Mell Why did they use the bouncing bomb?
A bouncing bomb is a bomb designed to bounce to a target across water in a calculated manner to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets, and to allow both the bomb’s speed on arrival at the target and the timing of its detonation to be pre-determined, in a similar fashion to a regular naval depth charge.
Why did the Dambusters raid happen?
The Möhne dam in Germany’s Ruhr valley secured the water supply for much of the surrounding area. Water from its reservoir was also used to generate electricity. It was thought that destruction of this dam and others in the region would cause massive disruption to German war production.
Why were the Dambusters so important?
This was a raid aimed with astonishing precision against a choke point in Germany’s production chain. As such it was the ancestor of today’s “smart bombs” and surgical strikes. It was a raid sent to destroy a series of mighty dams, wreaking havoc with the Ruhr’s vital water supplies.
Was the bouncing bomb a success?
The raid did succeed in breaching two dams, causing considerable chaos and loss of life. But Professor Morris asks if Operation Chastise – as it was codenamed – was truly successful.
Are there any Dambusters still alive?
Squadron Leader George Leonard “Johnny” Johnson, MBE, DFM (born 25 November 1921) is a retired Royal Air Force officer who is the last surviving original member of No. 617 Squadron RAF and of Operation Chastise, the “Dambusters” raid of 1943.
Which plane dropped the bouncing bomb?
The Dambusters Raid took place on 16th May 1943. The cylindrical bombs, which spun at 500 rpm, were dropped by Guy Gibson and the Avro Lancasters of No. 617 Squadron RAF in Operation Chastise. The rotating bomb skipped over the water and exploded while sinking to the base of the retaining wall of the dam.
Where are the Dambusters buried?
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Twenty-seven of the 53 Allied aircrew who died on the Dams Raid on 16/17 May 1943 are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. They came from the four crews captained by Henry Maudslay, Bill Astell, Norman Barlow and Warner Ottley.
Where did they test bouncing bomb?
They were known as ‘bouncing bombs’ because they could skip on water and avoid torpedo nets, before sinking and becoming a depth charge. They had been tested in Watford and then on the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales and at Chesil Beach in Dorset.