#barnes wallis

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The Dam Busters (1955)

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This Amazing War - Barnes Wallis.

From Battle Picture Weekly No. 10, cover dated 10 May 1975.

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"Proper bombers, none of this modern rubbish you get these days. I blame the PC Brigade's air arm."

[juliehowlin]

The Dam Busters

The Dam Busters came out in 1955. Wallis was played by Michael Redgrave and Gibson by Richard Todd. Wallis's daughter Elisabeth played the camera technician in the water tank sequence.

On the birthday of Barnes Wallis, 10 facts about the Dam Busters.

26 September: The Dambusters

On this date in 1887 Barnes Wallis, scientist, engineer and inventor best known for inventing the bouncing bomb used by the RAF in the "Damb

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“Never was so much owed by so many to so few”

(Churchill)

From 10 July until 31 October 1940, pilots from Czechoslovakia, Poland, South Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand joined the British RAF in the fight against the German Luftwaffe which has been describe as  the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces.

The British memorial flight is housed at RAF Coningsby, situated in the heart of Lincolnshire which during WWII was known as (Bomber County) due to the twenty plus airfields dotted around this east coast county of the UK.

The museum is situated on the still fully active RAF base, Dogdyke Rd, Coningsby, Lincoln LN4 4SY .  As you travel out of the village you will see the base on your left, look out for the car park on the right, park your car, you CANNOT take any form of bag onto the base.

There is a cafe, gift shop and a small but informative display immediately upon entering the visitors centre.

Hours: 

Thursday 10am–5pm Friday 10am–5pm Saturday Closed Sunday Closed Monday 10am–5pm Tuesday 10am–5pm Wednesday 10am–5pm

cost: £8.00

The tour guide we had certainly knows his stuff,  he guides you through the hanger sharing his knowledge and sometimes funny stories.  Many of the planes actually flew during WWII in combat.

Above is a picture of the aircraft machine guns.  As well as taking in what is going on in this operational hanger, keep on eye on the right hand wall has you progress.

Progressing down the hanger you will see many planes in some state of repair or general maintenance, on our visit most planes were going through their annual maintenance as you can see from the pictures.

Of course the Lancaster dominates the hanger and if you see one flying around the UK at any time then this is the one in the sky.

Everyone knows about the Lancaster and its exploits during the war but I will give you brief recap.

1942 British engineer Barnes Wallis had the idea for a bouncing bomb, the development of this weapon started out in a water tub in his back garden. 

These bombs were developed to take out three German dams, The Möhne, Edersee and Sorpe dams of the Ruhr valley which were vital to German Industry.  This is how they work:

And this is the result once successfully deployed:

Breached Mohne Dam

617 Squadron was retained by RAF Bomber Command for specialist precision bombing operations. It experimented with new bomb sights, target marking techniques and colossal new ‘earthquake’ bombs developed by Barnes Wallis,

In the run-up to D-Day, 617 Squadron attacked factories, V-weapon sites and communication targets in France. Its commander, Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire, pioneered a controversial new low-level target-marking technique. The improved accuracy minimised civilian casualties when attacking targets in occupied territory

In the autumn of 1944, 617 Squadron joined 9 Squadron in attacks with 12,000 lb ‘Tallboy’ bombs (pictured above) on the German battleship Tirpitz, 12 November was sunk by two direct hits.

Due to the squadron requiring more space they moved to RAF Woodhall Spa where there is a memorial to the squadron.  Woodhall Spa is only a short drive north of Coningsby so we nipped up there, directly across the road from the memorial site is a couple of great cafe’s, perfect for a little bite to eat and a coffee.

This was our day out last week, packed with great history and company……

      Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Museum (RAF Coningsby) "Never was so much owed by so many to so few" (Churchill) From 10 July until 31 October 1940, pilots from Czechoslovakia, Poland, South Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand joined the British RAF in the fight against the German Luftwaffe which has been describe as  the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces.

[aromaticcoffees]

30th October - On This Day In History

30th October – On This Day In History

Born:

1451 Christopher Columbus, explorer (approximate date of birth) 

  Died:

1979 Barnes Wallis (scientist and inventor)

  On This Day:

1990 Britain and France finally complete the tunnel under the English Channel

  Have a good Sunday, 30th October

www.aromaticcoffees.co.uk

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F-35 “trigger alert”. If mentions of the F-35 offend you, please retreat to your safe space now!

No. 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was one of the most legendary fly units to have served during the Second World War, aptly nicknamed for their unique mission- to attack and neutralize three hydroelectric damns that supplied power to the Ruhr region, an area of significant industrial importance to the Nazi German war machine. Today, 617 still flies, albeit in newer, faster and more capable aircraft than ever fielded in the squadron’s storied history. To commemorate Operation Chastise, 617’s most famous mission, the RAF released a number of hauntingly fantastic composite images, placing 617’s current pilots and crew with members of the squadron’s past; a major contrast between the unit’s previous and present incarnations.

