The Lancaster Bomber of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flies low over the Derwent reservoir dam, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the raid by 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron on the night 16-17 May 1943.
On the night of 16/17 May 1943 a force of Lancaster Bombers from RAF Bomber Command attacked a number of dams in Germany. The attack was carried out from extremely low level and pressed home in the face of fierce resistance. The attack, by 617 squadron, used a specially developed 'bouncing bomb' developed by Dr Barnes Wallis. The weapon was in fact a depth charge, designed to bounce over the torpedo nets spread across the face of the dams to prevent 'conventional' attack. In order to bounce, the weapon had to be released at very low level (60 feet), at a precise speed (200 mph) and at the correct range from the wall. The device was designed to spin, which was essential for the 'bounce', and also so that once it hit the wall and sank, the weapon stayed close enough to the dam wall to cause a breach by exploding in contact with the masonry. Two dams weer successfully bearched leading to the Squadron's motto 'Apres Moi Le Deluge'. Due to the confined nature of the ground surrounding the dams, the crews were faced with some challenging flying to gain height after an attack. They practiced flying over similar terrain in the UK and the Derwent Reservoir played an important part in rehearsals.
Size: 3956px × 2627px
Location: Derwent Reservoir, Derbyshire, UK
Photo credit: © Michael Gibson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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