633 Squadron

Factual error: When the bombs are being taken down the lane, in the background where the lane meets the road a white mini can be seen passing the entrance.

Factual error: Two lumbering, obsolete German trainers (Messerschmitt 108s, made in 1938) attack the RAF airfield, shooting it up unopposed. By early 1944 (the time this film was set) the Luftwaffe was a tattered remnant of its former self and the RAF had complete control of the skies over the UK and most of France. Any German pilot foolhardy enough to try such an attack would be shot to pieces before he got to the English Channel, let alone Southern England.

Other mistake: A lot of the aircrew are wearing a 1939-45 Star medal ribbon. This medal was obviously issued after the war's end.

Plot hole: The factory in Norway has to be destroyed - at huge cost - as it is producing fuel for the V2 rocket. That fuel was ethanol - ordinary industrial alcohol. There is no reason at all to have a specialised factory hundreds of kilometers away producing such a simple chemical. The Germans could have manufactured it in virtually unlimited quantity in an ordinary brewery - and there were plenty of those in Germany.

Factual error: As the special bombs are being towed onto the base, a modern white saloon car is seen driving past on the road.

Factual error: At the very beginning of the film three Mosquitoes 'buzz' the airfield, pulling some fancy aerobatics while in close formation. Had that happened in real life in World War 2 the pilots would have found themselves under close arrest the second their feet touched the ground. Such displays were reserved for airshows - not that they had them in those days - due to the risk of collision. Aircraft at the end of their missions were required to fly straight in and land without fuss and without showing off like barnstormers, which wasted fuel and the time of traffic controllers and other ground crew.

Factual error: A modern (1950s) motorcar is seen parked behind the Mosquito aircraft after they have had their special bombs loaded and the crew are just about to board prior to taking off on the mission.

david barlow

Factual error: At the beginning of the film we see a damaged Mosquito being examined by the pilots and other squadron members. The holes in the fuselage and tail show the bent edges of damaged metal, but those surfaces on the Mosquito were fabric covered. (They made a prop metal plate to fit over a real Mosquito).

Factual error: When the first Mosquito aircraft crashes during training the two RAF officers watching from the ground get in their vehicle to rush to the crash scene. The vehicle they get into is a post-war (first designed in 1948) Land-Rover.

david barlow

Factual error: The Norwegian resistance fighters are in their truck and being chased by a German armoured car. The armoured car used is a post-war (1950s/60s) British Army Saracen APC.

david barlow

Factual error: At the end of the film when the helicopter lifts off and pulls back, in the background is a Thronycroft Mk 7 fire engine - an engine not manufactured until the 1960s. (01:13:00)

Stac

Other mistake: During the practice bombing runs the bombers have to bank hard to the right. The back projection shows the planes banking to the left.

Continuity mistake: When the Germans attack their airfield you see the Indian pilot Singh machine gunned. The next scene shows him alive in the pub.

Revealing mistake: There is a British pilot who tries to pull rank in order to chat up Erik's sister. He has a hook for a hand, but the arm isn't any shorter. He is holding onto the hook under his cuff.

Continuity mistake: As Wing Commander Roy Grant exits his plane, after crash landing, his jacket catches on fire. As he runs across the wing it goes out. After he jumps off the wing it's on fire again. (01:02:00)

Factual error: In all the scenes in which the '109s' attack, you can see that they are not Messerschmitt 109s but the Bf108, a civilian/training aircraft (the 109's predecessor).

Continuity mistake: Just after the squadron enter the fjord for the big finale, Wing Commander Grant notices German aircraft in the sky above and says "There are bandits up above, keep down low." Then we momentarily cut to each of the crews inside their Mosquitos. A couple of the crews (Singh and Gillibrand's crews) aren't wearing sheepskin flying jackets, but when we see them again later on, they are.

astrocopper2012@yahoo.com

Factual error: Near the beginning, after the initial return of the squadron, when Wing Cmdr. Roy Grant is taken to his superior, as the jeep drives away, between the two hangars in the background can be seen a light blue/grey Series 2 long wheelbase Land Rover, from the late 50s, early 60s.

Revealing mistake: During the cockpit scenes there are no tail planes visible at the back of the planes.

Revealing mistake: In the scene where Flight Lt Gillibrand (the Australian) is making his practice bombing run there is a shot of him in the cockpit with the camera pointing in his face. He is shown turning the control wheel hard to his right. But the rear screen projection shows a slight left bank.

Trivia: We can see that FLTLT 'Digger' Gillibrand (John Meillon) is wearing a uniform that is of a much darker blue than the other pilots. Australian Air Force uniform of the era was dark blue rather than the RAF blue-grey; and purportedly made from much better material as well.

david barlow

More trivia for 633 Squadron

Question: What were the last words in the movie? Sounds like "Can't get squadrons"?

Answer: He says "You can't kill a squadron".

Bishop73

More questions & answers from 633 Squadron

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