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Post by phil82 on May 17, 2013 9:30:00 GMT 12
Yesterday was the 70th Anniversary of the Dambusters raid, and the BoB Lancaster did a repeat run on the same dam they practiced on in the Lake District in the UK. Mag-bloody-nificent! Attachments:
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Post by phil82 on May 17, 2013 9:34:44 GMT 12
A better view  |
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Post by TS on May 17, 2013 9:46:20 GMT 12
That is so Cool, But here it is on youtube only thing is the filming was taken from a flingwing so it's hard to hear the merlins.  Enjoy anyway.  |
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Post by phil82 on May 17, 2013 9:47:47 GMT 12
No sound unfortunately!
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Post by baronbeeza on May 17, 2013 9:49:06 GMT 12
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Post by phil82 on May 17, 2013 9:51:17 GMT 12
Not that you would notice.... well, some here would sniff them out....but there are some fantastic pubs around that area!
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Post by TS on May 17, 2013 10:12:15 GMT 12
OK we have one with SOUND!!! Be carefull not to blow up your speakers.... ;D ;D
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Post by phil82 on May 17, 2013 10:23:13 GMT 12
Much better! I bet there was a lot of dust in the eyes of those spectators.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2013 10:24:42 GMT 12
Actually the Ruhr Dams raid took place on the 17th of May 1943, which makes the anniversary today, although we're ahead of Europe in time zones so right now it makes the anniversary tomorrow - not yesterday.
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Post by phil82 on May 17, 2013 10:37:21 GMT 12
Very true Dave, but perhaps you should write to the BoB Memorial Flight and the CO of the current 617 Squadron and tell them off for doing their thing over the dam on the 16th May, which was Thursday , [yesterday] UK time! I would imagine the actual timing of the flights depended quite a bit on the vagaries of British weather!
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2013 10:45:08 GMT 12
No this flight over the dam has long been scheduled for that date. There is a raft of activities in the UK marking the 70th Anniversary. Weatehr is not a factor for the early flight, it is likely the Lancaster will be elsewhere on the 17th.
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Post by sparrow on May 17, 2013 11:23:15 GMT 12
Just watched the flight from the nose of the Lanc, but buggered if I can figure out how to get the clip from the book of face onto here.  |
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Post by sparrow on May 17, 2013 11:34:45 GMT 12
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Post by baronbeeza on May 18, 2013 4:51:41 GMT 12
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Post by patmurphy on May 18, 2013 11:04:11 GMT 12
Operation Chastise was well covered today by BBC Radio 2 and a memorial service yesterday on the eve of the raid was on BBC2 with Lancaster PA474 present at RAF Scampton (as an aside PA474 was built at Vickers shadow Factory at Broughton near Chester in 1945. I completed my apprenticeship as an aircraft fitter in the same factory nearly 40 years later).
George "Johnny" Johnson was present, Bomb aimer on T "Tommy" who made 9 "dummy" runs on the Sorpe Dam before letting the Upkeep go on the 10th run. Also present was Les Munro, the last remaining pilot alive and also Mary Stopes-Roe, daughter of Barnes Wallis, inventor of Upkeep. Mary had been involved in the game of marbles that led directly to Upkeep.
8 weeks to change the war and they did it. A stunningly brilliant operation, carried out with guts and precision.
If it didn't win the war, or hasten it's end it certainly gave the Allied Forces a Propaganda shot in the arm. Either way the op serves as a reminder that the freedom, we in the free world, hold so dear, came at a price in young brave men who put their countries first before themselves. The word hero is used so frquently and lightly but those who took part, in Chastise, rightly deserve the accolade.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 18, 2013 13:03:53 GMT 12
Les Munro, along with Mick Martin, Dave Shannon and 'Mac' McCarthy and their crews went on to be the longterm members of No. 617 Squadron, with Dave, Mac and Les becoming Flight Commanders and the longest serving pilots form the beginning. Although Les's aircraft was damaged and he was unable to make the attack on the dams, he was involved in and sometimes led numerous other very dangerous ops, usually special missions that only that squadron could have handled. I have a huge respect for Les. And the fact he is still travelling to the other side of the world now for such events is great. I noted on the TV news last night that said he is 96, that's not right though, surely? I think he's closer to 93.
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Post by obiwan27 on May 18, 2013 14:11:25 GMT 12
My viewing pleasure this afternoon on a grey drizzly day in Christchurch  |
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Post by obiwan27 on May 18, 2013 22:06:25 GMT 12
Enjoyed watching the movie this afternoon. Had been decades since I've watched the whole thing. The flying sequences were fantastic, with loads of low flying. Top stuff.
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Post by machpants on May 19, 2013 15:10:15 GMT 12
I love that dam. My brother in law lives in Sheffield and we always go there, weather permitting, for a walk around when we visit. Great vids and images.
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