Description

Limited Edition of 350

Overall Print Size – 28″ x 27″

Last Moments of the Mohne Dam

The largest dam in Europe, the fortress-like walls of Möhne held back nearly 140 million cubic metres of water essential to the industry and factories of the Ruhr. The Air Ministry had long ago decided that if the Möhne dam, and the two other major Ruhr dams – the Eder and Sorpe – were destroyed, it could deliver a massive blow to the Nazi war machine. But cracking open the mighty dams would require exceptional flying skills; and so, on 21 March 1943, a new squadron was formed specifically for the task, the only time this ever happened in Bomber Command. Known as 617 Squadron and led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, it was not only the squadron that was unique, so was the weapon they would be using – Upkeep – a cylindrical, hydrostatic ‘bouncing’ bomb. The brainchild of Barnes Wallis, Upkeep was designed to skip across the surface of the water, sink against the dam’s massive wall, and explode with enormous force at a precise depth.

The picture shows Guy Gibson and Mick Martin drawing the enemy’s fire as ‘Dinghy’ Young clears the dam’s parapet seconds after releasing his bomb. A few moments later Young’s bomb will successfully detonate against the dam leaving it mortally wounded allowing David Maltby in AJ-J to finish the task. With the Möhne Dam breached, Gibson with the remaining crews  will turn south to repeat the operation at the Eder Dam.

Signed by Robert Taylor & 3 Dambuster veterans:
Squadron Leader George L Johnson DFM  – Bomb aimer on Joe McCarthy’s Lancaster AJ-T
Corporal Kenneth Lucas – ground crew
Sergeant Frederick E Sutherland – Front gunner on Les Knight’s Lancaster AJ-N

Also available is the Collectors Edition of 275 (+£50)

Additionally signed by:
Flight Sergeant Grant S McDonald – Rear gunner on Ken Brown’s Lancaster AJ-F
Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO DFC – Pilot of Lancaster AJ-W