Dam busters 70th Anniversary

[Kendhni]

An amazing feat from many brave airmen.

But i wonder just how much of our knowledge about this is from the movie rather than the reality .. or are they the same?

[david63]

I suspect that what was portrayed in the film was fairly accurate from the British side bearing in mind what could, or could not, be disclosed at the time but I doubt that there was much thought given to the German side where, from what I have read, there was a lot of innocent deaths and suffering from the floods that ensued. In fact there are many from the areas around the dams that are still bitter about it to this day.

After all this film was very much a propaganda exercise to bolster the British people post war.

[qbman1]

There is an excellent documentary on Barnes Wallis and the bouncing bomb with much contemporary footage, being repeated on More 4 at 9:00 p.m. tomorrow. Well worth a look - although it is 2 hours long.

[paultheeagle]

BBC2 tonight 7:00 pm.......The Dambusters: 70 Years On.

"Dan Snow presents live coverage from RAF Scampton of a tribute to the 133 men involved in the raids on the dams of Germany's Ruhr Valley on the night of 16th May 1943. Plus a fly past by Spitfires and a Lancaster bomber."

'What's on TV.'


Thank goodness these men did what they did, true hero's, without them and manyothers like them, we might all be speaking in German now.

[Silver_Shiney]

There is a headstone and small, tended flower bed marking Nigger's grave outside No 3 Hangar at Scampton (you can just make it out on Google Earth). A civil servant, who had worked at the base for very many years, told me that every time 617 Sqn changed hangar, the grave moved with them. Only thing was, the dog is (according to him) buried by the side of the A15 outside the guardroom, where it was killed. How true that is, I have no way of knowing.

[Boris+]

My late parents knew Guy Gibson, and held him in high regard. From Barnes Wallis to Guy Gibson - the inventor, the draftsmen, the engineers, support workers and the airmen - they are all heroes, they all did their best for their country.

I am grateful.

Em

[qbman1]

Until a few years ago, I had no idea he was only 24 at the time of the raids. It is just astonishing what these young men did for us....

[Ray Scully]

Still enjoy Eric Coates stirring march "the dam busters"

Ray

[qbman1]

I'm rather partial to the theme from 633 Squadron as well, Ray. They don't write 'em like that any more !

[Ray Scully]

Watching it now

Not a little lump in throat as the Lancaster taxied up as the dam busters march was played.

Ray

[emjay45]

Oh no I missed it My father worked on the Lancaster bombers during the war. I hope it's repeated.

[Capt Black]

There is a headstone and small, tended flower bed marking Nigger's grave outside No 3 Hangar at Scampton (you can just make it out on Google Earth). A civil servant, who had worked at the base for very many years, told me that every time 617 Sqn changed hangar, the grave moved with them. Only thing was, the dog is (according to him) buried by the side of the A15 outside the guardroom, where it was killed. How true that is, I have no way of knowing.

I was a civvy at Scampton for a few years in the 90's. I've got a photo of the grave somewhere.

The story I was told was that Nigger's grave was moved from outside the guardroom because it was too close to the Officers' Mess. Apparently after the war it was considered a jolly good wheeze to dig up the grave after dining in nights. Moving the grave outside the hanger was too far for them to bother going. How true that is? I really don't know. Apparently, the original guardroom was moved after the war as well, but this was because the A15 was diverted due to the runway being lengthened for jets. You can still see the old A15 on google earth.

I was still at Scampton when the MOD announced that they intended to close it. Apparently a plan was devised to re-locate the grave. No-one actually knew what was/is under the grave, because of the previous "exhumations", so the plan involved swearing the digger's to secrecy, and sealing the coffin with whatever was found.

[gfwgfw]

Just happened on this prog

The Muchbeloved gave me a serious jolt

Her late Uncle George was a Lancaster crew member of this mission and many more

Sadly he never spoke about experiences

[Silver_Shiney]

Cap'n, the officers' mess was some distance from the guardroom, which is the original. The re-routing of the A15 starts a little further north. The building shown in the film Dambusters as being the Ops Centre was the junior ranks mess when I was there in the early 80s. I believe it became a joint SNCO/airnen's mess after the Vulcans were retired. I worked in SHQ for three years. Where abouts were you?

[Mr-big-bits-mk2]

There's an interesting article in The Mail regarding the small model dams used during the developement on the Dambusters plan.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -raid.html

[Capt Black]

SS - I worked in the old Blue Steel missile hangar on the opposite side of the runway to the main ones. Fun days.

[Silver_Shiney]

Cap'n - Thanks for that info - that's a part of the base I never visited. The only time I went on the airfield (apart from my Vulcan flight) was one evening to stack aluminium planks, which were crated up, put into a Hercules and taken off to be loaded on the Atlantic Conveyor, to be used to make a temporary runway for Harriers at Port Stanley. That was a waste of an evening...

Just had a look on Google Maps (don't know how up to date the image is) and see there's a Buccaneer parked behind those hangars! The base has changed a lot since I was there - the Lanc gate guardian has been replaced by a car park, the motor club has been demolished and the war centre has disappeared.

Can't say I enjoyed my time there. It was preferable to Coningsby, though.

[Capt Black]

The Lancaster gate guardian had gone by the time I was there. Interesting that they've had Buccs parked up. I remember one of the hangars had a few Hunters in it.

We had a crew room you could watch the Reds take off from. Got bored with that after a few months!

[qbman1]

Question for you RAF types. Is it true that the Lancaster, together with the Spitfires and Hurricanes at Coningsby are still part of an operational Squadron and could, in theory, be called into service ? It would give the Taliban a bit of a shock if they saw the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight coming at them over the hill !!

[david63]

Just had a look on Google Maps (don't know how up to date the image is)

There is usually a watermark on Google Maps showing the date of the image - although I will admit that it is not always easy to see.

[Silver_Shiney]

Question for you RAF types. Is it true that the Lancaster, together with the Spitfires and Hurricanes at Coningsby are still part of an operational Squadron and could, in theory, be called into service ? It would give the Taliban a bit of a shock if they saw the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight coming at them over the hill !!

Not to my knowledge. The pilots probably are, though. They really cosset those aircraft - when I was stationed there, they wouldn't even open the hangar door if rain was forecast.

Saw Dan Snow last night blagging a flight in the Lanc. I 'ates 'im! My chance to fly got scuppered by being one of a three-person office and the other two were on holiday/training course so I couldn't leave.

[Silver_Shiney]

Just had a look on Google Maps (don't know how up to date the image is)

There is usually a watermark on Google Maps showing the date of the image - although I will admit that it is not always easy to see.

At the bottom of the screen there are a couple of references to 2013, so maybe it is quite recent!

[Ray Scully]

The programme is now available on iPlayer.

Ray

[emjay45]

Thank You Ray

[June1969]

Interesting to see others from RAF Scampton on here. We were there late 80's to early 90's

Yesterday was quiet something here in Lincoln also with the Cathedral fly past and the Lancaster came over work around 12.00 and 16.00. Many people rushing to the windows at the sound of the mighty Merlin engines.

My OH was also a Shiny in SHQ Alan.