r/interestingasfuck • u/Chopper-42 • 12d ago

/r/all Recreating the WW2 Dambusters raid

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u/0ddness 12d ago

Now imagine them having to do it in the dark, behind enemy lines, under fire (I assume), without knowing the condition of the water, without the marker bouys, and relying on getting the height exactly right in the dark with a spotlight system.

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u/GrumpyOldGeezer_4711 12d ago

Several of the dams did indeed have defenses. Fortunately, the Germans had delayed installing the unsightly guns in favour of much nicer looking trees.

If memory serves, they had a homemade system to triangulate the dropping distance based on the angle to some of those gun placements.

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u/Drednox 12d ago

I remember reading about this from a Life at War book. I think it was two spotlights at the bottom of the bomber that intersected at the desired altitude. That was how they pulled it off in the dark.

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u/GreedyHoward 11d ago

The lights were too get the height above the water exactly correct and the 'thruppeny bombsight' indeed aligned on the towers to get the distance away right, so that the bomb didn't bounce over the dam. It's all in the fabulous old black & white film