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[TV] Channel 5 9PM The Dambusters



jakarta

jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,629
Sullington
On C5 tonight, Dan Snow is always good, first of a 3 part series about 617 Squadron and the Dams Raid.

Having read around the subject Guy Gibson was a bit of an egotistical git and not like the amiable Richard Todd Film version.

Maybe he needed to be like that to forge a Squadron that accomplished what they did in such a short time.

Of course like many Bomber Command crew he didn't make it through the War.

One of my Dads customers when he was flogging British Leyland rubbish back in the mid 1970's was an ex-Lancaster Pilot who crashed on landing and became a McIndoe Guinea Pig. Was repeatedly told NOT to stare at him, incredibly brave men, many of who were barely out of their teens at the time.
 




lawros left foot

lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
Jun 11, 2011
13,726
Worthing
jakarta said:
On C5 tonight, Dan Snow is always good, first of a 3 part series about 617 Squadron and the Dams Raid.

Having read around the subject Guy Gibson was a bit of an egotistical git and not like the amiable Richard Todd Film version.

Maybe he needed to be like that to forge a Squadron that accomplished what they did in such a short time.

Of course like many Bomber Command crew he didn't make it through the War.

One of my Dads customers when he was flogging British Leyland rubbish back in the mid 1970's was an ex-Lancaster Pilot who crashed on landing and became a McIndoe Guinea Pig. Was repeatedly told NOT to stare at him, incredibly brave men, many of who were barely out of their teens at the time.
Click to expand...

My father was in East Grinstead hospital having his jaw rebuilt after a motorcycle smash with a lot of the Guinea pigs.
After many operations by Dr McIndoe you would never know my Dad had nearly lost his entire lower jaw, no scars at all.
 


Pevenseagull

Pevenseagull

Anti-greed coalition
Jul 20, 2003
19,633
jakarta said:
On C5 tonight, Dan Snow is always good, first of a 3 part series about 617 Squadron and the Dams Raid.

Having read around the subject Guy Gibson was a bit of an egotistical git and not like the amiable Richard Todd Film version.

Maybe he needed to be like that to forge a Squadron that accomplished what they did in such a short time.

Of course like many Bomber Command crew he didn't make it through the War.

One of my Dads customers when he was flogging British Leyland rubbish back in the mid 1970's was an ex-Lancaster Pilot who crashed on landing and became a McIndoe Guinea Pig. Was repeatedly told NOT to stare at him, incredibly brave men, many of who were barely out of their teens at the time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up, rarely look at what's on 5 but I'll give this a watch.
 


jakarta

jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,629
Sullington
Thought I would bounce this as I didn't make it clear that the next two episodes are on tonight and then tomorrow night at the same time (9PM).
 


sully

sully

Dunscouting
Jul 7, 2003
7,833
Worthing
I thought it was good last night, if a little slow paced. Planning to watch the rest, but might have to record it as my wife wasn’t as keen!
 




jakarta

jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,629
Sullington
sully said:
I thought it was good last night, if a little slow paced. Planning to watch the rest, but might have to record it as my wife wasn’t as keen!
Click to expand...

Will be interested to see if they mention that the bombs didn't just fall out the bomb bay (and the RAF referred to them as 'mines' by the way) but they were spun backwards by a motor to achieve the correct speed before release. The 1950's film was doctored to look like the Upkeeps were round whereas actually they were cylinders.
 


W

Worthing exile

New member
May 12, 2009
1,219
Watched episode 1 and it was really interesting.

Serious question but has Dan done something to his teeth? he seemed to be whistling a bit which I wasn't expecting and found it a bit distracting.
 


Vicar!

Vicar!

Well-known member
Jul 22, 2003
1,144
Worthing
Family history here. My Mum was from Lincoln and had some friends with Bomber command at Scampton. She met a Canadian, Lloyd, who didn’t make it back. (My middle name is Lloyd). She knew Guy and was assigned the role of dog walker to ******.
 




el punal

el punal

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2012
11,783
Bitterne,Southampton. In the land of wrong stripes
jakarta said:
On C5 tonight, Dan Snow is always good, first of a 3 part series about 617 Squadron and the Dams Raid.

Having read around the subject Guy Gibson was a bit of an egotistical git and not like the amiable Richard Todd Film version.

Maybe he needed to be like that to forge a Squadron that accomplished what they did in such a short time.

Of course like many Bomber Command crew he didn't make it through the War.

One of my Dads customers when he was flogging British Leyland rubbish back in the mid 1970's was an ex-Lancaster Pilot who crashed on landing and became a McIndoe Guinea Pig. Was repeatedly told NOT to stare at him, incredibly brave men, many of who were barely out of their teens at the time.
Click to expand...

Suggest that you read the book “Chastise” by Max Hastings. This is a warts n’all account of the whole operation. Suffice to say there were many hugely brave and flawed characters involved. As you describe Guy Gibson was not a particularly friendly man but was totally driven to achieve success. Barnes Wallis definitely was not the mild mannered mad professor chap portrayed in the film. Arthur “Bomber” Harris as the man in charge of RAF Bomber Command was just vile and utterly ruthless.

