November 30, 2020 5.24 pm This story is over 39 months old

Documentary airs this week retelling famous Dambusters story

Three episodes in three nights

Historian Dan Snow will retell the story of the famous 1943 Dambusters raid in a three-part documentary on Channel 5 airing this week.

Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on May 16-17, 1943 by the Royal Air Force 617 Squadron, later called The Dambusters, using a purpose-built ‘bouncing bomb’.

The opening episode of ‘The Dambusters’ airs at 9pm on Tuesday, December 1 and sees Dan travel around Lincolnshire airfields speaking about the inception of the RAF’s 617 Squadron, which was led by Commander Guy Gibson.

The episode focuses on the recruitment and training of the airmen for the mission, with Commander Gibson given just eight weeks to put together a crew able to fly at low altitudes at night, as well as the development of the bouncing bomb.

Episode two and three air on the following two nights, on Wednesday and Thursday (December 2 and 3) respectively.