Op Chastise - 75 years on..

[b1lanc]

Originally Posted by sidevalve

Richard Todd was made to measure for that role.. He exuded presence in spades. Probably my favourite WWII film.

Who could play that role today? Hard to think of anyone.

20 years ago maybe Ewan McGregor. Now I'm not so sure. Too bad with a possible 3rd airworthy Lanc in a couple of years. Still, I'm not sure that the supporting cast of the original could be matched.

[India Four Two]

I was at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta on Friday, on the anniversary. I was meeting a Chipmunk owner from the US, who was holidaying in Alberta.

The Lancaster at the museum, which has operational engines, is in the process of being modified into an Upkeep Lancaster. The bomb bay doors are off, the mid-upper turret is gone and there is a full-size replica of the bomb, ready to install.

[b1lanc]

A very interesting interview with Ken Brown detailing his relationship with Guy Gibson and his participation in the raid on the occasion of the 50th anniversary.

Ken Brown 50th anniversary in Nanton

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Many thanks for posting that.. what a character! As well as his hair-raising tales of the night in question, he provides some unique insights into Guy Gibson's character. Well worth a watch..

[b1lanc]

Originally Posted by sidevalve

Many thanks for posting that.. what a character! As well as his hair-raising tales of the night in question, he provides some unique insights into Guy Gibson's character. Well worth a watch..

Johnny Johnson (McCarthy's bomb aimer) has some good stories as well on YT. Search for Last of the Dambusters. Kind of interesting that Brown said they probably could have breached the Sorpe had they aimed for the overflow spillway rather than dropping directly on the dam while flying parallel, something which McCarthy indicated was only told to those attacking the Sorpe the day before the raid.

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Having had a squint at the Sorpe, how likely was it that it could ever have been breached by 617 that night with that weapon? (Is this the spillway referred to?)

[Chris Scott]

Originally Posted by sidevalve

Having had a squint at the Sorpe, how likely was it that it could ever have been breached by 617 that night with that weapon? (Is this the spillway referred to?)

See what you mean, Geoff. Tiny target. And that "wall" was never going to be fully breached.

[b1lanc]

Originally Posted by sidevalve

Having had a squint at the Sorpe, how likely was it that it could ever have been breached by 617 that night with that weapon? (Is this the spillway referred to?)

I suspect so but Brown didn't make it quite clear. Even Wallis didn't think the Sorpe could be breached. Here's the recon photo of the damage to the Sorpe - appears amazingly that both McCarthy and Brown hit about the same place. I wonder what altitude they dropped it from because if it exploded on contact I would have thought it would have taken the AC with it at 60 feet.

sorpe_damage.jpg

[Pontius Navigator]

Originally Posted by Chris Scott

Agree entirely about the excellence of Richard Todd, although the man-management skills his character demonstrated may have been better than Gibson's..

As one former member described him: Arch Bastard.

​​​​​​Bit like Kenneth Moore playing Douglas Bader.

[b1lanc]

Originally Posted by Pontius Navigator

As one former member described him: Arch Bastard.

​​​​​​Bit like Kenneth Moore playing Douglas Bader.

True, but as Johnny Johnson has stated, Gibson mellowed. Johnson's opinion of Gibson changed over the years. At 24 years and 160 some ops, I would expect some 'enlightenment'.

[Heathrow Harry]

Originally Posted by b1lanc

True, but as Johnny Johnson has stated, Gibson mellowed. Johnson's opinion of Gibson changed over the years. At 24 years and 160 some ops, I would expect some 'enlightenment'.

Bader didn't.................................