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  • Dam Busters

  • The Race to Smash the Dams, 1943
  • By: James Holland
  • Narrated by: James Holland
  • Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (91 ratings)

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Dam Busters

By: James Holland
Narrated by: James Holland
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Publisher's Summary

It was the night of May 16th, 1943. Nineteen specially adapted Lancaster bombers take off from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, each with a huge nine thousand pound cylindrical bomb strapped underneath them. Their mission: to destroy three dams deep within the German heartland, which provide the lifeblood to the industries supplying the Third Reich's war machine.

From the outset, it was an almost impossible task, a suicide mission: to fly low and at night in formation over many miles of enemy occupied territory at the very limit of the Lancasters' capacity, and drop a new weapon, which had never been tried operationally before, at a precise height of just 60 feet from the water at some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany. More than that, the entire operation had to be put together in less than 10 weeks.

When visionary aviation engineer Barnes Wallis' concept of the bouncing bomb was green lighted, he hadn't even drawn up his plans for the weapon that was to smash the dams. What followed was an incredible race against time, which, despite numerous set-backs and against huge odds, became one of the most successful and game-changing bombing raids of all time.

©2012 James Holland (P)2012 Random House AudioGo
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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A truly brilliant expansion of the well know story!

Like most of my early 60’s generation I read Paul Brickhills Dam Busters as a youngster, and was enthralled, and closely followed up with Gibson’s Enemy Coast Ahead. James Holland’s book does not seek to replace either, but rather enhances both through access to material either classified or otherwise not available until now. Outstanding!

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4 people found this helpful

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Excellent reading and research.

Most detailed research of this operation well read by James Holland. Good Luck to him, all best for his future works. GeoInt.

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2 people found this helpful

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Brought to life

Brilliant. The story had been retold as if I was there. Vivid, colourful and entertaining.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Extraordinary efforts of ordinary men

Brought lovingly to life by the Author all the trials of young men playing an extraordinary part in a raid that took RAF Bomber command Lancaster’s and their crews to the very edge of their performance, Brilliantly Brilliant

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