12 November 2007

De Havilland Mosquito



American newsreel footage from WWII



Footage from an air display in the 1990's. There will be no further footage. The last airworthy Mosquito crashed at an airshow about 10 years ago.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that, very moving stuff.There is excellent footage in the film 611 Squadron but it is marred by the number of airframes they destroyed for effect.
My father-in-law had the chance to fly over Germany in one immediately after the war but declined out of caution - he was a Met Officer and older than most.
I would have gone, I can tell you.
A.

Richard Havers said...

Aileni, not to be picky but it was 633 Squadron. From memory I believe everything that we saw 'destroyed' in the film were replicas. I think they had three original Mossies that they used for the flying sequence. I remember seeing them at Biggin Hill when I were a lad.

jams o donnell said...

It's a shame he never took the chance to fly in a mossie Aileni. My dad would give his left nut (and right one too) to get another chance to fly in onw. Not that it will happen now.

You are right Richard it was 633 squadron. I would love to have seen the mossies myself. Sadly the only ones left are in museums

elasticwaistbandlady said...

My dad lives close to an Air Field that puts on fantastic shows every year. He could watch it from his roof but he chooses to go in person and pay admission....I suspect its more to sample the 'Sausages Around The World' exhibit and chase it down with International beer.

He's a Renaissance man!

jams o donnell said...

Ah now EWBL I think you have the answer. There must be times when When Lone Star and Bratwurst are not enough... and the air show provides the necessary variety!

Anonymous said...

I was winging it on the Sqdn number. I would have had to go downstairs and look up Cliff Robertson refs... oh, bugger! Why didn't I Wiki it?
You see, I'm still a beginner - still a book person at heart.Last time I saw a Mozi was at Staverton around 1965. They had two, I think.
Claim to fame - I flew in the last Sunderland ever built.
A.

jams o donnell said...

Wow Aileni! the Sunderland must have been a great trip

Richard Havers said...

Aileni, A Sunderland....that's flying aright..... I once took a five hour flight in a Varsity, that was bloody cold!