Dam Busters Production stills

[Smithy]

I was in two minds whether to post this here or over in the Movie section but I thought this link might be better appreciated over here.

Here is a link to some simply wonderful production stills from the set of the 1955 film. Well worth having a gander at:

http://www.cbfsim.org/cbfsim/cbfsBB/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=18492

 

[Stearmen]

Models and Movies

Great photos! I remember watching the movie on TV in the early 70s, when I was a teen. I went out and bought a model of a Lancaster Dam Buster, I can't remember who made it back then! Whish the movie would play on the oldies channel.

 

[dr greg]

A picture's worth.

Found this a couple of weeks ago for 40c

 

[Shangas]

Hey Dr. Greg,

I've got The Dam Busters as well, along with The Great Escape. I picked them both up at flea-markets. It was the only way I could get them! They've been out of print for years, which is sad, because they're awesome books.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

nice collection of photo's thanks.

I went to see a screening of the "The Dambusters" at a local cinema two years ago, brilliant. I thought maybe the sound would be poor compared to modern stuff but the part where the Lanc climb after a low level cross on the lake was lound and moving. Also I found the end rather moving as they counted off the losses. Strange really, I have it on DVD and have watched this film so many times on TV and DVD yet I found the film more poignant on the big screen.

But nice to see the photo's.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Dam Buster comes in low over the reservoir....

What a beautiful sight!

-dixon cannon

 

[dhermann1]

What I've always found interesting about the Dam Busters episode is that it's so typical of the cleverness that the British used throughout the war. The mission itself was not as effective as it could have been, mainly due to postponement. The real net damage was not great. But add it to the brilliant use of radar, the phoney tanks that Monty used before El Alamein, "the man who never was", etc., it helps explain why a nation that was less than half the size of its German adversary could hold its own against the Nazi war machine.

 

[Smithy]

it helps explain why a nation that was less than half the size of its German adversary could hold its own against the Nazi war machine.

Remember though she also had the sons of NZ, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Rhodesia, India to stand with her as well dhermann. But you are right about Britain fighting a clever war in many ways, and the DBs are one of the best examples.

Greg, Brickhill's book might be an oldie but it's a bloody goodie!

Sadly, there is only one pilot from the DB raid left now, Les Munro from NZ, and I think Dixon Cannon's photo is from the commemoration event event held at Derwent Reservoir that Les travelled all the way from NZ to attend. He's still interviewed fairly often back home in the press and I know that Peter Jackson and Stephen Fry have been in contact with him a lot concerning their upcoming remake of the film.

 

[rumblefish]

Great photos.
Great thread, Tim.
Thanks.

 

[dr greg]

the right thinking

What I've always found interesting about the Dam Busters episode is that it's so typical of the cleverness that the British used throughout the war. .

That's always interested me as well, I suppose the 'eccentricity' that the British pride themselves on meant that was a greater pool of non-conformist thinkers tolerated by the British 'establishment' than could ever exist in the tightly hierarchical society that had evolved under the Nazis, although the blame should possibly not be all apportioned there: the blind acceptance of authority as a social norm goes right back to the Prussian state etc etc...

 

[Smithy]

That's always interested me as well, I suppose the 'eccentricity' that the British pride themselves on meant that was a greater pool of non-conformist thinkers tolerated by the British 'establishment' than could ever exist in the tightly hierarchical society that had evolved under the Nazis, although the blame should possibly not be all apportioned there: the blind acceptance of authority as a social norm goes right back to the Prussian state etc etc...

I think this is a little misleading Dr Greg. German weapon research was far more advanced than the Allies, and non-conformist attitudes towards development led to the simply stunning examples in German aircraft design and missile/rocket science.

 

[dr greg]

application

I think this is a little misleading Dr Greg. German weapon research was far more advanced than the Allies, and non-conformist attitudes towards development led to the simply stunning examples in German aircraft design and missile/rocket science.

Still, I often wonder why there was more, shall we say 'unorthodox' military thinking on the allied side so how's this for an argument: the scientific advances of the Germans could be put down to rigorous application of disciplinary thinking while the often unsuccessful but still abstract approaches of the Allies reflected a less institutionalised mind-set that was functioning desperately under pressure.

 

[dhermann1]

In general, this is a fascinating sub-topic in the WW II realm. But obviously it's all speculative. My impression is that Hitler was very proud of his scientists, and gave them a very long leash to experiment with. Von Braun was allowed to have a lot of failures without penalty.
By the same token the Brits didn't support Whittle's jet development at all until very late in the game.
What I like about some of the British innovations is that so many of them are so off the wall and eccentric.

 

[Smithy]

What I like about some of the British innovations is that so many of them are so off the wall and eccentric.

I think you've hit the nail on the head dhermann. There was much "quirkiness" about British design and problem solving. German developments could be very unorthodox but there's not the same level of (once again it's the best word I can come up with) quirkiness to it.

Getting back to the DB, the Beeb did a series a few years back which I saw in Norway, where they got current RAF aircrew and put them through the same amount of training as the original crews using a Lancaster simulator and then got them to run the mission. The current crew had enormous problems and were astonished at how the original 617 had even done it.

 

[Cobden]

I've always said the war was won through American equipment, Russian manpower and British cunning.
For those that are interested in the somewhat eccentric British escapades during the war, there is an excellent book out at the moment called "Operation Mincemeat" about an operation that went by that name - perhaps one of the boldest, detailed, innovative, rather dark yet stark-raving bonkers schemes the British ever came up with

 

[Smithy]

I've always said the war was won through American equipment, Russian manpower and British cunning.
For those that are interested in the somewhat eccentric British escapades during the war, there is an excellent book out at the moment called "Operation Mincemeat" about an operation that went by that name - perhaps one of the boldest, detailed, innovative, rather dark yet stark-raving bonkers schemes the British ever came up with

Cobden, I've been meaning to pick this up as it's a new release down at the bookshop. Operation Mincemeat, without doubt the ultimate red herring!

 

[Cobden]

And it not only saved the day at Husky, but also at Overlord - it caused Hitler to ignore any intelligence not originating from his own agents (who, incidentally, were all under British control). When an empty landing craft containing the full plans for D-Day fell into German hands, they thought it was yet another mincemeat