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Dambusters

Our selection of recommended prints of the most famous mission of the RAF in World War Two - the Dambusters Raid by Lancasters of No.617 Squadron.  

Dambusters

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On the night of 16th / 17th May 1943, Lancasters of 617 Squadron under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson attacked the hydroelectric dams of the Ruhr. Five of the aircraft that successfully attacked and breached the Mohne flew onto the Eder, only three with the Upkeep bombs still on board. Whilst there was no flak, the approach, over difficult terrain, was hazardous and a tremendous test of skills of the crews involved. Pilot Officer Les Knights aircraft, AFN, can be seen having just dropped the last of the groups bombs, which actually breached the dam, and is climbing steeply to avoid the hill behind the dam. Breaching the Eder by Simon Smith. Click For Details DHM2407
The night of the 16th May 1943 saw 19 modified Lancasters of the specially formed 617 squadron set out to breach the Ennepe, Eder, Mohne and Sorpe dams in Westphalia, Germany. The mission was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson DSO, DFC. Gibsons Lancaster can be seen in the foreground with lights full on to draw enemy fire, as is Mick Martins Lancaster on the far side protecting Dinghy Young, who has dropped his bouncing bomb and is flying through a hail of defensive gunfire. He scored a direct hit, and his was the decisive bomb that breached the Mohne Dam. Of the 19 Lancasters who set out, 5 received damage from enemy defences, 6 returned unscathed and 8 failed to return. Operation Chastise was a huge success especially for the countries morale. 58 decorations were awarded for the raid including a Victoria Cross for Gibson. The squadron were known thereafter as the Dambusters. Gibson VC by Graeme Lothian. Click For Details DHM1226
No single raid during World War Two has attracted more discussion, analysis, features, books, interviews, or been the subject of more films, documentaries, and TV programmes than the famous attack mounted by the RAFs 617 Squadron upon the mighty hydroelectric dams in Westphalia, on the night of 16/17 May, 1943. Led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, nineteen specially adapted Lancaster bombers, manned by 133 aircrew, culminated months of secret training when they made one of the most audacious raids of the war. Flying at tree-top height in darkness, and doing their best to avoid electricity pylons and other obstructions, they navigated their way deep into occupied territory. Their targets were the huge Mohne, Sorpe, Ennepe, and Eder Dams that powered Germanys huge industrial factories in the heartland of the Rhur. Each bomber had to avoid enemy flak and fighters en route, locate their target, descend to precisely 60 feet above the water then, in the face of a barrage of anti-aircraft fire, release their single unique 10,000 lb hydrostatic bomb at exactly the right moment. There was no margin for error, and there was no place for faint hearts. Eight of the crews that left RAF Scampton that night were never to return. Of the fifty-six aircrew on board only two survived. Though nearly half the skilled crews that made up 617 squadron were lost, they recorded one of the most successful and daring air raids of the war- a costly endeavour, but one that has become legend in the annals of aerial warfare. Nicolas Trudgians emotive painting Homeward Bound depicts Dave Shannons Lancaster AJ-L, dodging the searchlights low over the Dutch landscape, as he returns from the Eder Dam following the part he and his crew played in the famous raid on that moonlight night in May, 1943. Homeward Bound by Nicolas Trudgian. Click For Details DHM2263
In one of the finest portrayals of the Avro Lancaster, Moonlight Run depicts the aircraft of Fl. Lt. Mickey Martin (ED909 AJ-P) at the moment of release of the Wallace Bomb during the Dams raid on the Ruhr in 1943. With only the gentlest of moonlight rippling over the dark water of the Mohne, this dramatic picture plays homage to the impossible low altitudes and high speeds that were necessary to complete successfully their heroic mission. A stark and refreshing treatment of a subject at the hearts of all aviation historians. Moonlight Run (Dambusters) by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details B0021
Guy Gibsons Lancaster having unsuccessfully dropped its bomb, draws enemy fire from the aircraft of Sqn Ldr Young as his bomb explodes spectacularly on the Mohne Dam during the audacious Dams Raids of 16th/17th May 1943. Operation Chastise - The Night They Broke the Dams by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1483
The night of the 16th May 1943 saw 19 modified Lancasters of the specially formed 617 squadron set out to breach the Ennepe, Eder, Mohne and Sorpe dams in Westphalia, Germany. The mission was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson. The Dambusters by Graeme Lothian. Click For Details DHM1419
On the night of 16/17th May 1943,under a full moon, 19 specially modified Lancaster bombers from 617 Squadron carried out one of the most daring and effective air raids of the Second World War. Led by wing commander Guy Gibson the 19 aircraft took off and headed for Germany at extreme low level.. Their mission, code named Operation Chastise, was to destroy the Ruhr dams which supplied water and electricity to the industrial heart of Reich. Each aircraft carried the ingenious Upkeep mine, developed by the engineer Barnes Wallis. Shaped like a large oil drum, the bomb was spun prior to release at exactly 60ft above the water and 150 yards from the dam wall. This caused the weapon to bounce across water and on impact would also make it stay close to the wall of the dam as it sank. The bomb, technically a mine, was fitted with a hydrostatic fuse similar to a depth charge causing detonation at the required depth.The correct height above the water was achieved by aligning the beams of two spotlights to meet on the surface of the water. Delivering such a weapon on target at night at such low altitude and under enemy fire was thought by many to be impossible. The nineteen pilots,some as young as eighteen had been hand picked by Gibson only two months before and formed into 617 squadron whose first mission was to remain top secret and unknown to them up until the last moment. The Mohne Dam was attacked first and several attempts were made under heavy fire with one lancaster being shot down as it flew over the target.Guy Gibson then attempted to draw fire away from the attacking aircraft by switching on his navigation lights and flying to one side of Mick Martins aircraft ,the scene depicted in Simon Smiths painting.Just as another aircraft was about to go in,excited shouts came over the intercom - its gone! The main target achieved, Gibson led the remaining aircraft on to the Eder Dam deep amongst the mountains of the Eder valley. Here, although no flak defenses, the terrain made the approach extremely hazardous. Two bombs were released yet still the target remained unbreached leaving only one last aircraft ,that of Les Knights to attack. A steep descent from a thousand feet then a dive over a spit of land left very little time to line up and release the bomb.Worse still there was a huge mountain on the far side of the dam! Added to this Edward Johnson the bomb aimer recalled that the spinning bomb had an alarming gyroscopic effect on the handling of the aircraft,so it was with superb flying and teamwork that their bomb struck and finally destroyed the massive stonework of the Eder Dam. Gibsons leadership and bravery led to the award of the VC and many other decorations were bestowed upon the other crews.The squadron however paid a heavy price with 8 lancasters being lost. The Dambusters by Simon Smith. Click For Details DHM1460
Standing his aircraft at the height of just 60 feet above the waters of the Mohne, Flt Lt Maltby braves a hail of anti-aircraft fire just seconds before the release of the bouncing bomb that would at last breach the dam on that historic night of the 16th/17th May 1943. Third Time Lucky by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1482
Guy Gibson, Micky Martin and John Hopgood outward bound from Scampton on the evening of 16th May 1943. Tonight We Make History by Keith Aspinall. Click For Details KA0029

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