mike baldwins tantrums, that he'd never been the same since his plane crash. My mate looked at me and said 'what plane crash'. I said the one in 633 squadron. You had to be there but it was very funny. An intimate moment with a long dead friend that still makes me laugh.
Fantastic movie. Remember watching it when it first came out at the cinema at RAF Akrotiri
Quite possibly the best looking plane of the war.
Think Spitfire, with TWICE the power and armament! yup, Goerings worst nightmare! they were soo under-rated, a magnificent plane
At first the Mosquito had no armament that only came later!
It used it's speed as it's defence!
The precursor to British Airways used them to fly to Stockholm to buy all the ball bearings before Germany could
We also smuggled out Niels Bohr to work on Tube Alloys (our attempt at building an A Bomb, people dont realise that the vast majority of the ground work for the Manhattan project was done by the British before hand, and then the Americans stabbed us in the back by not sharing the information that we had collaborated on and kept all the info regarding the A bomb, just so they had a monopoly, but we sorted that out within a few years
They were actually never under-rated that's a myth perpetuated to keep its' mystique....widely recognised as one of the best aircraft and most versatlile of WWII.
I wouldnt say under rated they knew exactly what she was capable of and more, the Germans feared the mosquito, Especially night fighters trying to land the mossie would wait for them and strafe the buggers. Damn great plane and damn great brave crews.
The Mosquitos and the spits have the same problems on a steep manuvers.... the Carburators. Wich make the engine quit espacially on a steep dive.
fantastic flying scenes, great music
The very, very best of all ww2 aircraft. Some pretenders, but none as capable, beautiful and as successful.
Sorry, Spitfires, Mustangs, Lancasters, Fokke Wulfs, and some others, no contest.
Icorrect
Clever weaving together of several actual wartime events into the fiction of the 1956 book by author Smith, before those individual events became part of the widespread public awareness i.e. the Fleet Air arm attacks on Tirpitz in Norway + The attacks on the Norsk Hydro plant in Telemark, Norway + the exploits of the Light Night Strike force and the Banff wing against shipping and installations in Norway.
I recommend the book “Sabotage: The mission to destroy Hitler Atomic Bomb” it’s about a group of soldiers who stopped the production of Heavy Water. I am not exactly sure if I am right but I think they mentioned something about trying to bomb the plant.
Legend has it that this and Dambusters inspired George Lucas when he plotted the Battle of Yavin. There used to be a video of the briefing scene from 633 squadron with the audio from the briefing in ANH on TH-cam. Fit scarily well.
For the film, they had only 3 Mosquito's that could fly, so to try to create a squadron, they superimposed shots for the illusion of more, although it did not quite make it, as the effect was quite obvious.
I saw the first public outing of the one Restored in NZ back in 2013 at the Armistice Day in Cambridge NZ
Love the mosquito planes!!!
Can you get goosebumps watching this.... yes you can.
I have rather mixed feelings about this film, chiefly because the film's producers deliberately burnt two perfectly good (and rare) Mosquitos for crash sequences - the one time where cgi, had it existed then, would have been put to good use. Pretty unforgivable of them in my opinion.
Film companies do have a habit of wasting classic vehicles. Look at Christine.
Tim Richardson also they could have used miniture models like in battle of britain and dunkirk
I'm sure I read some of the aircraft used during the film were due for scrap soon anyway, so the film-makers just made use of them for the film. Even by that point, it was becoming very expensive to maintain WW2 planes. Fewer and fewer Mossies were being kept in the sky.
@Tim Richardson
*"Hindsight"* is one thing, but foresight is another. If only I had preserved my 1989 Suzuki RG500 Kevin Schwantz Race replica it would be worth £20k today. Fortunately I did have the means to do that, but in the late 60's - early 70's not many thought that way.
*Even as late as 1982 I sold a number plate (45 K) that would be worth many thousands today. I do somewhat ruefully regret that !*
Kind of like how many Chargers were destroyed in the Dukes of Hazard series. ''What a waste'' !!
As a young air cadet I did my air experience flights from RAF Bovingdon in Herts. it was there that 633 Squadron was filmed and I saw some of the filming. I watched one scene with George Chakiris being filmed over and over again and found it hugely boring. But the end result was not boring. I also used to see the mossies flying repeatedly over my house. I didn't know that they would soon be history.
I have some photos somewhere of a visit to Bovingdon, probably just after the filming ended. Highlight of the day was to be allowed to clamber all over a big red crash tender.
My Grandfather owned the Black Swan pub in the movie And I lived in Amersham not far away, and watched the filming at Bovingdon.
If only we had the same spirit that produced aircraft like this.
A wonderful film with a great cast and beautiful, beautiful RAF Bovingdon now home to Dancing on Ice.
these where awesome machines!
I was named after an uncle on my Dad's side who was navigator on Type VIs of RAF 107 squadron but he & his Canadian pilot was killed in nighttime intruder action in August 1944 near Paris shooting up trains & sidings.
i had no idea they were in mosquitoes when i was a kid
Apparently the attack depicted in this film was George Lucas's inspiration for the attack on the death star. Not sure if jusy an urban myth, but seems plausible.
Yes, "633 Squadron" inspired George Lucas, as did "The Dambusters" and The Bridges at Toko-Ri".
