633 Squadron background material.
Simon Dixon, whilst preparing an assortment of background material for sale on eBay kindly gave us permission to reproduce the items on our Website in support of our listing. In 1963, Simon’s father, Alex Dickson, was a reporter for the Daily Mail in Edinburgh when he was sent on one of his most exciting assignments: to write a features piece about the filming of the movie 633 Squadron in the Scottish Highlands. Whilst on location, he formed a good relationship with both John Crewdson, the brilliant but difficult pilot who orchestrated the film’s flying sequences and Hamish Mahaddie who was a consultant on the film and responsible for procuring Mosquitos and aircrews. The items and their eBay link at the time of this article are:
The notes on the back read, “the excellent handiwork of our [underlined] Les the chief engineer of FAS (& co) – wired up by fishing tackle/piano wire – he jumped out at the last moment and steered it by the above means into a petrol tanker – a real bang!”
It is Simon’s belief that these notes were written by John Crewdson himself, given the pride they express in “Les”, the chief engineer of Film Aviation Services (“FAS”, Crewdson’s company).
Mosquito HT-B (this was a fake registration code) in flight, framed by the cockpit window of one of the other Mosquitos used during filming, possibly in the Bovingdon area. After the film unit relocated to Scotland, HT-B was used in taxiing and “crash” sequences only.
A note on HT-B, with thanks to the Royal Air Force Museum:
Built in 1945 as part of a contract for eighty Mosquitos, in June 1963 TA639 was loaned to Mirisch Films Ltd for production of the film 633 Squadron at RAF Bovingdon, Herts, as one of five airworthy and three taxiable Mosquitoes used in the film. Following repainting into camouflage colours, it flew to Bovingdon via Dishforth for filming, with Air Commodore ‘Birdy’ Bird-Wilson at the controls.
The notes read, “1st crash after three attempts misfired… unbeaten Mosq (sic) refused to die in this way – wheels up fail – taxi and engine cut – another plane was used – it worked as a movie shot 100% perfect – J.C. @ controls”
Most likely written by John Crewdson himself, who gave this photo Simon’s father (as well as also taking him for a spin in one of the Mosquitos during a scene which features in the finished film).
Crewdson and Mahaddie worked together – fractiously – on the procurement and management of the Mosquitos used in the movies. Crewdson was a daring pilot; Mahaddie, a war hero. Prior to 633 Squadron, Mahaddie had procured Lancaster bombers and personnel for the classic movie The Dam Busters.
The most interesting section of the letter contains Mahaddie’s candid remarks about John Crewdson, and how he “couldn’t get on” with him during the making of the movie. It would seem as though both men had their heads turned by the same “freckled ginger-haired girl”, but Mahaddie’s interest in her faded as a result of her “liaison” with Crewdson.
Mahaddie would build on the success of 633 Squadron and, five years later, assemble an extraordinary collection of airworthy military aircraft from both the RAF and the Luftwaffe for the epic Battle of Britain. Crewdson died in 1983.
It is perhaps poignant, that four years on from this article originally finishing as it did, we can now thank Simon for sharing with us this rare shot of the elusive Crewdson sitting atop a Mosquito’s canopy.
Simon has kindly shared some additional photographs with us:
