Barnes Neville Wallis CBE FRS RDI FRAES (1887-1979) was this generations most famous inventor and designer of Aeronautics and their related weaponry, he was also someone who was both passionate about his chosen field of work and devastated personally at the resulting loss of human life from that work. He was the rarest of human beings in that he saw the true evil of warfare for what it was much as Robert Oppenheimer did. Barnes Wallis started his illustrious Aviation Carrer in 1913, but his connection to 617 RAF Squadron and his work in creating innovative Bombs are what he will always be known for the most.This is due chiefly to the mythology (and in some cases inaccurate retelling) that has arisen about his and the squadron formed to turn his ideas into reality. An Australian Spitfire Pilot who was shot down in 1943 called Paul Brickhill (1916-1991) started this mythology with his readable but inaccurate history of these events by publishing his book 'The Dambusters' in 1951 which was then turned into a much loved, but inaccurate film in 1954 with Richard Todd (1919-2009) and Sir Michael Redgrave (1908-1985) in the lead roles along with an up and coming Australian Actor called Bill Kerr (1922-2014).&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Thanks to the publics adoration of the film and book of The Dam Busters, Barnes Wallis is remembered thanks mainly to Michael Redgrave's portrayal and indeed notable similarity to him. His name is still a household name all these years later not just in England, but in almost every Country in the Commonwealth.&nbsp;However this is only a very small part of the joint history of Barnes Wallis and the Aircrew and Ground Staff of 617 RAF Squadron.The Author seeks to remedy this issue, by not just detailing the use of 'Upkeep' in the destruction of two German Dams and the Damaging of another or the human cost to those involved in those attacks, but also covers the even more effective 'Earth Quake Bombs' - "Tallboy'' and ''Grandslam'' - from the design to the operational stage. Tallboy weapons were only ever dropped by two squadrons in the entire war, while the even larger and far more deadly Grandslam was only ever dropped Operationally by 617 RAF Squadron.&nbsp;Barnes Wallis was one of the most prolific inventors of uniquely inventive armaments to be put to use during the war - Highball (1942), Upkeep (1943) Tallboy (1944) and Grand Slam (1945) were used to destroy such high profile targets as the Bielefeld viaduct and led to the eventual sinking of the German battleship KMS Tirpitz.&nbsp;His bombs were only eclipsed in their&nbsp; destructive power by the atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, with Grandslam holding the record for the largest conventional (non atomic) Explosive device to be used in the entire war by either side.This work is a fitting tribuite to Barnes Wallis and all the Airmen and test pilots who helped prove what he said would work on paper would also do so practically. In this time of doubting science and scientists that we now live in this book demonstrates the importance of listening to the science now just as forcefully as it did then. Equally every operation flown with these weapons be it training, experimental or operational are covered in great depth and detail. Aircrew shot down are covered as are civilian casualties with the same degree of accuracy and&nbsp;thoroughness.This is indeed a fitting tribute.The Authors lifetime interest in Barnes Wallis' bombs and the Airmen who dropped them on Nazi-occupied Europe began when he worked at Brooklands, home of Vickers, which built the Wellington, and where Barnes Wallis had his wartime design office.Illustrated - 80 Pictures.Originally Released as 'Barnes Wallis's Bombs' in 2002, it was re released in 2013 with over 200 extra pages of research and photos added as a Limited Edition 'Illustrated Reissue'. Both its original format and this are now once more out of print and unavailable other then as Digital Releases. The original book has now been superseded by this newer expanded version which is the only one available now. This is the 2014 digital version of the book.&nbsp;

The Dam Busters (1943-1945 An Operational History) PDF

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