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70th Anniversay of the Dambusters Raid
slingshot2000 - 16/5/13 at 06:18 PM

Live coverage on BBC2, now !

53 brave young men did not come back from the raid.

mookaloid - 16/5/13 at 06:40 PM

Evocative stuff....

perksy - 16/5/13 at 06:45 PM

Heroes that should NEVER be forgotten by any of us

slingshot2000 - 16/5/13 at 07:07 PM

The British Military certainly know how to celebrate an anniversary !
Made even more special as there was not a two bit politician or second rank royal to be seen !

Irony - 16/5/13 at 08:02 PM

I live near Scampton and I watched the planes from my yard. Amazing.....

slingshot2000 - 16/5/13 at 08:32 PM

And at 23.20, on BBC2 Timewatch;


Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the German Dams.

James Holland presents an analysis of the legendary 1943 Dam Busters raid, a low-level night mission that took 19 Lancaster bombers deep into the heart of enemy territory to destroy German dams with a brand new weapon - the bouncing bomb.

franky - 16/5/13 at 09:37 PM

A great tribute to the last useful thing the RAF did

tims31 - 16/5/13 at 10:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by franky
A great tribute to the last useful thing the RAF did


Apologies, but having just finished serving 27 years in the mob there are lots of other things done that you know nothing about that the RAF do....medivac out of hot zones in Afghan to the brave guys on the ground is still 'Useful'

Have a look here. It May not be a Lancaster on a Dambuster raid but from experience I can tell you its still hairy!



[Edited on 17/5/13 by tims31]

[Edited on 17/5/13 by tims31]

austin man - 16/5/13 at 11:06 PM

I watched a fly past over Doncaster 2 or 3 weeks ago to Celebrate an Ex RAF pilots 100th birthday truly an amazing and an emotional sight. Unfortunately too many people dont appreciate the brave things thes men did for our freedom and way of life.

richardm6994 - 17/5/13 at 07:12 AM

quote:
Originally posted by franky
A great tribute to the last useful thing the RAF did


Yes a great tribute....but to the last useful thing the RAF did?!?!!? FFS!!I really hope that was just a crap joke because if not it is really unfair and disrespectful.....but I suppose it's what I've been seing more of just lately on this locost forum.

Irony - 17/5/13 at 09:56 AM

quote:
Originally posted by franky
A great tribute to the last useful thing the RAF did



If you look into the history of 617 then you'll realise that the Dambusters raid was probably the smallest part of their total contribution to the war effort. The many Tallboy and the Grandslam missions were probably in reality their greatest achievements.

They sunk the Tirpitz for goodness sake!

thefreak - 17/5/13 at 10:31 AM

Wish I'd had known this was happening before yesterday, I would have headed up to watch.

I remember being there for the 50th anniversary when I was in Air Cadets. Was an amazing sight watching the Lancaster and Mosquito fly down the reservoir at what must have been 100ft. Still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

Hopefully they'll still be around for the 80th! I've stuck a note in my diary to be free that day!

coops222 - 17/5/13 at 11:36 AM

Massive respect for raf and all our armed forces!!!

Too many people live their lives oblivious and ignorant to what realy goes on, all they see is money being spent...
But where would we be without them....

whitestu - 17/5/13 at 11:50 AM

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by franky
A great tribute to the last useful thing the RAF did
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Yes a great tribute....but to the last useful thing the RAF did?!?!!? FFS!!I really hope that was just a crap joke because if not it is really unfair and disrespectful.....but I suppose it's what I've been seing more of just lately on this locost forum.

+1

chris mason - 17/5/13 at 03:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by thefreak
Wish I'd had known this was happening before yesterday, I would have headed up to watch.

I remember being there for the 50th anniversary when I was in Air Cadets. Was an amazing sight watching the Lancaster and Mosquito fly down the reservoir at what must have been 100ft. Still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.



We took the Little lad there yesterday, awesome seeing the planes at such close quarters flying above the dams
It was an amazing turnout of people, i saw it claimed to be several hundred, well whoever counted those needs a new calculator, there was cars everywhere and the nearest parking space (gap on the verge of the A57) was 2 miles away, I don't think i'd be wrong in claiming there was easily several thousand there yesterday

My wife who was present at the 50th, said yesterday's turnout was far greater than the 50th and the most she'd ever seen there for a 617 flyover.

Here's one of her photo's
Description
Description

I predict a Riot - 17/5/13 at 03:26 PM

Great men.

Great heroes.

These people willingly risked their lives and in many cases lost them so that the current generation can make stupid and crass remarks on forums such as this!!!

Sorry don't often get angry - I must be getting old.

franky - 17/5/13 at 07:52 PM

Please calm down gents, I know the RAF were vital during the war, hence the wink.

It was aimed at my RAF friends and their cushy existence over the past few decades.

flange nut - 17/5/13 at 08:14 PM

I was lucky enough to be at Weybridge Technical College in 1966 when Barnes Wallis popped over from BAC in Brooklands and gave us a lecture on the bouncing bomb and the dams raid with film of the tests. The bouncing bomb had just come off the secret list.

Geoff

[Edited on 18/5/13 by flange nut]

JC - 17/5/13 at 08:46 PM

Franky, I don't know who your friends are who have had a cushy existence for the last few years!!!!!!! Just left after 24 years and te last few were anything other than cushy!

However, nothing compares to the skill and bravery of the young men of 617 during this raid! Hats off to them, and thoughts to all those who lost their lives, on all sides.

