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Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:31 pm
by smudgersmith218
Gents,

I don't know about you but I have had enought books on the dams raids!!!

Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the Dams, 1943

Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Bantam Press (10 May 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0593066766
ISBN-13: 978-0593066768
Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.4 x 4.2 cm

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 3:32 pm
by Upkeep
You can never have too many Dams books :) Though I'm sure we're all waiting for Alex's upcoming offerings.

This one is a spin off from the recent TV documentary, and I have to say it did turn out better than I first thought. I found the diversions into biography something of an annoying distraction which slowed the pace somewhat, but that’s very much a question of personal interest. I think this is the first books to comment on the oddity of the choice of the Abberton reservoir to represent the Eder in training/rehearsal. That’s never made sense to me – the area around Abberton is almost flat, very unlike the Eder, which is much more like the Derwent in terms of the flying challenges. It may just be that it was used as Target Y in the ‘dress rehearsal’, and that may only have been because it was in the same direction (and distance ?) from Target X (Uppingham) as the Eder is from the Mohne.

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:31 pm
by gate1
Why thankyou...!

Well its moving. Mine will be (at the moment) three volumes. The first in five sections covers the aircraft and bombs, with some stunning CGI images of the Lancaster developed from the original Avro engineering drawings. Vol 2 concentrates on the Squadron, with profiles and photos of all the men involved, with the last being a day by day account of the training period, showing who flew what, where, when and in what aircraft.

Still a bit to do, but its started going over to the publisher, and should be published a couple of months into 2013.

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 6:14 am
by smudgersmith218
PLEASE Not another one or three !!! :o :o :o

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:26 am
by gate1
Simple solution, when you see it ignore it!

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 8:42 pm
by smudgersmith218
I already have three very books on the raid,I very much doubt that there is anything NEW, so yes Gate1 I will take your advice and ignore it.

How many books are currently published on 617 / the Dams, from memory about 18 plus !!

It's a pity more books are not published on other less glamorous squadrons, ho yes, I forgot there is no money in them. ! From a publishers point of view its money earning exercise!

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 10:58 pm
by Riskey
I will say after my visit to the Great Dams two years ago it does mean more when you read the books . But I do agree whilst 617 SQN might have been the "Experts " in the dropping of the mines & tallboys Ect ,They are No different to any other bomber force which toke part in the air offensive . My cousin flew with 166 SQN -1 Group . My own thoughts are "The Pathfinder Force " should be at the top of the tree ,they had it all to do ! OR what about The Manna operations where
1 3 & 8 Groups flew low level on the food drops with enemy guns on them all the time ! . Wheres all the books about that fanastic operation ? .

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:16 pm
by highnoon1966
I recieved an email from Wing Leader recently regarding upcoming books and while it is a shame the Stirling in focus book has been put back the Operation Chastise set of books sound interesting :)
In other news, we have placed Stirling Squadrons in Focus and Luftwaffe Crash Archive on hold until the new year as we are now working full time on our three volume spectacular on Operation Chastise. 'The Dambuster Archive' will be three large volumes of work, detailing every aspect of the men and machines in fine detail. This is not simply a rehash of previously published information, but a new archive of material, much of which has never been seen before. We have commissioned a 3D computer model of the Type 464 Lancaster to illustrate exactly all the mods that were carried out on the aircraft, which we will show in full colour in Volume 1 covering the aircraft and armament. Volume 2, on the personnel, will carry biographies and photos of every airman involved in the raid, something never attempted before. Volume 3 will be the Training Diary, covering every training flight that 617 Squadron carried out in preparation for the raid.
We'll update the website with more details next month about this exciting project!

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 11:11 am
by smudgersmith218
Riskey wrote:I will say after my visit to the Great Dams two years ago it does mean more when you read the books . But I do agree whilst 617 SQN might have been the "Experts " in the dropping of the mines & tallboys Ect ,They are No different to any other bomber force which toke part in the air offensive . My cousin flew with 166 SQN -1 Group . My own thoughts are "The Pathfinder Force " should be at the top of the tree ,they had it all to do ! OR what about The Manna operations where
1 3 & 8 Groups flew low level on the food drops with enemy guns on them all the time ! . Wheres all the books about that fanastic operation ? .

I have been to the Dams on two occassions.

You cannot help but be moved by the Dams, the country and the exploits of No.617 Squadron. BUT……….enough is enough please.

Steve

Re: Another Dam Book !!!!

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:05 pm
by PAFG
Well, gotta support James Holland, he's a local boy and runs the brilliant Chalke Valley History Festival that Max and I enjoyed last summer. And Alex - I'll be buying your trilogy, but only if you'll sign them sometime!

Richard