Sadly, Dam Buster & Kiwi, Les Munro died just a couple of days before our visit, at the age of 96 and the last surviving pilot of the raid.
Our outbound journey kept us to minor roads, including the Fosse Way, a Roman road built arrow-straight across the Cotswolds when planning permission and endless public objections weren't needed! By contrast, on more recently built roads, we skirted farms and fields in a zig-zag. The weather was warm and sunny so it made for pleasant riding in our group of 15 of Harley-Davidson steeds of finest Milwaukee steel, including one trike.
First, it was to Lincolnshire Centre, where we got close to one of the few surviving Avro Lancasters, NX611. Built in 1945 so not part of the raid, it has been extensively refurbished but has not yet been granted an air-worthiness certificate. Only two are airworthy in the World and one is Canadian. The British one, based in Lincolnshire at RAF Coningsby is part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, but was grounded with an engine fire in May this year, so maybe the story is right.
NX611 - 'Just Jane'
Rear gun turret of NX611
The burnt out cockpit of a Spitfire
and tribute to its pilot
Our Harleys from under NX611's wing
Dakota troop carrier
Nissan huts, including quarters and briefing room
Our motley band with NX611
Next, it was to the Petwood Hotel, a lovely wood-panelled building with lots of history inside.
At the hotel
Petwood Hotel
used as officers quarters by the Dam Busters
Next day, we set off for RAF Scampton base where, after security and registration procedures, we were escorted onto the base and parked up in front of the Museum nearby the RAF Red Arrows display team aircraft.
Jean with Red Arrows beyond
Nigger's grave
He was Squadron Leader Guy Gibson's labrador dog, who often joined him on training flights. He died the night before the raid, but was buried at midnight on the day of it, at Gibson's request. He was very popular with the crews and liked his beer, having his own bowl in the mess bar! He was allegedly the worse for wear when we was hit by a vehicle and died. His name was also used in the Morse Code message from Gibson to confirm the breach of the Mohne Dam during the raid.
Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs
Red Arrows' Hawk jets
Upkeep bouncing bomb
Model Avro Lancaster
Jean in a Hawk cockpit
I didn't try, for fear of getting out!
Something's good about it!
Hawker Hunter
Owned by Hawker Hunter Aviation
Sukhoi SU 22
Originally owned by the East German Air Force
Bought on eBay by the Hawker Hunter Aviation Team!
An older display aircraft
The current team, with one missing
Squadron Leader Guy Gibson VC to right
This room houses tributes to 3 VCs, including Gibson
Gibson's office
The Red Arrows were due to take off while we were there
But there was a technical problem with one aircraft (see close-up above)
Dam Busters Inn in Scampton village
where we enjoyed a fine Sunday Lunch
It was a fine conclusion to our trip of last year with much history to be digested and some fine hardware on display. The achievement of 607 Squadron on the Dams' raid was quite remarkable of course, with only 6 weeks of training before it took place.
607 also went on to partake in the sinking of the Tirpitz, Germany's huge and much feared battleship, which Churchill called 'The Beast' and ordered it be sunk at all cost. Another of Barnes Wallace's inventions, the Tallboy 12,000 lb bomb was used in that raid, so huge that even though 3 bombs missed it, the shockwave they created nearby was sufficient to cause further damage and help the Tirpitz to capsize even though it had sustained only two direct hits, in Nov '44.
It was a shame we didn't see the Red Arrows take off to attend the Blackpool Air Show, which they finally did later in the afternoon, but still with one plane missing according to coverage. Otherwise' it was a perfect trip of experiences, in good company and with a lot of laughs.
