Frank Pleszak's Blogs

There were many locations around the UK that had some connection with the story of Operation Chastise – the Dambusters. In this blog I list the sites that have (or had) some relevance to the Dambuster story.

I also list the home location of the 133 aircrew that took part that nigh of 16 -17 May 1943.

Dambuster Locations

RAF Lossiemouth (46 MU)
Stored Lancasters including Type 464 (Dambuster) prior to scrapping.

Vickers Armstrong (Newcastle-Elswick)
Manufactured Upkeeps.

RAF Silloth (22 MU)
Used in The Dam Busters film & for Lancaster storage prior to scrapping.

Windermere
Used in The Dam Busters film.

Vickers Armstrong Barrow
Manufactured Upkeeps.

Avro Yeadon (Leeds)
Manufactured B.I Lancasters, one of which was used by 617 Sqn temporarily until the Type 464 Lancasters were available.

ROF Chorley (Euxton)
Loaded live Upkeeps with Torpex.

Avro (Chadderton, Newton Heath, & other Avro sites around Manchester)
Manufactured B.III Lancasters, which were converted in to Type 464 and used by 617 Sqn.

Metropolitan Vickers (Trafford Park)
Manufactured B.I Lancasters, four of which was used by 617 Sqn temporarily until the Type 464 Lancasters were available.

Anglesey
Used in The Dam Busters film.

Avro (Woodford)
Assembled Lancasters and test flew Lancasters. Converted 23 Type 464 Lancasters.

Lake Vyrnwy
617 SqnTraining.

Austin Aero Ltd.
Manufactured Lancasters.

Nant-Y-Gro Dam
Destruction of a dam during Torpex testing.

ROF Glascoed
Manufactured of Torpex used in Upkeeps.

Road Research Laboratory (Harmondsworth)
Explosive tests on replica dams.

A&AEE Boscombe Down
Lancaster Type 464 evaluation and trials.

RAF Kirton-in- Lindsey
Used in The Dam Busters film for the take-off sequences on a grass runway.

RAF Hemswell
Used in The Dam Busters film.

RAF Scampton
617 Sqn Base Mar – August 1943

RAF Coningsby
617 Sqn Base August 1943 – January 1944

RAF Woodhall Spa
617 Sqn Base January 1944 – June 1945

RAF Waddington
617 Sqn Base June 1945 – January 1946

RAF Metheringham
Stored Dambuster Lancasters prior to scrapping.

Skegness
Used in The Dam Busters film.

Wainfleet Bombing Range
Used for low level bombing training.

St Vincent’s Hall (Grantham)
HQ No.5 Group Bomber Command. Command Centre for Operation Chastise.

Eyebrook Dam
Training.

Building Research Establishment (Watford)
Explosive tests on replica dams.

Elstree Film Studios
The Dam Busters film.

Abberton Dam
Training.

RAF Rochford / Shoeburyness Bombing Range
Post Dams raid Upkeep trials.

Reculver
Inert Upkeep trials.

Broadstairs Bombing Range
Live Upkeep trial.

RAF Manston
617 Sqn Base during Reculver trials.

ROF Woolwich
Loading of inert Upkeeps with cement and cork.

National Physics Laboratory (Teddington)
Replica Upkeep skipping trials & used in The Dam Busters Film.

Vickers Armstrong (Weybridge)
Upkeep design offices.

Derwent Dam
Training & The Dam Busters film.

Ashley Walk Bombing Range
Post Dams raid Upkeep trials.

Chesil Beach
Early Bouncing Bomb trials.

RAE Farnborough
Lancaster Type 464 evaluation.

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Dambuster Aircrew

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My other Dambuster / Lancaster related blogs:

All the Dambuster Dams
https://pleszak.blog/2022/07/19/all-the-dambuster-dams/

Operation Chastise – The Dambusters a minute-by-minute account
https://pleszak.blog/2022/05/16/operation-chastise-the-dambusters/

The High Peak Dambuster
https://pleszak.blog/2022/02/12/the-high-peak-dambuster/

Milk Run over the Eder Dam
https://pleszak.blog/2020/07/13/milk-run-over-the-eder-dam/

Lancaster bombers operated by the Soviet Air Force in WW2
https://pleszak.blog/2019/12/05/lancaster-bombers-operated-by-the-russian-airforce-in-ww2/

What happened to the Lancasters used on the Dambuster Raid?
https://pleszak.blog/2019/08/20/what-happened-to-the-lancasters-used-on-the-dambuster-raid/

From Manchester to Lincoln via Lancaster – An aviation aristocracy family tree
https://pleszak.blog/2019/05/07/from-manchester-to-lincoln-via-lancaster-an-aviation-aristocracy-family-tree/

Manchester’s Avro Aviation Heritage reminders
https://pleszak.blog/2019/03/16/manchesters-avro-aviation-heritage-reminders/

Testing and training for the Dambuster Raids – what’s left to see?
https://pleszak.blog/2018/06/13/testing-and-training-for-the-dambuster-raids-whats-left-to-see/

RAF Squadrons that provided crews to 617 Sqn https://pleszak.blog/2023/01/14/raf-squadrons-that-provided-crews-to-617-dambuster-squadron/

Dambusters 80th anniversary on BBC North West Tonight
https://pleszak.blog/2023/06/08/dambusters-80th-anniversary-on-bbc-north-west-tonight/

Manchester’s Aviation Legacy
https://pleszak.blog/2023/07/08/manchesters-aviation-legacy/