The Story of The Dam Busters Raid

OROYAL DAM 70 AIRFORCE OPERATION CHASTISE BUSTERS THE STORY OF THE DAMBUSTERS RAID The targets Bouncing bomb 66 It is the engineers of this country that are going to win this war Backspun at 500rpm Möhne KASSE Upkeep: oil drum sized depth charge Sorpe Inventor Barnes Wallis Fder Backspun bomb rolls down face of dam, 4 ton weight, 2/3rds explosive focusing explosion Dams providing water and power for Germany's armaments factories 66 This is tripe of the wildest description ... there is not the smallest chance of it working. Detailed models were made CinC Bomber Command Stripped-down Spitfires used for photo reconnaissance Arthur 'Bomber' Harris 617 squadron Formed 21st March 1943 No working bomb Not trained to fly at low-level No way to judge height No suitable bomb sight No adapted aircraft British (RAF), Canadian (RCAF), Australian (RAAF) and New Zealand (RNZAF) aircrew, plus one American serving in RCAF Lancaster bomber aircrew Average age: early twenties. Many reservists as well as regulars. Some aircrew had little experience Wireless operator Flight engineer Front gunner Industry, scientists, squadron engineers and aircrew have just 2 months to get everything done. Rear gunner Navigator Bomb aimer Pilot The dams must be hit while reservolrs full 66 This squadron will either make history or be completely wiped outd Wing Commander Guy Gibson Flying by moonlight After final briefing Outbound routes to Dams Wave 1 & 2 SCAMPTON Ration CHOCOLATE GERMAN REICH HOCOLATE Wave 3 Most raids at over 15,000', crews must now learn to fly at 150' or less and just 60 approaching the dam. The wingspan of a Lancaster was 102: Aircraft clipped trees, hit birds. BELGIUM Receive flight rations and escape kit. Dann bomb sight How the bomb worked Nails Eyepiece 232mph Grip handle Dam with towers Spotlights touch at 60ft Spin As the dam neared the bomb-aimer would look Direction of spin Lateral through the eyepiece of the Dann and once the Highly skilled precision bombing. Exact height, speed and direction. force nails lined up with the towers the bomb would be dropped. Torpedo netting booms The raid 16th-17th May 1943 Flak downed several aircraft 19 Lancasters led by the 24-year-old Guy Gibson DSO - DFC Wave: Wave 2 Wave 133 Men sent out Möhne and Eder dams breached, H 8 Lost Sorpe dam damaged. 53 Killed Thousands of workers 3 Turn back withdrawn from Germany's Atlantic 3 Taken prisoner LOSSES ON THE GROUND defences to carry out rebuilding. Damage to the Möhne dam and valley below 1294 Several destroyed or shut down. Many of these people in a forced labour camp. POWER PLANTS 92 Damaged FACTORIES 12 8. BRIDGES Damaged Destroyed 25 Destroyed OPERATION CHASTISE Guy Gibson Received the Victoria Cross and 33 other aircrew received decorations for their bravery. was also a massive boost to Britain's morale and political reputation VALOU Come and discover more at... #Dambusters70 www.raf.mod.uk/dambusters70 co