Bombs away: The world's only flying Lancaster makes a low pass over the Derwent Dam
Posted on 05/16/2008 2:03:23 PM PDT by Stoat
It is one of the most stirring images of the Second World War - a Lancaster bomber coming in terrifyingly low over a huge dam.
Today, the last surviving pilot of the epic Dambusters operation was present to witness a spectacular re-enactment as one of the bombers flew again above the Derwent Valley dam in Derbyshire to mark the 65th anniversary of the raid.
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Bombs away: The world's only flying Lancaster makes a low pass over the Derwent Dam
With the roar of its four Merlin engines echoing, Squadron Leader Les Munro, 89, said: “I'm not one to get emotional about things but it's very nice to be back here. It does surprise me that subsequent generations take part in things like this, but it's up to the individual how they react.”
The dam was used for dummy runs by RAF crews preparing to attack three similar targets in Germany's Ruhr valley.
Led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, 19 Lancasters of 617 Squadron - carrying Barnes Wallis's extraordinary “bouncing bomb” - set out on the 1943 raid.
Two dams were destroyed, but eight aircraft and 53 men were lost.
Today's flypast was led by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster and a wreath was laid by Richard Todd, 88, who played Gibson in the 1954 film about the raid.
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Historic: The Lancaster bombers soars over spectators during its flypast yesterday
Also taking part in the fly-past were a Spitfire, a Hurricane, two Tornado fighters from the present 617 Squadron, and a Dakota transport plane.
All the planes flew from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to take part in the anniversary fly-past, which was preceded by a special memorial service on top of the Derwent dam at 10am.
Squadron Leader Munro was accompanied by Michael Gibson, the nephew of Wing Commander Guy Gibson.
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Crowds throng the riverbank as the Lancaster completes its anniversary flyby
Fighter support: A Supermarine Spitfire, top, and a Hawker Hurricane in formation
Todd said: "It's the most wonderful sight, watching the old Lancaster flying over the dam. It's a wonderful sight and sound.
"It's very exciting, moving and memorable, I just wish the weather had been a little bit kinder. It's very cold but luckily it's good enough for the fly-past to take place."
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Commemoration: Douglas DC-3 transport aircraft takes part in today's anniversary
He said: "We're very humbled in thinking that all these people lost their lives so that we could be here today.
"My grandfather was always very upset about what happened, how many of the pilots and air crew died.
"It pained him for the rest of his life, that he felt in some way responsible.
"I'm trying to suppress my emotions in some way otherwise I would end up bursting into tears.
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Wing Commander Guy Gibson of 617 squadron, boarding Lancaster G
Royal approval: Air Vice-Marshall Ralh Cochrane, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, King George VI and Group Captain John Whitworth discuss Operation Chastise
"For me, it's the humbling side of it and the fact that I feel some small part of it all. It takes great people to keep everything going. Humanity as a whole is so fragile.
"When the Lancaster went over, it was very exhilarating, the sound, the history."
After the wreaths were laid at exactly 10.30am, the Lancaster bomber came into view at the top of the Derwent Valley and flew low at 100ft in between the two towers of the dam. It then banked away before circling to return over the dam again.
On its third fly-past it was accompanied by two Tornado planes from today's 617 Squadron.
After its final fly-past, a Spitfire and a Hurricane flew over the dam and finally a Dakota transport plane flew past as hundreds of air enthusiasts and servicemen and women watched.
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Aftermath: The wrecked Mohne Dam with the massive breach caused by the Dambusters 617 Squadron
Deadly: A prototype of the so-called 'bouncing bomb' developed by Barnes Wallace
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Thanks for the great post, Stoat. The Dambusters raid and the sacrifice of those who participated should be remembered by all who fought the Axis powers.
Cool pics! Wish more of those aircraft were still flying.
Cool...thanks for posting
Can some of you WW2 buffs can tell me the how the Lancaster compared to other WW2 bombers? Both allies and axis.
“Two dams were destroyed, but eight aircraft and 53 men were lost.”
What a massive failure. Better bring the troops home now. Oops, wrong war.
Thanks indcons for the ping, and thanks Stoat for the topic.
‘Two dams were destroyed, but eight aircraft and 53 men were lost.’
“What a massive failure. Better bring the troops home now.”
Dingy Harry - is that you? /just kidding
You’re welcome, Sunken Civ
If the movie was factual, there were some ingenious methods used to allow this. Flying that bird that low at an exact speed and an exact height and releasing the bomb (which was spinning backward in the bomb bay) at the exact instant were needed for the plan to work.
Altimeters were useless at that height and they were stumped - until (in the movie anyway) Gibson was at a stage show and noticed how they used the spotlights to illuminate the actress. So, they mounted an angled spotlight on each wing, calibrated to meet at exactly 65 feet. The movie shows one of the crew talking the pilot down until there was only one light on the water.
The dam had two widely seperated towers, so they came up with the "Two Penny" bombsight. It was a "Y"-shaped stick with a handle. At each end of the "Y" they inserted a nail; the distance being calibrated so that at the exact distance the towers would line up with the nails. The bombardier held it up to his eye during the approach and when the towers lined up, he dropped the bomb.
The speed was the only thing that was determined by "regular" instruments.
The bomb had to be rotated backward so it wouldn't bounce erratically and was something like a depth charge in that it was hydrostatically set off, so it would cause the most damage at the base of the dam.
I think they lost a few planes on the way to the dam and at least one more in the attack. When one of the planes made a successful drop despite the horrific AA fire, he came in again with the next bomber to help draw away the enemy fire.
Gutsy guys. Glad to see Todd still alive and kicking - he always gave a good performance. Sad though, to see the UK in her current Politically Correct state after seeing the caliber of people she could field in a war.
Gibson was killed in 1944 when his Mosquito crashed in Holland. He didn't have to fly again but he was desperate to get back in the air and Bomber Harris finally relented. None of Gibson's bomber crew survived the war - they crashed while trying to bomb the Dortmund Ems Canal in late 1943. Of 19 planes on the original mission, 11 came back. Seventy-seven crewmembers were lost and only one of them survived, which is why the dams, which were quickly repaired, were never bombed again.
Watch the movie for a stirring experience.
Strafe the crowd? Somethin?
;)
;’)
Beautiful photos. The Spitfire is probably the most beautiful fighter of WW II.
The Spitfire and the Mustang were both beautiful aircraft.
It's hard to believe it's been almost five years since we ran this thread! Not all the pics are still there but some really good ones are.
Mine too. He flew the Burma Hump.
Wasn’t it 617 Squadron that sank the TIRPITZ with the 12,000 lb ‘Tall Boy’ bombs?
FYI there was a yank or two on the raid, if I recall.
Durn time flies!
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