Hi All,

When I originally posted this thread I used Photobucket to link my pics. Unfortunately that`s no longer possible.
I have listed pic numbers, but with 24 of them you can read and check the pics in the post, or just enjoy the pics below.

On the 17th of September, myself and my good lady were fortunate enough to be given a guided tour of RAF Scampton.

This is the present day UK base for the "Red Arrows" and the WW2 base for the 617 Squadron "Dambusters"

If you wish to visit Scampton, you can, but visit`s must be booked in advance.
As this is still an active MOD base you must provide Photographic I.D on arrival.

The tour can be between 2 and 3 hours, ours was just short of 3 hours, but it was great.

Also "FREE". Donations can be made to help keep this centre up and running.

Upon arrival, you have your ID checked and the tour begins.

Firstly you have a bit of a walk, approx. 10-15 minutes (depending on pace).

You pass the accommodation blocks of the base and the original Op`s building used during WW2.
The OP`s building can be recognised from the "Dambusters" film, now used as a UK airspace
monitoring centre. (NO PHOTO`S ALLOWED IN THIS AREA).

After a little more walking, you come close to the operational airfield and the first thing that we saw was two of the
"Red Arrow" jets.Pic 1


Looking a little to the left, you could see the doors to one of the hangers. These are immense in size, but moved with one hand on a powered lever system.Pic 2


RAF Scampton is just north of the city of Lincoln and at approx. 2:30pm it was a bit misty to say the least.
The next pic shows the control tower, just visible in the mist.Pic 3


Just before you enter the Heritage Centre, there is a "Red Arrows" jet set up as a monument to the pilot`s of the "Red Arrows".Pic 4


On the other side of the road to the entrance of the Heritage Centre, there are some exhibits of bombs used by the "Dambusters".
First the "Grand Slam"
This is the biggest bomb ever dropped by the RAF in WW2 and the Lancaster had to be stripped of anything non essential, so the Lanc could get off the floor. That included, bomb bay doors ,mid fuselage gun turret and many other parts.Pic 5


The smaller "Tall boy" used for bombing U boat pens and V bomb sites is shown below.Pic 6


The "Bouncing Bomb" used in the dam raids, was known as the "Up Keep", beyond popular belief it was not a bomb,
but a mine. When the dam stopped it`s progress forward, it sank and at a certain depth after sinking it exploded.Pic 7


As you go to enter the Heritage Centre, the grave stone of "N.I.G.G.E.R" (Guy Gibsons dog)is visible.
He was run over and killed by a car on the base and he was buried at midnight, just as Guy Gibson was attacking the dams.Pic 8


Just before we entered the Heritage Centre, an old time fire engine was brought out for a photo shoot, "Lovely" Pic 9


From here, I have rearranged some photo`s to put them into relevant groups.
We enter Guy Gibsons office.

The furniture is NOT the original, this is kept at the "Hendon" museum, but it has been said by a person who saw the real office, that it`s "spot on".Pic 10


Maybe a more little known fact about "Guy Gibson" is that he had an "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder", OCD, about wearing gloves.
When the King visited Scampton, he went to shake hands with Gibson and he asked that Gibson remove his gloves, Gibson said, "I`d rather not sir" and the king shook his gloved hand.
Below is a picture of how Gibsons desk would have been laid out.Pic 11


The "Dam Raids" cost a lot of lives, but potentially saved a lot more.
At the centre, there is a memorial board for all of the crews of 617 squadron, be they registered as "Killed in action", or missing.
On the board, where a poppy is shown next to the persons name then, they were either recorded as dead or missing.Pic 12


The next picture has some serious relevance to my good wife.
Some ten or more years ago, I read the diary of a Navigator of a Lanc on the Dam raids.
The images that diary gave me can only be described as "Harrowing".
It seems that the navigator in question was no more than my wifes, mothers, cousin. (Confusing I know)
On the board below he is Fg Off P.S.Burgess.

I will be assisting my wife in the near future to prove one way or another as to if this info is true.
We both read his diary some ten or more years ago, but we no longer have access to the diary. (A long story).Pic 13


The next picture shows replicas of the medals earned by Guy Gibson during WW2. (VC included).Pic 14


Next picture shows a window in a memorial room, created to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters.Pic 15


The next picture shows the bomb aimers viewing dome.
Bottom left of the pic, you can see the bomb aimer shown in the "Dambusters" film.
The "Y" shaped aimer with a lower handle and two vertical pins at the widest end of the "Y".
It is said that this was the most inaccurate bomb aimer made.

Looking again at the picture below you will see a piece of string across the screen.
In the small circular viewing window at the bottom of the pic you will see two vertical black lines.
The bomb aimer, needed the horizontal string with a knot at the nearest point to him level with the top of the dam and the two black lines on the dam towers and it was "Bomb`s away.

The piece of string in the bomb aimers hand had two knots in the section in the aimers hand. They had two sights in one depending on which knot they held for the two different dams they were attacking.Pic 16


The next six pictures show models made and donated to the Heritage Centre to commemorate the "Dambusters" and a model of an early flying machine.Pic 17-22


Lastly, two pics of things to come.

The Heritage Centre is still trying to expand the exhibits ready for viewing.

To this end, the next two pics show items under renovation to make them ready for showing.

The first, a Lancaster fuselage.Pic 23


Second, the first swing wing aircraft.(Invented by Barnes Wallace)Pic 24


I have tried to make this report as accurate as possible from the information given at the time.

So hope you enjoyed the info and pics.

Here`s the link to visit the centre, if you're in the area:

RAF Scampton "Heritage Centre"

Regards
delboy271155
(Derek)

Great pics indeed Derek Looks like you had a lot of fun.

Spencer

Would love to visit there Derek, your pics give a great insight to what must have been a fabulous day..... Thanks for sharing....

Regards

Alan

Derek

That looks like a very interesting day out.

Out of my area now but when I was a whole lot younger my grandparents lived in the village of Branston just outside Lincoln. In those days the Vulcan Bomber flew from here and I can still remember how the ground used to shake when they came over.

We used to visit once or twice a year. Sometimes we used it as a stopping off point on the way to the family holiday in Scarborough.

This has brought back some happy memories of times gone by.