I'm working on a project dealing with the influences Lucas used to build Star Wars from and I've been doing some research on the matter for a little while now.

One of the films that keeps getting brought up as having been a heavy influence on the ending is 633 Squadron. Often, but not always, mentioned in the same breath as Dambusters. In fact, Lucas himself is often cited as having mentioned it.

However, I haven't been able to find a single source for any such quote. The only reference I've been able to find from any official source is from Kurtz.

633 Squadron is little more than a poor knock-off of Dambusters, both conceptually and structurally, and with the exception of there being a very specific area that needs to be struck with 'Earthquake bombs', whereas in Dambusters it's more a matter of distance to target (which given that the trench on the Deathstar is narrow and linear, jives well with Star Wars anyway), the two movies share more than they differ; at least in terms of how they might have influenced Star Wars.

So what I'm saying is, 633 Squadron was 'just another' one of the fifty or so movies in the archive; it was nothing special.

I'm wondering if anyone has anything to add? Have I missed a Lucas quote? Is there something I'm not seeing?

PS: There is one thing though, which 633 Squadron does different from Dambusters. A separate team on the ground set out to clear the way for the attacking planes by attacking and sabotaging the fjord defences. In a forest setting. Where they fall into an ambush. It sounds familiar alright, but not for Episode IV.