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617 Squadron The Dam Busters Books


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  • 1 month later...

Two spring to mind- "Enemy Coast Ahead" by Wing Commander Gibson himself, published posthumously in 1946, which gives a great account of his time on operations in the RAF from the 'Phony War' up to and past Operation Chastise- The 2003 reprint includes much text that was removed from the 1946 first edition and is heartily recommended. 

 

From a Historian's perspective, "Dambusters: The forging of a legend" by Chris Ward is the one I'd recommend- Paul Brickhill's 1954 "The Dam Busters" is a close second. 

Chris Ward's book covers 617 Squadrons exploits throughout the war and is my favourite. 

 

Max Hastings has done one, which while a perfectly good tome, wouldn't be my first choice as he gets into some analysis of Gibson's relationships with his Squadron mates and subsequent Command decisions that are purely speculation on Mr Hasting's part. 

 

Happy Reading!

 

Troffa

 

 

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If you want detail on the raids themselves (incl aircraft serial numbers / letters etc) and development of the weapons I’d recommend Stephen Flower’s “A Hell of a bomb. The bombs of Barnes Wallis and how they won the War” published 2002 and republished in 2004 under the title “Barnes Wallis’ Bombs: Tallboy, Dambuster and Grand Slam”. All the 617 squadron raids from Op Chastise through to the end of the war.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hell-Bomb-Bombs-Barnes-Wallis/dp/075242386X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YL0SW703U1S2&keywords=A+hell+of+a+bomb+Barnes+Wallis+bombs&qid=1667569063&sprefix=a+hell+of+a+bomb+barnes+wallis+bombs%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-1

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barnes-Wallis-Bombs-Dambuster-Revealing/dp/0752429876/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1YL0SW703U1S2&keywords=A+hell+of+a+bomb+Barnes+Wallis+bombs&qid=1667569063&sprefix=a+hell+of+a+bomb+barnes+wallis+bombs%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-2

 

 

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Thanks for the input much appreciated. Luckily, I have a 1st edition of Enemy Coast Ahead and I have a copy of Paul Brickhill's "The Dam Busters". Both of these books were written while military secrecy was still observed and therefore, they don't contain the details which are now available to other authors. Max Hastings book is a good read and throws new light on some old legends.

I'll look into the other books mentioned and take it from there.

Thanks again

Mike

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  • 3 months later...

I read Operation Chastise by Max Hastings last year. Its a factual account and one of those "can't put it down" books. I can't recommend it highly enough and can be had for a few bob in the usual outlets. 

 

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34 minutes ago, speedy said:

I read Operation Chastise by Max Hastings last year. Its a factual account and one of those "can't put it down" books. I can't recommend it highly enough and can be had for a few bob in the usual outlets. 

 


Here’s another plug for the Max Hastings book. Mrs RL bought it for me last Xmas and I think I read it well inside a week. Once you’ve finished, track down his 1980 penned ‘Bomber Command’. The opening chapter of No. 82 Squadron Blenheim’s being blown out of the sky is still something I recall from reading it as a 14 year old back in the day. 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

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11 hours ago, Cklasse said:

I am playing with the idea of building a Dambuster diorama from my stash and need pictures of the lights used for altitude control. What books or internet sites that have pictures of these lights?

This has a small amount of detail, probably sufficient to modelling purposes.

Dam-Busters.jpg

Forward light was in the bomb-aimers camera port, and can be seen on the image.  Port side of fuselage, just behind his viewing windows.  This shone outwards at 30 degrees to starbd, so that a crewmember could see it from the cockpit.

The rear light was just behind the bomb equipment and again is visible in the picture as a window on the centreline on the bomb-bay floor.  This was the adjustable one,  shining outwards  and forwards to intersect the forward light at the correct height.

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If you can find a copy there’s a great book from “After the Battle “.  A local teenager ran around taking photos the morning after, presumably he looked young enough to play dumb if anyone asked what he was up to.

It gives a sobering view of the other end of the operation.

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Depends what you’re after but from a modellers point of view I would recommend the Haynes manual already shown plus this:

 

https://www.wingleader.co.uk/shop/dambuster-lancaster
 

And from a operational and personnel perspective:

 

https://www.wingleader.co.uk/shop/dambusters-the-definitve-history-of-617-squadron-at-war-1943-1945

 

I bought that at RAF Cosford museum for about half price…

 

and

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Dambusters-Flew-Dams-Raid/dp/0750988088/ref=sr_1_4?crid=19FAGFXS02UVL&keywords=dambusters+books&qid=1675887803&sprefix=Dambusters%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-4

 

Mike

Edited by mick b
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