Here in Blighty it’s the 70th Anniversary of the famous Dambusters raid which began on the evening of 16th May 1943.
To mark the occasion I've put together a few photos I took of the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight including one of the two remaining flying Lancaster Bombers, as well as a fly - by, all filmed at the Southport Airshow last year.
The daring raid was carried out by 133 RAF airmen, flying 19 Lancaster bombers armed with the ‘Bouncing Bombs’ designed by Sir Barnes Wallis.
617 Squadron, better known as The Dambusters was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson. It’s mission was to destroy the great dams of Germany.
At 21.28, the first waves of Lancasters took off from RAF Scampton, heading out in across the North Sea.
At 00.28 Gibson ran the first attack on The Mohne Dam. His flew exactly 60ft above the ground at a speed of 230mph. The bomb was released. It bounced three times and sank, exploding short of the target.
German gunners reacted quickly and as the next Lancaster made it’s bombing run anti aircraft fire ripped into the plane causing it to drop it’s bomb too late. It bounced over the dam, destroying a power house.
With two Lancasters acting as decoys the next aircraft approached the dam, which was beginning to crumble. The bomb struck and the dam finally collapsed.
With one target down the squadron headed towards the Eder Dam.
At 01.54, the second dam had been breached . A third dam, The Lister was to be attacked, followed by a forth, The Sorpe, however the aircraft tasked with the job was shot down over the heavily defended town of Hamm.
At 06.15 the last surviving plane landed at RAF Scampton. The Dambusters mission was over.
Wonderful imagery, Scoop!
ReplyDeleteI've been lucky enough to see the BoB flight on several occasions and it's always a majestic sight.
And one day I was pottering at (previous) home on the outskirts of Sprout City when a very sonorous drone could be heard outside. I fancifully thought to myself that that would be what a Merlin ought to sound like, went out on the balcony to see what it was and to discover I was right in it being -six- Merlins. The BoBF coming past, low and slow, to my absolute amazement.
Saw them turn to port away from the city, so scrambled back inside to get camera and zoom and climb onto the flat roof. Round they came again, sun behind my back, ideal lighting.
They got caught up by a few BAF F-16s to fly over the city (it was the 50th anniversary of Liberation Day) so off they went.
And that's of course when I discovered there was no film in the camera. :)
Best -- Paul
AWESOME Scoop! - I'm droolin' :-) I'm glad you got a chance to see this, what a wonderful time that must have been.!
ReplyDeleteAs some of you may know I also work for the RAF. This morning as I was driving into work; it was at about the time the last 617 Lancaster touched down. I thought about that night seventy years ago, and the brave aircrew; many of whom didn't even live to be half my age.
ReplyDeleteAnd tonight at around 9:30, I'll be watching the Dambusters. - Least we forget.