Martin McIntosh Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Dambusters from tomorrow on ch5 at 9pm in three parts if anyone is interested. Don`t think it is a repeat. Tirpitz and Bismark on same ch. later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 New series by Dan Snow, it’s looking good. The original DamBusters film is on I think Channel 4 at 15.35 tomorrow. I’ve recently finished Max Hastings book on this and it’s probably the best researched work so far, a great follow-on to Paul Brickhill’s original. Highly recommended. Another one is “M for Mother”, about Gibson’s number two on the raid, John “Hoppy” Hopgood, whose plane was badly damaged by ground-fire en-route and then shot down over the Moehne. His plane was the only one lost from which we have a record of what happened on board during the final minutes from survivors. It brings home the heroism of this quiet 21 year old who Gibson said was the best pilot in the squadron. What really sinks in is the tragedy of the 53 young men that died in this raid, also that of those who came back, most that did were also killed later in the war. Very sobering, even now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wagg Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 The film was on TV this afternoon. There used to be some PC comment about Gibsons dog's name. Cleverly the name has been dubbed over in the film now. Edited By John Wagg on 30/11/2020 21:07:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Hastings’ book uses the dog’s real name and explains the context of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 My opinion too Doc, history isn’t improved by distorting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Acland Posted December 1, 2020 Share Posted December 1, 2020 Sometime back there was a strong rumour that the Americans were going to do a remake of the film. They had decided that the dog would be called " Nipper" so as to keep it PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIGGER Posted December 1, 2020 Share Posted December 1, 2020 This makes my blood boil, here in Cyprus we tell it as it is, the dogs name was Niger a very common name for a black dog , the RAF should be a shamed to replace his name on his headstone, because of a few idiots. I'm sorry if this upsets anyone on here, like I said we have freedom of speech here. On a lighter note my American cousin was stationed in the UK back in the 70s fell in love with a black labrador at a rescue centre and you can guess the name it came with, the only reason he changed the dogs name was he was posted back to a Base in Alabama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted December 1, 2020 Author Share Posted December 1, 2020 Pretty good so far with some great flying shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted December 1, 2020 Share Posted December 1, 2020 Very good, working close to Max Hastings’ excellent book by the looks of it. I particularly liked the dusk take-off of a Manchester, I’ve seen that clip before when whoever put the film footage together presumably doesn’t know that it’s not a Lancaster. Even in the gloom, the central third fin of an early Manchester 1 stands out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 I haven't watched it, I tend to get irritated with these reconstructions and alterations. I will just mention that I worked on the last Lancasters on RAF service back in 1956 and actually flew on several air tests in them. Now that is something to remember. Very noisy, very draughty, very Spartan but absolute joy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 All three episodes avaiable on 5Select Freeview ch 55 this coming Sunday evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 Just watched ep1 on catchup - very good considering the subject has been covered so much in the past. Liked the part where Dan Snow shows 'Just Jane' , she looks fabulous and boy is she tiny inside. I know DS is quite a big bloke but even the guys of smaller stature as they tended to be in years past must have struggled. I was lucky to try out the cockpit of Sally B a few years ago and at 5' 11" I it found quite easy to move around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 Excellent episode 2 tonight. Having only finished Max Hastings’ book a few days ago it all comes together very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devcon1 Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 A good watch. Was fortunate enough to enjoy the taxy ride experience in NX611 last year. I got the upper turret position for my excursion, it brought into focus how hellish it must have been to fly and fight in them. The museum is also an amazing tribute to Bomber Command with focus on operations from Lincolnshire. As a bonus we had a great cockpit tour and chat with the pilot of the day who was an ex Lancaster BoBMF pilot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wagg Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 In the film it was Guy Gibson who came up with the idea for the spotlights height gauge. Tonights episode said it was the "boffins" who thought of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMON CRAGG Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 I might have missed it, but the bomb was also given a "spinning" motion before release. Never going to be a perfect programme, but with young Dan fronting it, was always going to be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 You missed it. Agreed it wasn't bad though and I didn't know about Guy Gibson's incident on the day of the failed test. There was a clip of a "Lancaster" dropping a test bomb, that looked very similar to a Mosquito but it didn't really detract from the overall interest. Edited By Martin Harris on 03/12/2020 00:03:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 Martin Mosquitos did drop the smaller "Highball" 950 lb bouncing bomb. A Mossie could carry 2. Intended as an anti shipping device, e g Tirpitz moored in a fiord surrounded by anti torpedo nets. Developed at the same time as "Upkeep". Never used operationally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 Many of us must have read Gibson’s classic book “Enemy Coast Ahead” in years gone by. Last year it was re-published in association with the RAF Museum. James Holland has written a new foreword which adds personal information about Gibson up to the fatal Mosquito mission only 16 months after the dams raid, also extended picture captions by Robert Owen. I can’t recommend it too highly and if it is possible to increase the huge respect that we have for Gibson and his men, then reading this again and adding to it Max Hastings recent work “Chastise”, do exactly that. I also mentioned before the book “M for Mother”, which was the Lancaster flown by Gibson’s number two John Vere “Hoppy” Hopgood. It was written by Jenny Elmes, his niece and it really adds to the sense of personal tragedy in the heroic sacrifice of the young men who died on that night. Particularly the first-hand knowledge of what was happening inside that Lancaster from the two survivors in those last few minutes is amplified by an interview with the German anti-aircraft gunner on one of the two dam-towers who brought the Hopwood plane down. Your heart goes into your mouth. Dan Snow has clearly used Hastings’ book as the inspiration for this so far excellent series and the interviews with Hastings that it features add authenticity to it. It’s the best informed programme on the dams raid to date, reading the books adds so much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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