Brave men 80 years ago today.

[John Gryphon]

The WWII mission from 'hell' that saw pilots fly just above water at 370kph in enemy territory

It is 80 years since the Dambusters Raid during World War II, a mission so secretive the crews didn't even know their target until the night before.

www.abc.net.au

 

[tozzybum]

Very brave men John ,I was stationed at Lippstadt near Soest home to the Mohne dam.
They've still got 1 of the unexploded " bouncing bombs on display.
And you can see the massive repair patch on the front of the dam.
Different times ,different men much respect

 

[Foxyboy43]

Indeed so. What these guys did and the morale boost it gave was nothing short of magnificent.
I have had the pleasure of getting aboard the lanc at the IWM Duxford on a couple of occasions; what stuck in my mind is the fact that the wing spar bisects the entire fuselage giving a substantial hurdle to anyone forward of it if it came to “getting out in a hurry” as the only hatch is much closer to the tail.

 

[sh1kar]

Indeed so. What these guys did and the morale boost it gave was nothing short of magnificent.
I have had the pleasure of getting aboard the lanc at the IWM Duxford on a couple of occasions; what stuck in my mind is the fact that the wing spar bisects the entire fuselage giving a substantial hurdle to anyone forward of it if it came to “getting out in a hurry” as the only hatch is much closer to the tail.

Indeed. And the rear gunner can pretty much forget getting out

 

[Foxyboy43]

Indeed. And the rear gunner can pretty much forget getting out

Might be wrong but I recall that he couldn’t wear a parachute - rather it sat behind him to be put on if required!

 

[Dodder]

Wow hadn"t realised the significance of today - thanks for bringing it to our attention John. Huge respect to all involved in the raid and subsequent 617 Sqn ops and what a genius Barnes Wallis was. Heroes all if them.

 

[the_greenman]

Indeed. And the rear gunner can pretty much forget getting out

Apparently a now long dead great uncle was one of those rear gunners. Riddled with shrapnel and lived the rest of his days in pain.

 

[wytonpjs]

I had the pleasure of getting one of the Dambusters to speak to a group of MOD graduates many years ago in the Pathfinder Museum at RAF Wyton and as a thank-you, BBMF were kind enough to host him and I at Coningsby. The opportunity to listen to his memories as we sat in the Lancaster was spine-tingling. Somewhere, I have a photo of him climbing over that main spar again to reach the cockpit.

My late father was a Pathfinder (83 Sqn) but he never talked about those years. Such a tragedy.

 

[John Gryphon]

The merging spotlights was a great idea too.

 

[Bomag]

Attack on Sorpe Dam released today, narrated by Jonny Johnson I believe. Tells the story of the attack on Sorpe Dam, and how it was done, which wasn't the way it was shown in the Dambusters film.

 

[del.gue]

I had the pleasure of getting one of the Dambusters to speak to a group of MOD graduates many years ago in the Pathfinder Museum at RAF Wyton and as a thank-you, BBMF were kind enough to host him and I at Coningsby. The opportunity to listen to his memories as we sat in the Lancaster was spine-tingling. Somewhere, I have a photo of him climbing over that main spar again to reach the cockpit.

My late father was a Pathfinder (83 Sqn) but he never talked about those years. Such a tragedy.

Although i never met him, my wifes father was a pilot with 7 Sqn, Pathfinders. His brother was also 7 Sqn. Both survived.
Her dad eventually came to terms with his experiences with art and later wrote a book.
We still have his flight logs.

 

[wytonpjs]

We still have his flight logs.

My father burned his

 

[opticron1]

My brother was in 617 Squadron for a few years and the raids were always celebrated. The Mohnesee Dam and area are well worth visiting and popular with the Germans as well as Brits.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

I had the great pleasure of knowing this fella for a while.

Tail Gunner: 98 Raids in World War II -::- Chan Chandler

Tail Gunner: 98 Raids in World War II -::- Chan Chandler lands on the shelves of my shop. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1999, Hardback in dust wrapper. 2nd impression, first edition 1999. Co…

bookloversuk.wordpress.com

 

[wytonpjs]

View attachment 309456

Odd that RAF Wyton is not on the list given it was the HQ of the PathFinder Force. I suspect it will be passed overhead - this from a previous notable anniversary (65th):

 

[Lancaster]

I have huge respect and admiration for the crews of Bomber Command who night after night strapped themselves into aircraft and flew off into the darkness knowing that their chances of surviving a tour were slim.

It's a Bloody disgrace that the UK Govt. intend to turn Scampton into a detention centre for illegal migrants and turn their back on £300,000,000 of investment which has been offered to regenerate the site whilst preserving and protecting it's heritage.

The plan also intended to bring aerospace, space and aviation technology and other businesses to the site and create education opportunities whilst maintaining it as a working airfield.

So much for respecting the sacrifice made by the aircrews at this, and many other bases, and telling the story of the heroism of these man and the work of the ground crews and support staff that kept them flying.

 

[mealiejimmy]

A few years ago when 617 squadron were flying Tornados out of Lossiemouth my late father in law was friends with the boss of the squadron and his wife and he managed to wangle a visit for he and I to go onto the base and get up close and personal with a Tornado and also visit the squadron office and crew area
There was a display cabinet with wartyime relics, including bits of concrete from one of the dams and a bit of steel from the Tirpitz (which 617 also bombed)
I had to laugh, when amongst the (non classified) documents on display was a Haynes manual for a Lancaster bomber
There is a re-union dinner for ex 617 personnel each year and the current squadron boss is the main speaker.
Shortly after out visit, the squadron was posted to Iraq and the wife of the squadron boss gave the speech at the re-union dinner

Cheers

Bruce

 

[wytonpjs]

A few years ago when 617 squadron were flying Tornados out of Lossiemouth my late father in law was friends with the boss of the squadron and his wife and he managed to wangle a visit for he and I to go onto the base and get up close and personal with a Tornado and also visit the squadron office and crew area
There was a display cabinet with wartyime relics, including bits of concrete from one of the dams and a bit of steel from the Tirpitz (which 617 also bombed)
I had to laugh, when amongst the (non classified) documents on display was a Haynes manual for a Lancaster bomber
There is a re-union dinner for ex 617 personnel each year and the current squadron boss is the main speaker.
Shortly after out visit, the squadron was posted to Iraq and the wife of the squadron boss gave the speech at the re-union dinner

Cheers

Bruce

Sadly, the current 617 Sqn F35 variant are a bunch of prima donnas IMHO

 

[enfieldspares]

I had to laugh, when amongst the (non classified) documents on display was a Haynes manual for a Lancaster bomber

Well one should always laugh at a joke. Even a poor joke. The Haynes Manual! About the most useless piece of "automotive how to" ever written. Poor quality black and white pictures that resemble an image of the bottom of a grey sack on a grey night filled with lumps of grey coal and no list of tools needed to do the job it then describes. A novelty joke book.