Warbird Information Exchange

My purchased this movie for me and I was wondering how many Mosquitos they used in the filming and where are they today. thanks

Hi Pat--

Would have to dig around a bit at home (am at work at the moment) for more info, but there were seven or eight Mossies, all late Marks (mostly 34s, TT35s and T3s), used by Mirisch Films in the making of "633 Squadron" (and its sequel). This movie did for Mossies what the later "Battle Of Britain" did for Spits...sort of. But one or more Mossies were actually torched during filming--unthinkable now, but at the time these were just obsolete aircraft at the end of their second career (most had latterly been target tugs with #3 CAACU at Exeter iirc). They weren't even all that old at the time, certainly not "antiques"! However the interest generated by the film probably helped preserve a few more Mossies than would otherwise remain. I think about five Mossies from the movie survive, including TA634 at the Mosquito Museum and TA719 at Duxford; the late lamented BAe-owned T3 RR299 had also been used by Mirisch. I think RS709 and RS712, both now Stateside (at Dayton and Oshkosh respectively), may have been in the movie(s) too...but would have to check. (Come to that...I'd bet Scott's registry will list those details. Check Mk.34, Mk.35 and T3 Mossies on there...)

Cheers

S.

Hi,
I'm not the expert, but RR299 was NOT used in 633 Sqn. It WAS used in the awful sequel 'Mosquito Sqn'.

There was an excellent summary in Warbirds Worldwide by Gary Brown.

Cheers

James K

Hi everyone, Steve T. is 100% correct about RS712 being in Oshkosh. I just looked through my photos and that's the one sitting in their hanger. If I could only post the picture to show you. But that is a confirm on the RS712 in Oshkosh guys.

Dave D.[/img]

Sorry Rob, that's a myth.

As I say, I'm not the expert - but I know a few. It's just one of the myths (well know to thiose who've got the full gen) that RR299 (the BAe Mosquito) was in the film 633 Sqn. It wasn't avaliable for the original.

For the remake, 'Mosquito Squadron' they used outtakes from 633; (And RR299) and thus kept the ficticious 633 HT- markings, which were then kept by Hawker Siddley (later BAe) on the aircraft. As those were markings for '633 Squadron' i.e. the markings borne by this mythical squadron, but NOT necassarily the markings only used in that film, that's where the myth came from.

I am several thousand miles from my refs at the moment, but if you check the Warbirds Worldwide which Gary Robert Brown wrote the 633 and Mosquito Squadron story up in (I did the bit on the much less well known film 'The Purple Plain') you'll have chaper & verse. (I also wrote the aircraft's 'obituary' as well as a memorial to the two crew killed when it crashed at Barton, Manchester a few years back. That's another time that myth was exploded. Also in Warbirds Worldwide. )

Cheers

James K

A good friend has let me know that Gary Brown's article on 633 film Mozzies was in June 1994, WW29. The listing (which did contain errors! Argh!) I think occoured in WW30. I'll see if I can get Gary to add his 2d...

Cheers
James K

Hi Rob,
Canada's great - just went to Canadian Warplane Heritage yesterday, and saw the Lanc fly three times.

Hmmm. I don't have ANY refs to hand (they're in the UK!) but I've e-mailed Gary to ask him what he's got. I don't think there was any 'unknown' a/c, even among those destoyed, but, as I said, I'm not the expert. C'mon Gary, where are you?
Cheers / Salut
James K

Hi All,
The following is listed on the Military Aviation Movie List http://www.coastcomp.com/av/fltline2/avmovie.htm#S

633 Squadron
1964 *v
RAF- Cliff Robertson; Mosquito bombers attack heavy water plant. Filmed at ex-RAF Bovingdon, with 3 CAACU DH Mosquito TT.Mk.35's
Total of 11 Mossies, 5 were flyable, including:

* T.Mk.3 TW117 (Calif.)
* T.Mk.3 TV954 (Duxford)
* T.Mk.3 TJ118 ground scenes (cockpit Moss Mus.)
* TT.Mk.35 RS709 (USAFM)
* TT.Mk.35 RS712 (Weeks-N35MK)
* TT.Mk.35 RS715 (Being rebuilt from pieces)
* TT.Mk.35 TA639 (RAF Cosford)
* TT.Mk.35 TA719 (Duxford) Badly damaged in crash landing at Staverton during the filming.

Bf 108's (as "Bf 109's"), models. TB-25J Mitchell 44-30861 camera ship and playing an RAF transport. Directed by Walter Grauman, ex-RAF Mitchell pilot.

Mosquito Squadron
1969 *
RAF- David McCallum; RAF Bombers. Shot at RAF Bovingdon with D.H. Mosquito TT.Mk.35's, Avro Anson. Known Mossies:

* T.Mk.3 RR299 (G-ASKH)
* TT.Mk.35 RS709 (USAFM)
* RS712 (Weeks N35MK)
* TA719 for ground scenes,
* TA634 (Mosquito Museum)

HTH

_________________
...and pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in Space cos there's bugger all down here on Earth!

I wrote the article for Warbirds Worldwide, as far as I can remember the listing never appeared. It was meant to, but somehow it was overlooked.

At the time I received tremendous help from Ray and Peter Thomas (Skyfame) and the late Stuart Howe. Thank them for this listing.

I have compiled this without a copy of the article to hand.

Gary Brown.


633 Squadron Aircraft.

T 111 TV959 (Ground scenes)

T 111 TW117 (Flying- F)

B35 RS709 (F)

B35 RS712 (F)

B35 RS715 (Cockpit section /Spares)

B35 RS718 (Destroyed Crash Landing simulation)

B35 TA639 (F)

B35 TA719 (F)

B35 TA724 (Destroyed/deliberate collision)

B35 TJ118 ( Cockpit section)

Mosquito Squadron

RS715 Unconfirmed (Cockpit section /Spares.)

T 111 RR299 (F)

B35 RS709 (F)

B35 RS712 (F)

B35 TA634 (F)

B35 TA719 (ground use only)

B35 TJ118 ( cockpit Section)

_________________
Real Messerschmitts have Merlins.