Though the trials were successful the idea was taken no further. The idea was that a sea launched Upkeep mine could roll up the beach and penetrate coastal defences and also potentially be used to attack strategic canals. I’ve listed below each of the 23 converted with pertinent details from delivery to their final fate, but in summary 15 continued to be used by 617 Squadron or other units, without bomb bay doors, for trials or training, some on bombing operations or SOE (Special Operations Executive) drops.Ī further 2 were lost on operations after the Dams Raid and 2 more destroyed in training crashes.Ĩ were used in August 1943 for trials with forward rotating Upkeep mines at the Ashley Walk bombing range in the New Forrest near to Fordingbridge. Following the raid none were fully returned to standard Lancaster B.III configuration as it was too difficult or too costly to refit the bomb bay doors. In total 23 Avro Lancaster Type 464 conversions were produced, initially their registrations were suffixed with a /G to denote that these were secret and would have had an armed Guard at all times when not flying.Īs stated above, 19 flew on the Dams raid and 8 of them were sadly lost. For a bit more on Lancaster versions see my blog From Manchester to Lincoln via Lancaster – An aviation aristocracy family tree ( ). It is thought that they would (potentially) be returned to standard Lancaster B.III configuration – none were. The ‘S’ signified that they were B.III Specials but they were also known as Lancaster Type 464 Provisioning to denote that they had been provisioned for the specific task of carrying the Vickers Type 464 ‘Upkeep’ Mine (better known as Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bomb). The Avro Lancasters used were specially converted Lancaster B.III(S)’s delivered straight from the production line at Avro’s Woodford site. Three 50 Sqn Lancasters (W4112, W4196, and W4823) which had been delivered to RAF Scampton probably in preparation for the formation of 617 Sqn were all destroyed on 15 March 1943 when a 57 Sqn Lancaster (W4834) exploded when it was having its bomb load removed.ĮD763 – Avro Lancaster BIII showing ‘Two Stage Blue’ Navigation training perspex on front section of the cockpit to simulate night flying during the day when used with orange coloured flying goggles All were returned to their original squadrons as 617 Squadron received their dedicated modified Lancasters. The design, the bombing, the myth, the legend and the subsequent adulation is well documented, but the fate of the actual aeroplanes which made the raid such a success, less so.īefore receiving their purpose built Dambusting Lancasters 617 Squadron ‘borrowed’ 10 standard Lancasters from other 5 Bomber Group squadrons (as below) so they could immediately start their low-level training. See my blog Testing and training for the Dambuster Raids – what’s left to see? ( ). But the event, and a film made in 1955 has immortalised them forever. Eight of the Lancasters were lost in the raid and 53 of the 133 crew members lost their lives. The Möhne and Eder attacks were successful, the Sorpe Dam was a different type of dam requiring a different bombing technique and remained intact, and there was only a single unsuccessful attempt on one of the secondary target dams. Nineteen specially modified Lancaster bombers took off from their Lincolnshire base at RAF Scampton in an attempt to breach the Möhne, Eder, Sorpe and three secondary target dams around Germany’s industrial Ruhr Valley. The raid is well known with lots written about it, but in brief, it took place during the night of 16. Most people, if they only know of one RAF Squadron, it will be the Dambuster 617 Squadron with their moto Apres Moi le Deluge (After me the flood). Over 75 years on everybody has heard about the ‘ bouncing bomb’ and the hero pilot Guy Gibson.
I've recently taken a liking to customize my bomber and crew as belonging to different Allied/Commonwealth nations and name it accordingly (and stereotypically, of course).The Dambuster Raids, or more correctly Operation Chastise is without doubt the most famous bombing mission of the Second World War (at least here in Britain). Zoidberg, I guess?) - but by this time I've learned the tricks and tactics necessary to get through the campaign in a single plane, so crashes and changes of name never happen. Steady as she goes, lads." (c)).įunny thing is, every time I name my plane A for Andy I am mentally prepared to name all the replacement bombers accordingly (B for Bertie, C for Charlie, F for Freddie, Z for. My all-time favourites would be the "Grumpy Gina", "*insert the pilot's name here*'s Bus" and "A for Andy" ("Squadron, this is "A for Andy".
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