Quite a few want to know what is inside this box that arrived last Satuday.
There is a complete original release minus the bombs and an extra sprue with the changes needed for the "Type 464 Provisioning" as this aircraft was officially known.
Before all the rivetheads and armchair know it alls raise their heads over the parapet the 464 provisioning was a Mk III and THE ONLY DIFFERENCE between the Mk I and III was the engines with the Packard Merlin 28 being fitted. Outward appearance and size wise was exactly the same as the RR Merlin installed in the MK 1 but with a greater power and HP output.
Operation Chastise, the bombing of the German Dams is one of the best known actions in WWII. Helping to research this aircraft for the kit means that you also have to understand the problems and solutions and the need for the action which means you have to also read up about the raid itself.
THis first post will deal with the raid and aftermath itself while the second post will show the box contents. This is so that you all know what really happened and so you must mostly ignore the 1955 Dambusters movie as there are many inaccuracies.
I have had access to the original Operation Chastise/Upkeep file that dispels all the myths built up about this raid and the crews/aicraft. As this raid has become almost a legend lots of wrong ideas, tales etc has become woven in especially on the internet, almost like fake news!
617 Squadron only knew about their real targets on 16 May. THe date of the raid. W/C Gibson was briefed on the 15th May. Up to this date he had NO IDEA AT ALL about the target. I would have thought that actually with the type of training they were doing with the Lancasters would have given some idea.
Here are the Primary and secondary targets along with the attack direction.
Primary Targets.
Mohne Dam
Eder Dam
Sorpe Dam
Secondary Targets
Diemel Dam
Ennepe Dam
Lister Dam
19 Aircraft took off on the raid with 11 returning. The Mohne and Eder were breached while the Sorpe was Damaged. Ennepe Dam attacked but mine failed to breech.
5 Aircraft crashed on Outward Flight
1 Aircraft Badly Damaged by Flak RTB with mine
1 Aircraft hit sea and lost mine. RTB batly damaged
1 Aircraft RTB due to weather and navigation problems
1 Aircraft crashed during attack
2 Aircraft Crashed on Return Flight.
The attack was carried out at 60 feet over water at night with the attack starting on the Mohne Dam just after midnight.
53 killed and 3 taken prisoner. The Germans recovered one of the mines and after reverse engineering tried to copy it but failed to realise the importance of backspin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1JBYIClEd0
The Aircraft speed on release was about +/- 240 MPH. The following reconstruction for a history programme shows the actual speed and how fast the bomb travels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IeGYkwVIWw
Next post will show the kit
James