Dambusters (R) 70th anniversary

mmmmm seem to missing something here or im just a bit :confused:!!?
So apart from the flypast over Derwent water which seems to be confirmed even though nothing seems to be posted on the BBMF website ? does anyone know if the dam at Colchester is being flown over or not 🙁 or is it just speculation and rumour.

The 50th was a bit of a disappointment, with the Lanc flying high over the dam

He didn’t seem all that high from where I was watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0OI99zL3xI

Good point – wilco !!

Don’t miss out on the related opportunity mentioned in this thread http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=122367 😉

Picking up on a few points above:

The main dress rehearsal on May 14 used Abberton (called Colchester in Chastise documents) and Eyebrook (called Uppingham), with Eyebrook representing the Mohne and Abberton the Eder (which has never made sense to me – the Derwent topography seeming a lot more similar to the Eder valley). At the same time, other crews flew practice bombing runs at Derwent.

I believe the first time PA474 flew down the Derwent to commemorate the raid was actually in May 1977. Despite virtually no publicity, the banks were thronged with people. Of course it then flew again for the 50th and 65th anniversaries, both of which I attended. The 50th was a bit of a disappointment, with the Lanc flying high over the dam (I recall a C-130 did a rather better job), but they made up for it on the 65th, with several low level runs up and down in the valley.

I’m hearing there will also be an event at Reculver on Sunday 19th. Not sure yet whether PA474 will attend.

Returning to the anniversary flypast: the circuit on 14 May 1943 is routinely described as “a full dress rehearsal”.

Did they carry practice weapons? If so did they drop them? And wouldn’t attacking three dams rather have given them a clue what the target was going to be … ?

I was working in Sheffield from 1973 (just) so it would have been May 73 at the earliest or between then and the Hastings being retired in 77.

Chris

I recall driving from Sheffield where I was working to the Derwent Dam to see PA474 and a Hastings do several passes over the dam. Plus there may have been a Tornado or 2 but it was PA474 and the Hastings that have remained in my memory.

I left Sheffield in 1990.well before the 50th anniversary. Was there a 40th anniversary flight in March 1983?

If I remember correctly, it was claimed in the local paper that the particular Hastings was little older than PA474

:confused: IIRC the last 4 RAF Hastings aircraft came out of service at RAF Scampton in 1977 – did any unit operate one in a trials mode after this time?

I stopped by Abberton this afternoon. You can see the current state of the works:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/garyeason/sets/72157632692992121/detail/

The first two are looking north: that sandbank across the causeway is just too high to see over from the road…. The bit where the workers are plant are is roughly in the centre and is about the only bit with a view up the lake (east).

I recall driving from Sheffield where I was working to the Derwent Dam to see PA474 and a Hastings do several passes over the dam. Plus there may have been a Tornado or 2 but it was PA474 and the Hastings that have remained in my memory.

I left Sheffield in 1990.well before the 50th anniversary. Was there a 40th anniversary flight in March 1983?

If I remember correctly, it was claimed in the local paper that the particular Hastings was little older than PA474

Abberton would be the easiest for me, too. Seems there is a lot of work going on there. This refers to a three-year project begun in 2010:
http://constructionetc.wordpress.com/2010/09/25/works-visit-to-abberton-reservoir-enhancement-project/

Abberton Reservoir near Colchester. One used for training in 1943 and on the list for 2013.

agreed..is this confirmed? as Colchester is my home town!

WARNING!! Key Publishing might be in danger of litigation for the thread title!

Why pray?

Moggy 😀

Abberton Reservoir near Colchester. One used for training in 1943 and on the list for 2013.

Does any one know if this is confirmed please as its quite near me ??:D

Certainly for the 50th anniversary there was quite a major event at the Derwent Reservoir so I imagine at least something will happen there this year.

yer i think i have an old VHS tape of this narrated by Richard Todd OBE must dig it out, there’s loads of stuff on you tube to with Tornado,s, Mosquito passing over the dam at Derwent i think ? before the Lanc passes over. If i new how to post clips i would add one here
Comparing the flight path of a tornado and lanc down the valley was interesting.

WARNING!! The OP and Key Publishing might be in danger of litigation for the thread title!!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

I’m not sure how you can pack acres of countryside but it was. I managed to park somewhere reasonably close (I don’t do walking) and sat on the eastern bank quite close to the dam. Pretty spectacular…

Certainly for the 50th anniversary there was quite a major event at the Derwent Reservoir so I imagine at least something will happen there this year.

There certainly was! I was one of what felt like millions there – no idea how many people there actually were there but the queues for the park and ride were insane!

Maybe in a few years time you’ll get the Pantons’ Lanc flying over one of the reservoir dams with the BBMF one alongside, representing Young with Martin as flak decoy.

Or over the Mohne itself? Too good to be true.

Dream on that one chaps!

😀

Ian

Certainly for the 50th anniversary there was quite a major event at the Derwent Reservoir so I imagine at least something will happen there this year.