The Dam Busters1955

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
[showing Gibson a model of the targets] Well, Gibson, there it is. That's your main target - the Moehne Dam.

Gibson:
So *that's* it. I thought it was going to be the "Tirpitz".

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
If you can blow a hole in this wall...

[points to model]

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
-you'll bring the Ruhr steel industry to a standstill; and do much other damage besides. I'm showing you the targets. But you'll be the only man in the squadron who knows, so keep it that way.

Gibson:
Very good, sir.

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
[indicates other models] And these are the models of the two other dams, the Eder and the Sorpe. But, the Moehne is the most important one.

Gibson:
I see, sir.

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
Come along and study these as often as you like. We're having regular reconnaissance to see what they're doing over there and what's the height of the water. The operation must be carried out when the lakes are full.

Gibson:
When's that likely to be, sir?

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
About the middle of May. You'll need a good moon as well. So, it looks like we're tied to a night between the 12th and the 17th. By the time the next full moon comes around the water level will have started to fall again, so it's our only chance this year. About five weeks from now. How's the training going?

Gibson:
Oh, pretty well sir. Except for the low flying.

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
Yes, I guessed you'd be in trouble over that.

Gibson:
It's fairly easy by day, but night flying over water at 150 feet is pretty near impossible.

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
You can't trust your altimeters?

Gibson:
No to the limits Mister Wallis wants. He insists on 150 feet. Not a foot below, or a foot above. I'd hoped we could get over it by practice. But, on still nights, when the water's smooth, there's a sort of no man's land between the dusk and the water.

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane:
Well, I've got the Farnborough experts on that. I hope they'll come along with an idea. By the way, Wallis is going to test the full-sized bomb at Reculver tomorrow. I'd like you to go down and watch. Take your bombing leader with you.

Gibson:
Right, sir.