Historical story

What did the dambusters do?

The Dambusters were a group of Royal Air Force (RAF) aviators who carried out Operation Chastise, a British attack on German dams during the Second World War.

The dams were located in the Ruhr area of Germany, and their destruction was intended to disrupt German industry and morale. The operation was carried out on the night of 16–17 May 1943, and was a major success.

The Dambusters used a specially designed bomb, called the Barnes Wallis bouncing bomb, which was able to skip across the water before detonating. This allowed the bombs to be dropped from a low altitude, which reduced the risk of being shot down by German anti-aircraft fire.

The operation was a success, and the destruction of the dams caused significant damage to German industry. The Dambusters were hailed as heroes, and their story has been told in books, films, and documentaries.