he dam-buster raids also known as operation chastise was an attack on three German dams in Ruhr Valley by 617 Squadron, Royal Air Force. The Dam busters were a squadron formed during the Second World War. The Lancaster bombers flown by 617 Squadron were immensely modified, and the crews trained to fly at less than (30.48m) above the water, which is the height needed to drop the bombs properly. The dams in the Ruhr Valley supplied hydro-electric power and water which was used for steel making, and were therefore extremely important to Hitler in the war. 617 Squadron was led by Guy Gibson, he was allowed to select the men who he wanted to be in the attack but he only picked the men who had the necessary experience acquired for the attack. …show more content…
The aircraft flew low, returning with damage seen hanging off them and on at least two occasions birds crashed through the windscreens which could have been disastrous even despite many close shaves there were no real accidents. The pilots and crew members had only a few weeks to prepare, and they learned of their targets shortly before the raid. On the night of the raid, nineteen Lancaster bombers shot off from Scampton in Lincolnshire. They had 3 primary targets: the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams and two secondary ones, the Lister and the Eneppe dams. 19 aircrafts were sent out while 5 stayed behind as reserves. Gibson led the first attack. At 00.56, the Mohne Dam was breached and by 01.54 so was the Eder Dam. The Sorpe Dam was attacked by planes from the reserve force but it seemed impossible but they prevailed through to the end. Severe flooding occurred where the Möhne Dam was breached. 1200 people were killed. Six small electricity works were damaged and rail lines passing through the Mohne Valley were disrupted. But industrial production was not affected in the long-term. When the Eder Dam broke, there were similar results. Kassel, an important arms producing town, was reached by the floodwater, but little actual damage was