Description

This is a hardcover edition of Chris Ward’s famous work, and includes many photographs in full cover. The book builds on the authors’ earlier work, Dambusters – The Definitive History (Red Kite Publishing 2003), catalogued by the Imperial War Museum as ‘a book of national interest.’ ‘Dambusters – The Complete WWII History of 617 Squadron’ is also Chris Ward’s celebration of twenty years of research on the subject, and includes a fitting tribute to his late father. It also presented a chance to team up with artist Simon Atack, whose work Chris has always admired, and in so doing sandwich the most detailed account yet written of 617 Squadron’s war between two of the finest portrayals ever produced of Operation Chastise. Originally formed in 1943 to attack the Ruhr Dams, 617 Squadron was subsequently tasked with highly-specialised and incredibly risky missions which have become the stuff of legend. The unit carried out hazardous raids against the Dortmund-Ems Canal, strongpoints linked to the dreaded V2 rockets, attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz, as well as other problematic targets.The story of the ‘Dambusters’ is widely-known but many myths and inaccuracies have crept in as the tale has been retold. Chris Ward’s profile of the unit sets the record straight on these and relates the full wartime history of 617 Squadron. Comprehensively illustrated, this book sheds new light on the most famous unit in the history of aerial warfare.