617 Squadron - After The Dams

[John Nichol]

If you are at a loose end this Bank Holiday Monday -

"What The Dambusters Did Next" - CH5 2100

What the Dambusters did next: The missions that changed the course of WWII | World | News | Daily Express

[rolling20]

Depending on what you read and if you care to believe it, 617 should probably have been disbanded when Gibson left. Holden wasn't liked, Martin was thought lacking in administrative experience when given temporary command. Appalling losses and poor operations added to hit moral. You would have thought that after the dams losses, the use of heavy bombers on low level targets would have been abandoned. Like many aspects of the bomber war however Bomber Command ploughed on regardless and many more brave men paid the ultimate price.

[Dash8driver1312]

Rolling20, I would point you towards the fact that IX and 617 did bag the Tirpitz...and they could do precision better than the Pathfinders.

[rolling20]

Dash, I think you are missing the point old boy. Tirpitz was sunk in September 44 and by 9 Squadron according to legend. There were a lot of misses and losses before then. 8 Group was never used for precision targets. This became a bone of contention later in the war between Bennett and Cochrane.

[Dash8driver1312]

IX AND 617, old boy.

Wizernes. Bielefeld. Shall I continue?

[oldpax]

617

All the night bombing should have stopped ,to many losses.The RAF would have been better off building more twin eng types like the Mosquito and sending daylight low levels with much more precision and therefore good usage of resources.
Just my opinion of course!

[Dash8driver1312]

All for the Mossie! Same bomb load as the B-17 with the same range and 8 less crew, 2 less engines, and performance to beat most fighters of its day once the bombs are gone! But it couldn't carry a Tallboy ;-)

[Phileas Fogg]

All for the Mossie! Same bomb load as the B-17 with the same range and 8 less crew, 2 less engines, and performance to beat most fighters of its day once the bombs are gone! But it couldn't carry a Tallboy ;-)

And the famous boss of 617 perished in a Mossie!

[rolling20]

Don't bother dash, you've bored me enough already.

[CNH]

Nowt like hindsight, is there?

[ExAscoteer]

It's a bit bloody rich coming on here merely to advertise your own programme OP.

[John Nichol]

"It's a bit bloody rich coming on here merely to advertise your own programme OP."

Really? I didn't think so!

[joy ride]

I watched it on C5 last night. Very interesting programme.

Leonard Cheshire gave a lecture at my school when I was 8-12 years old and I have learned more about him since, but I was still mightily impressed by details of his missions.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Great programme, John. Informative and enjoyable.

[John Nichol]

Thanks for the comments - jolly kind!

& to those who contacted me via Twitter @JohnNicholRAF - much appreciated

[Ted Angus]

Having served for 39 years - 3 of them in the Vulcan days at Scampton- I often cringe when some of these types of programmes come on the TV - especially some about 617 - but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the programme John - Well done Sir !!

[BOAC]

Saw it tonight on a re-run - well done, John. I had no idea the squadron did so much after the dams. Huge credit to those guys.

[John Nichol]

many thanks again to all - very much appreciated

[Phileas Fogg]

John Nichol,

I can't watch UK TV from where I am, IP addresses and all that, when might this programme be likely to find it's way to youtube please?

[John Nichol]

Hi Phileas - not really sure when/if it will end up on YouTube to be honest.

But it will be on Nat Geo in the next few months if that is any use?