What the Dambusters operation achieved though was a massive morale booster for the British people who had suffered through over three years of war without tangible success, save of course winning the Battle of El Alamein six months previously.
 


Deportivo Seagull

Deportivo Seagull

I should coco
Jul 22, 2003
4,904
Mid Sussex
jakarta said:
Will be interested to see if they mention that the bombs didn't just fall out the bomb bay (and the RAF referred to them as 'mines' by the way) but they were spun backwards by a motor to achieve the correct speed before release. The 1950's film was doctored to look like the Upkeeps were round whereas actually they were cylinders.
Click to expand...

The Petwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa near RAF Coningsby is the old officers mess for the Dambuster. In the garden they have one of the practice bombs. Very mangled (as you would expect) but it was about the third of the size of a 50 gallon oil drum.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 


W

Worthing exile

New member
May 12, 2009
1,219
jakarta said:
On C5 tonight, Dan Snow is always good, first of a 3 part series about 617 Squadron and the Dams Raid.

Having read around the subject Guy Gibson was a bit of an egotistical git and not like the amiable Richard Todd Film version.

Maybe he needed to be like that to forge a Squadron that accomplished what they did in such a short time.

Of course like many Bomber Command crew he didn't make it through the War.

One of my Dads customers when he was flogging British Leyland rubbish back in the mid 1970's was an ex-Lancaster Pilot who crashed on landing and became a McIndoe Guinea Pig. Was repeatedly told NOT to stare at him, incredibly brave men, many of who were barely out of their teens at the time.
Click to expand...

Back in the 1960s there was a bus conductor on Brighton Corporation buses who my Dad told me was a McIndoe Guinea Pig. The story I heard was that people complained that he scared children and he was subsequently taken off the buses. Disgraceful treatment if true. But then we have never really looked after our hero veterans as a Country have we.
 




jakarta

jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,629
Sullington
Worthing exile said:
Back in the 1960s there was a bus conductor on Brighton Corporation buses who my Dad told me was a McIndoe Guinea Pig. The story I heard was that people complained that he scared children and he was subsequently taken off the buses. Disgraceful treatment if true. But then we have never really looked after our hero veterans as a Country have we.
Click to expand...

Interesting, the chap I knew through my Dad's Car Business didn't actually look repulsive but his face was definitely odd and expressionless, seem to recall he wore driving gloves - I was told he had also lost finger tips in the crash.

Again from memory he had exquisitely good manners and always stood up when our female secretary walked into the office. He clearly wasn't sorry for himself but I suppose he was happy to have survived, over 55,000 Bomber Command crew didn't.
 


P

portslade seagull

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2003
17,609
portslade
Worthing exile said:
Back in the 1960s there was a bus conductor on Brighton Corporation buses who my Dad told me was a McIndoe Guinea Pig. The story I heard was that people complained that he scared children and he was subsequently taken off the buses. Disgraceful treatment if true. But then we have never really looked after our hero veterans as a Country have we.
Click to expand...

When we stayed in Prague with our friends we were in a hotel at the end of the tram line. The owner who had passed was involved in the battle of Britian. We only found out on the last day when we went to check out the indoor swimming pool and came across loads of photographs of the war with him in the cockpit of a spitfire. He was injured and burned hence there were loads of pictures of the Guinea pig club doctors and nurses along with the pub. It was really interesting
 


Questions

Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,893
Worthing
Is this the film where he leaves ****** at home ?
 




jakarta

jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,629
Sullington
Questions said:
Is this the film where he leaves ****** at home ?
Click to expand...

Interesting that they didn't mention the name in tonight's episode. I really loathe this sort of revisionism.

The past is another country, they do things differently there

I'm amazed they haven't mentioned the Aussie Micky Martin more, Gibson thought he was the best low flyer on the Squadron and he guided quite a few of the other pilots on how to do it. One of the very few to survive the War as well.
 
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KZNSeagull

KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
19,814
Wolsingham, County Durham
I keep forgetting that with Ch5 documentaries, they have to remind you every 5 minutes of what they just told you presumably because we are all a bit thick. Very annoying. It is not bad so far though.
 


W

Worthing exile

New member
May 12, 2009
1,219
As ex RAF with an interest in this sort of thing, it hasn't really taught me anything new. But it is well presented and I love seeing footage of the Lanc. Especially inside. Apparently you can have a ride in it but only taxiing around on grass.

Does anyone else remember the BBMF one flew south to north over Withdean during a game? It was more interesting than the game lol
 






jakarta

jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,629
Sullington
Its a bit late so I think I'll collect my thoughts and do a proper review tomorrow.

In short they could have said MUCH more about what 617 Squadron went on to be and to do for the rest of the War and how they acquired an arguably better pilot than Guy Gibson to lead them...
 


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