Alfa145 - 17/5/13 at 10:05 PM

quote:
Originally posted by richardm6994
quote:
Originally posted by franky
A great tribute to the last useful thing the RAF did


Yes a great tribute....but to the last useful thing the RAF did?!?!!? FFS!!I really hope that was just a crap joke because if not it is really unfair and disrespectful.....but I suppose it's what I've been seing more of just lately on this locost forum.


+1... bang out of order

tims31 - 17/5/13 at 10:23 PM

quote:
Originally posted by franky
Please calm down gents, I know the RAF were vital during the war, hence the wink.

It was aimed at my RAF friends and their cushy existence over the past few decades.


Keep digging..."were vital during the war".

Yes a few have had a cushy existence over the past few decades but the majority have seen active service in many different theatres around the globe carrying out vital duties that people no nothing about.

What prompted me to leave? ....Spending 6-8 months of the year away from my family for the past decade, having an eight year old son who had only seen his dad on one of his birthdays and receiving the appreciation from those who thought we were fighting an unjust war in god forsaken S**t holes and being a bit rough on those abroad who threatened your free speech and free way of living.

Don't bother posting any more...

franky - 18/5/13 at 08:45 AM

It's only a bit of banter, no malice intended.

adithorp - 18/5/13 at 09:35 AM

quote:
Originally posted by chris mason
quote:
Originally posted by thefreak
Wish I'd had known this was happening before yesterday, I would have headed up to watch.

I remember being there for the 50th anniversary when I was in Air Cadets. Was an amazing sight watching the Lancaster and Mosquito fly down the reservoir at what must have been 100ft. Still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.



We took the Little lad there yesterday, awesome seeing the planes at such close quarters flying above the dams
It was an amazing turnout of people, i saw it claimed to be several hundred, well whoever counted those needs a new calculator, there was cars everywhere and the nearest parking space (gap on the verge of the A57) was 2 miles away, I don't think i'd be wrong in claiming there was easily several thousand there yesterday

My wife who was present at the 50th, said yesterday's turnout was far greater than the 50th and the most she'd ever seen there for a 617 flyover.

Here's one of her photo's
Description
Description


I heard about this weeks ago through a friend in Mountain Rescue who were on site for the dam fly-by. I was sworn to secrecy as apparently the police didn't want too much advance info getting out because of the numbers that might turn up

richardm6994 - 18/5/13 at 09:40 AM

quote:
Originally posted by franky
It's only a bit of banter, no malice intended.


How about instead acting all blameless, you take responsibility for the offence you've caused, man up and apologise!!

Of course people are going to be offended by your comment, joke or not. There are people on here who are in the forces, or who have served and also there are people who have lost loved whilst serving. There are just some things you shouldnt joke about and I believe that in this instance you crossed that line!

[Edited on 18/5/13 by richardm6994]

franky - 18/5/13 at 10:33 AM

I would have thought that seems as ive served in the gulf/Afghanistan/west Africa I'd be entitled to have/share a bit of banter.

richardm6994 - 18/5/13 at 10:54 AM

quote:
Originally posted by franky
I would have thought that seems as ive served in the gulf/Afghanistan/west Africa I'd be entitled to have/share a bit of banter.


I didn't really expect to see you apologise.....clearly you're above that and not the kind of person who can admit when they're wrong.

You have caused offence and will not back down and apologise....it's as simple as that.

[Edited on 18/5/13 by richardm6994]

T66 - 18/5/13 at 03:08 PM

quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
quote:
Originally posted by chris mason
quote:
Originally posted by thefreak
Wish I'd had known this was happening before yesterday, I would have headed up to watch.

I remember being there for the 50th anniversary when I was in Air Cadets. Was an amazing sight watching the Lancaster and Mosquito fly down the reservoir at what must have been 100ft. Still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.



We took the Little lad there yesterday, awesome seeing the planes at such close quarters flying above the dams
It was an amazing turnout of people, i saw it claimed to be several hundred, well whoever counted those needs a new calculator, there was cars everywhere and the nearest parking space (gap on the verge of the A57) was 2 miles away, I don't think i'd be wrong in claiming there was easily several thousand there yesterday

My wife who was present at the 50th, said yesterday's turnout was far greater than the 50th and the most she'd ever seen there for a 617 flyover.

Here's one of her photo's
Description
Description


I heard about this weeks ago through a friend in Mountain Rescue who were on site for the dam fly-by. I was sworn to secrecy as apparently the police didn't want too much advance info getting out because of the numbers that might turn up





http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e68_1368746772

scutter - 18/5/13 at 03:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by richardm6994
quote:
Originally posted by franky
I would have thought that seems as ive served in the gulf/Afghanistan/west Africa I'd be entitled to have/share a bit of banter.


I didn't really expect to see you apologise.....clearly you're above that and not the kind of person who can admit when they're wrong.

You have caused offence and will not back down and apologise....it's as simple as that.

[Edited on 18/5/13 by richardm6994]


Gent's calm down,

He did apologise, and as someone who in a few hrs will be flying into nasty places with the RAF I saw it exactly as it was intended.

Yes it is a great job to do at times, but hard too. In the last month I've flown 7 very injured folks back, only to have to get their 3 not so lucky mates a week later.

As for the Dambusters raid, it took brave men to fly at those heights for that amount of time. Pity we weren't allowed to re-enact it over Germany

Regards Dan

richardm6994 - 18/5/13 at 05:50 PM

Fair enough..sorry