Wing Cdr Jon Butcher, Officer Commanding of 617 Squadron ‘The Dambusters’ (MoD/USMC/released)

Wing Commander Guy Gibson (MoD/released)

Known as the Dambusters, the squadron was composed of pilots and aircrew from a variety of nationalities outside the United Kingdom, including Americans, Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders who were qualified to operate the Avro Lancaster heavy bombers assigned to 617 Squadron. Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the man who would lead the Lancs on their fateful mission to destroy the Mohne, Edersee and Sorpe dams, ensured that the aircraft under his command were refitted with the latest and greatest in technology, increasing the effectiveness of the bombers while on-mission. This included the addition of VHF radios for communication between aircraft, and a specialized underslung turret, which deployed the infamous “bouncing bomb” developed by Sir Barnes Wallis for low-level attacks on the three dams.

Operation Chastise didn’t go off without a hitch, though the mission was ultimately fairly successful. The dams on the Mohne and Edersee dams were breached, causing major flooding in the Ruhr valley, tragically killing over 1500 civilians, many of whom were Soviet prisoners of war used as forced-laborers. Sorpe was damaged lightly, though all three ceased to produce power, at least until September when the dams were returned to a reduced operational capacity. Factories, mines and industrial complexes were heavily damaged, if not destroyed, by the flooding, and their main power sources were shut off. Of the nineteen Lancs that were deployed on the night of the 16th, eight would not return home on the 17th, and 53 airmen would perish by the mission’s end, with three surviving crew taken prisoner by the Germans. 617 would go on to serve throughout Europe during the remaining years of the war, using massive Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs to great effect against German naval bases and fortifications; its Lancs were also instrumental in the attack on the Tirpitz.

Aircrewmen of 617 Squadron strike the same iconic pose of their Second World War predecessors on the grass beside the airfield at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, USA. From left: Rich Pavey, Wing Cdr Jon Butcher, CPO Gary Lister, Chief Tech Gary Gibbons, Cpl Patrick Bearefield, AET Alfred Burrows (MoD/USMC/released)

A 617 Squadron Lancaster Bomber crew are pictured sat next to the airfield at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire during the Second World War (MoD/released)

Chastise is still rightfully commemorated as one of the most daring wartime aerial raids in history, unique in purpose and incredibly difficult in concept; though 617 Squadron somehow pulled it off against overwhelming odds. Today, 617 receives fourteen new F-35B Lightning IIs, the first RAF squadron to utilize the F-35. In a way, the F-35 fits in line with the squadron’s use of next-level technology to get the mission done. However, instead of VHF radios to maintain a communicative link between aircraft, the F-35 uses a more modernized method of relaying information without the pilots having to even utter a word. Its datalinks automatically share information gained from its advanced sensors between other F-35s operating in the area, as well as other aerial, ground and naval units operating in the area, granting friendly forces a competitive edge over whoever they face in combat. The aircraft’s stealth negates the need for the dangerous low-level flying 617’s Lancs were put through 73 years ago today on their way to deal German wartime industry a decisive blow.

Members of the modern day 617 Squadron emulate the famous picture of the Second World War Squadron members with an F-35B Lightning II stealth jet at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, USA. Pictured from left to right: Lieutenant Rich Pavey, Wing Cdr Jon Butcher (Cockpit), Sqn Leader Hugh Nichol, CPO Gary Lister, Chief Tech Gary Gibbons, Cpl Patrick Bearefield, AET Alfred Burrows (MoD/USMC/released)

Wing Commander Guy Gibson and his crew board their Avro Lancaster A3-G (ED 932/G) aircraft for the Dambusters raid in 1943. Pictured from left to right: Flight Lieutenant R D Trevor-Roper DEM; Sergeant J Pulford; Flight Sergeant G A Deering RCAF; Pilot Officer F M Spafford DFM RAAF; Flight Lieutenant R E G Hutchinson DFC; Wing Commander Guy Gibson and Pilot Officer H T Taerum RCAF (MoD/released)

617 will be functioning as a joint operations unit between the RAF and Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, and will deploy aboard the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers with its sister unit, 809 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy. Both squadrons will be stationed at RAF Marham between sea-going deployments.

Wing Cdr Jon Butcher, Sqn Leader Hugh Nichol, Lt Rich Pavey, Chief Tech Gary Gibbons and AET Alfred Burrows (MoD/USMC/released)

Prior to the raid: Guy Gibson, Pilot Officer P M Spafford, Flight Lieutenant R E G Hutchinson, Pilot Officer G A Deering and Flying Officer H T Taerum (MoD/released)

Today marks the 73rd anniversary of the legendary Dam Busters raid during WWII. F-35 "trigger alert". If mentions of the F-35 offend you, please retreat to your safe space now!

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barnes wallis and michael redgrave as barnes wallis in the dam busters