The music is also similar to John Williams Star Wars theme
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Quite agree - but who watches this film for the acting - its the aeroplane, the Mosquito, that's the real star...
The late Cliff Robertson had his Pravate Pliots license and owned some WW2 Vintage Aircraft. He learnt to fly in a Piper Cub.
We all learnt to fly in a light plane.
Cliff Robertson used to own a Spitfire Mk 9.
What a great plane! Mosquito was so good that German aircraft industry tried to copy it with their Focke-Wulf TA 154 "Moskito", which too was an twin-engine fast wooden fighter.
After the WW2 the Swedish coach-builder Skeningeverken Ab began to build omnibuses with same way as Mosquitos were built, also with special glue built wooden coach.
So, Finnish omnibus-builder Autokorirakenne Oy from Helsinki (owned by Kutter brothers) bought license from Sweden after some negoti😊ations.
The first Autokorirakenne-built coach was ready in spring 1951, and especially with Mosquitos way built! These Kutter-coaches became soon very popular amongst bus firms and travelling crowd too.
Kutter-buses were very handsome, well built, warm, silent, lightweigh, well planned and equipped with stylish interior and bequem seats!
During years different Kutter-buses became soon well known in Finnish bus routes, to the beginning of year 1978, when the last wooden Kutter model 8 were made.
Then Kutter transferred to the steel construction, with new model Kutter 9.
All was started with deHavilland Mosquito, which was fast and as a bomber its bomb load capacity was greater than in Boeing B-17 Fortress.
Why I wrote this? I especially love the Kutter model 7, which was in building program during yrs 1967 -1970. Very handsome omnibus!!!! Several Kutters are preserved to-day.
This is the only old school war movie which made reference to the many fighter and bomber pilots that fought for Britain during WW2 they came from India West Indies and were often ill treated and overlooked. But they contributed and sometimes gave their lives toward the cause!
And it was made largely with plywood and spruce! An amazing airplane!
The de Havilland company was told not to use Metals or other strategically scarce materials in the making of the Mosquito.
@@jgdooley2003it's a nice romantic thought but not true it's yet another perpetuated myth about the war.....in fact De Havilland were the leading experts in making wooden planes and went ahead and made the aircraft anyway before any orders had even been placed by the RAF who were so impressed they signed up.
Bit of trivia but One of the Mossies used in the film is on display at the RAF
Cosford Museum.
just love those RR superchargers sound fantastic....
Many kids dreamed of flying a spitfire or hurricane but, as a kid, I always wanted to fly a mosquito!
Each Mosquito had two Rolls Royce Merlins each 1200 HP combined HP was 2400 HP with excess of 400MPH . Not bad foe ply balsa glue and screws .
Early model Mossies Merlin 23 1400 bhp. Later models Merlin 76/77 1700 bhp. And that was not even war emergency power boost. It was not just that they were fast straight and level but could climb like a Spitfire nearly 3000 fpm initial.
Oh shut up!
@soaringtractor Ha ha there are no facts....only opinions. History is a pack of lies, written by winners and read by losers.(had America even come into the war yet at this stage or were they still dreaming of isolationism and scheming how to screw some more coin out of "arrogant Limey's? )
@@jimellenw The Mosquito could carry a bomb load heavier or same as a B17 with only 2 crew members instead of nearly a dozen, or am I wrong?
Love this film - a real classic
Of all the 1,000's of movies made in my lifetime 633 Squadron is number one, The characters and Mosquitoes were matched perfectly. The only question I have since I first saw it, is did Cliff Robertson live at the end? The book is not clear either. Looking back at the practicing for the mission scenes , they must have filmed those in what is now called the Mach Loop.
Theres only 2 or 3 of these GEMS left that are flyable in the world excluding Kermit Weeks 1 that I saw fly at Osh-Kosh in 1990 (but now at the EAA museum/not flying presently)Believe it or not I may get a ride in 1 of them very soon! Just sold a cycle to the owner of a restored Mosquito down at M.A.M. museum in Va. I've flown in P51's + T6's,PT17s's but this is a DREAM...I saw this movie as a kid+ always LOVED this aircraft...2 MERLINS are better than 1!! MustangMike.
They nick-named them, the wooden wonder. Its not hard to see why. They were just superb.
The Mossy had two counter rotation Merlins, B model 1700 WEP output. It was faster than the G model BF 109. Range was limited to 1300 statute miles. Pressurized. Service ceiling close to G BF 109. With later nose guns it was not to be messed with head on. Wood so hard to pickup at range on radar. Range limited to1300 miles. B 17 6000 lb compared to 4000lb. B17 2000 mile range. Mossy could not make deep penetration raids. Nearly 40 knts faster than earlier and most German fighters. Mossy did not need escort. Fabulous medium bomber/ground attack aircraft.
Its a shame they didn't stick to Smith's actual book which saw 633 start with Boston's before the Mossie arrived with 2 machine guns and 2 short barrelled cannons to make room for the earth quake bombs. Still great theme tune and wonderful aircraft; its a disgrace that we don't have at least one still flying and in the RAF's Historic flight squadron.
The People’s Mosquito
They didn't have any Boston aircraft to put in front of the cameras...
Unfortunately you can't keep one of every aircraft we've ever had. I did however volunteer at the museum based in london colney, had the experience of disassembling the W4050 prototype!