633 Squadron
In 1944, After the Norwegian resistance leader Royal Norwegian Navy Lieutenant Erik Bergman (George Chakiris) travels to Great Britain to report the location of a German V-2 rocket fuel plant, the Roy…
633 Squadron
In 1944, After the Norwegian resistance leader Royal Norwegian Navy Lieutenant Erik Bergman (George Chakiris) travels to Great Britain to report the location of a German V-2 rocket fuel plant, the Royal Air Force's No. 633 Squadron is assigned to destroy it. The only reason Germans have not been able to deploy their V2's in the war is because they don't have enough rocket fuel. If this plant is left as is, the D Day invasion could be blown up to smithereens. The squadron is led by Wing Commander Roy Grant (Cliff Robertson), a former Eagle Squadron pilot (an American serving in the RAF before the US entered the war). The factory will start shipping fuel in 18 days, so Roy has 17 days to train his squadron for this mission. Roy is to train his squadron at a valley in Scotland that mimics the entry to the fjord but is not as difficult to navigate as the actual fjord. Squad includes Group Captain Don Barrett (Donald Houston), Squadron Leader Frank Adams (Michael Goodliffe), Flight Lieutenant Gillibrand, Australian (John Meillon), Squadron Leader Scott (John Bonney), Flying Officer Evans (John Church), Flight Lieutenant Nigel (Sean Kelly), Flight Lieutenant Singh (Julian Sherrier), Flight Lieutenant Frank (Geoffrey Frederick), Flight Lieutenant Jones (Johnny Briggs) The plant is in a seemingly impregnable location beneath an overhanging cliff at the end of a long, narrow fjord lined with numerous anti-aircraft guns. The only way to destroy the plant is by bombing the cliff until it collapses and buries the facility, a job for 633 Squadron's fast and maneuverable De Havilland Mosquitos. The squadron trains in Scotland, where there are narrow glens similar to the fjord. There, Grant is introduced to Bergman's sister, Hilde (Maria Perschy). They are attracted to each other, despite Grant's aversion to wartime relationships. The Norwegian resistance is tasked with destroying the anti-aircraft defenses of the facility immediately before the scheduled attack. When unexpected German reinforcements arrive (Bergman is informed of this by his colleagues in the resistance), Bergman returns to Norway to try to gather more forces. Air Vice Marshal Davies refuses to delay the mission day, and Bergman insists that there is no way that the Brits can land any more re-enforcement by the way of land or water to neutralize the German guns. The Germans attack the air base causing loss of life and equipment, but Roy is able to re-group quickly. One plane is lost during training due to the difficult maneuvers involved. Roy spends time with Hilde after Bergman returns to Norway. However, Bergman is captured while transporting desperately needed weapons, taken to Gestapo headquarters and tortured for information. Since Bergman knows too much, he must be silenced before he breaks. Grant and newly married Pilot Officer Bissell (Scott Finch) are sent in with a single Mosquito to bomb the Gestapo building. Though they are successful, their shot-up Mosquito fighter-bomber crashes on its return (the landing gear doesn't work properly as it is all shot up), and Bissell is wounded and becomes blind. A tearful Hilde thanks Grant for ending her brother's suffering. Roy says his goodbyes to Hilde and leaves, as he knows he will most probably not survive the mission. Still worried, Air Vice-Marshal Davis (Harry Andrews) decides to move up the attack to the next day. The ammunition being used are Earthquake bombs which will topple the overhanging cliff on top of the fuel factory and bury it under rubble. The pilots are worried that their planes might be in danger from the explosion of bomb from the plane in front of them. 12 bombs are required to transfer enough force to topple the cliff. The men don't know what the factory makes, but Favis assures them that this is a critical mission. The resistance will attack at 0630 hours and the squadron is to enter the fjord between 0655 and 0705 hrs. However, the resistance fighters are ambushed and killed, leaving the defenses still intact. The resistance are not able to radio that their attack has failed, but they miss a critical check in point with London as well. Davis gets an intelligence call that the Germans ambushed the resistance fighters. Although Grant is given the option of aborting, he decides to press on. Many aircraft are lost to anti-aircraft fire and the remaining are attacked by the German air force after they drop their bombs. Many aircraft fly their planes into the cliff, after being hit and damaged. 9 aircraft are lost to score 6 direct hits and only 1 bomb is left. The last bomb budges the mountain, and it falls on top of the factory, burying it completely. The factory is destroyed at the cost of the entire squadron, though a few crews are able to ditch in the fjord. Grant crash-lands but a local man helps Grant's navigator, Flight Lieutenant Hoppy Hopkinson (Angus Lennie), pull the wounded wing commander from the burning wreckage. Back in Britain, Davis tells a fellow officer who is aghast at the losses, "You can't kill a squadron."
