![]() Each aircraft in the wave is then listed in the order it finally took off, which differs slightly from the list in the programme above. It could reach a maximum speed of 280 miles (450 km) per hour and a ceiling of 24,500 feet (7,500 metres), and it could carry a 14,000-pound (6,350-kg) bomb load to a range of 1,660 miles (2,670 km) at 200 miles (320 km) per hour. The names appear in the order of the three designated ‘waves’: the first tasked to attack the Möhne and Eder dams, the second to attack the Sorpe, and the third the mobile reserve. It was operated by a basic crew of seven, including the pilot, copilot, bombardier, navigator, radioman, and gunners. In that way, the blog entries will serve as a tribute to all the people who took part, in this the 70th anniversary year.Ī complete list of the 133 also appears below. The typed programme was kept by Squadron Adjutant Flt Lt Harry Humphries, and is now in the possession of Lincolnshire Libraries.Įach article will include links to other material online about each man, and I hope that readers will add further links in the comments on each piece. For security reasons it was merely titled ‘Night Flying Programme’. Aircrew Medals Medal And Award Entitlements For Bomber Command Personnel Victoria Cross (VC) The highest decoration that can be awarded in the United Kingdom to all members of the three services is the Victoria Cross instituted by Queen Victoria in 1854. You can search by the name of the author/s of the report, whether the pilot (for fighters) or air gunner (for bombers), but not by the name of any other crew. These will be titled ‘Dambuster of the Day’.Ībove is shown the order for the operation as it appeared on squadron noticeboards on the morning of the raid. Avro Lancaster four-engined heavy bomber used normally in night operations and usually crewed by seven airmen, a pilot, a flight engineer, a navigator, a bomb. (I can claim a modest part in this work, having helped the BBC with some of the picture research.)ĭuring the next nineteen weeks I will be publishing an article about each one of the 133 aircrew from 617 Squadron who took part in the Dams Raid (Operation Chastise) on 16/, at the rate of one a day. If you are related to any of these men, or know of a source for a picture of them, please let me know (leave a comment below or send me a private email), or log onto the BBC site and send them the details. None were conscripted into their jobs A crew was formed by the pilot picking out each crew member from those available and the Operational Training Unit (OTU) they were posted too. All of them are British, so there should be a good chance that together we can complete the jigsaw. Updated: January 2008 General Facts About The Air Crews Each crew member volunteered for aircrew duties. ![]() However there are a few gaps, and the Beeb is very keen to find a relative somewhere who can help find a picture of the missing aircrew. Greig Watson and his colleagues at BBC online have been slaving away for the last few weeks trying to get a complete pictureboard of all 133 aircrew who took part in the Dams Raid.īelieve it or not, a display of this type has never been published before, and they deserve huge credit just for taking on the work.
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