633 Squadron
Drama,History,War
Film Details
In 1944, After the Norwegian resistance leader Royal Norwegian Navy Lieutenant Erik Bergman (George Chakiris) travels to Great Britain to report the location of a German V-2 rocket fuel plant, the Royal Air Force's No. 633 Squadron is assigned to destroy it. The only reason Germans have not been able to deploy their V2's in the war is because they don't have enough rocket fuel.
If this plant is left as is, the D Day invasion could be blown up to smithereens. The squadron is led by Wing Commander Roy Grant (Cliff Robertson), a former Eagle Squadron pilot (an American serving in the RAF before the US entered the war). The factory will start shipping fuel in 18 days, so Roy has 17 days to train his squadron for this mission.
Roy is to train his squadron at a valley in Scotland that mimics the entry to the fjord but is not as difficult to navigate as the actual fjord. Squad includes Group Captain Don Barrett (Donald Houston), Squadron Leader Frank Adams (Michael Goodliffe), Flight Lieutenant Gillibrand, Australian (John Meillon), Squadron Leader Scott (John Bonney), Flying Officer Evans (John Church), Flight Lieutenant Nigel (Sean Kelly), Flight Lieutenant Singh (Julian Sherrier), Flight Lieutenant Frank (Geoffrey Frederick), Flight Lieutenant Jones (Johnny Briggs) The plant is in a seemingly impregnable location beneath an overhanging cliff at the end of a long, narrow fjord lined with numerous anti-aircraft guns. The only way to destroy the plant is by bombing the cliff until it collapses and buries the facility, a job for 633 Squadron's fast and maneuverable De Havilland Mosquitos.
The squadron trains in Scotland, where there are narrow glens similar to the fjord. There, Grant is introduced to Bergman's sister, Hilde (Maria Perschy). They are attracted to each other, despite Grant's aversion to wartime relationships.
The Norwegian resistance is tasked with destroying the anti-aircraft defenses of the facility immediately before the scheduled attack. When unexpected German reinforcements arrive (Bergman is informed of this by his colleagues in the resistance), Bergman returns to Norway to try to gather more forces. Air Vice Marshal Davies refuses to delay the mission day, and Bergman insists that there is no way that the Brits can land any more re-enforcement by the way of land or water to neutralize the German guns.
The Germans attack the air base causing loss of life and equipment, but Roy is able to re-group quickly. One plane is lost during training due to the difficult maneuvers involved. Roy spends time with Hilde after Bergman returns to Norway.
However, Bergman is captured while transporting desperately needed weapons, taken to Gestapo headquarters and tortured for information. Since Bergman knows too much, he must be silenced before he breaks. Grant and newly married Pilot Officer Bissell (Scott Finch) are sent in with a single Mosquito to bomb the Gestapo building.
Though they are successful, their shot-up Mosquito fighter-bomber crashes on its return (the landing gear doesn't work properly as it is all shot up), and Bissell is wounded and becomes blind. A tearful Hilde thanks Grant for ending her brother's suffering. Roy says his goodbyes to Hilde and leaves, as he knows he will most probably not survive the mission.
Still worried, Air Vice-Marshal Davis (Harry Andrews) decides to move up the attack to the next day. The ammunition being used are Earthquake bombs which will topple the overhanging cliff on top of the fuel factory and bury it under rubble. The pilots are worried that their planes might be in danger from the explosion of bomb from the plane in front of them.
12 bombs are required to transfer enough force to topple the cliff. The men don't know what the factory makes, but Favis assures them that this is a critical mission. The resistance will attack at 0630 hours and the squadron is to enter the fjord between 0655 and 0705 hrs.
However, the resistance fighters are ambushed and killed, leaving the defenses still intact. The resistance are not able to radio that their attack has failed, but they miss a critical check in point with London as well. Davis gets an intelligence call that the Germans ambushed the resistance fighters.
Although Grant is given the option of aborting, he decides to press on. Many aircraft are lost to anti-aircraft fire and the remaining are attacked by the German air force after they drop their bombs. Many aircraft fly their planes into the cliff, after being hit and damaged.
9 aircraft are lost to score 6 direct hits and only 1 bomb is left. The last bomb budges the mountain, and it falls on top of the factory, burying it completely. The factory is destroyed at the cost of the entire squadron, though a few crews are able to ditch in the fjord.
Grant crash-lands but a local man helps Grant's navigator, Flight Lieutenant Hoppy Hopkinson (Angus Lennie), pull the wounded wing commander from the burning wreckage. Back in Britain, Davis tells a fellow officer who is aghast at the losses, "You can't kill a squadron.".