Following in the flightpath of giants

Known as the Dambusters, the elite Lancaster squadron was preparing to destroy dams in Germany’s Ruhr Valley using top-secret “bouncing bombs”.

The Derwent Dam and its surrounding hills resembled that of some of the German Dams that were to become a target for this unique raid, devised by Barnes Wallis.

But before the pilots took the controls of the lumbering but effective Lancaster bomber, they would have learned to fly in a much more nimble Tiger Moth biplane.

And today, exactly 69 years after the practice raids took place, the tiny aircraft is being used to follow the identical flight path over the Howden, Derwent and Ladybower dams.

The nostalgic flight is just one of many being flown by the original Tiger Moth which is designed to give people the chance to experience the practice route over the Derbyshire reservoirs in an original Second World War aircraft.

Pilot Will Flanagan, 32, said: “All the Lancaster pilots would have learnt to fly in a Tiger Moth just like this one.

“I fly as low as I can on the Dambuster Run Missions but I can’t imagine how they managed to fly those bombers at only sixty feet above the water, especially with people shooting at them.

“I get a buzz from flying it, the provenance, smell and feel of an open cockpit.

“There’s nothing like feeling the wind blowing through your hair – it’s what I’d call real flying.

“I recently flew an RAF veteran who’d worked as a ground based engineer on Lancasters during the war – he had never flown in a Lancaster but wanted to know what it felt like to fly over the dams. He found it very emotional – it’s a very nostalgic trip for some of the older guys.

“This is the only World War Two aircraft that you can fly the Dambusters route in.

“The trip takes about an hour and you can even have a go at flying as we run in over the water.

“We’ll take anyone up – as long as they’re over thirteen years old and not over seventeen stone. There’s no age limit – we’ll even lift people into their seat if they have poor mobility.”

Mr Flanagan, who is also a flying instructor and examiner runs Blue Eye Aviation from Netherthorpe Airfield near Sheffield, with his pilot father Richard.

He added “I happened, by chance, to be flying over Lincolnshire next to a Lancaster 12 years ago, it was part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

“Seeing it inspired me to get into vintage aircraft.

“My dream finally came true when we set up the company and bought our Tiger Moth last September.

“We’ve only been flying it since the end of March and it’s already becoming very popular.

“After the war you could buy an ex-RAF Tiger Moth for £60 – or two for £100.

“They’ve gone up a bit now – we paid £57,000 for ours.”

The 1930s designed, de Havilland DH82 Tiger Moth was a multi-role aircraft.

“In its different forms it was used as a training aeroplane, for reconnaissance, and as a light bomber.

The aircraft’s 6.1 litre engine produces 130 horsepower giving it a top speed of 153mph.

The canvas-covered aeroplane remained in service until 1951 with a total of 8,800 built. Today there are thought to be about 150 left in the UK – most of these are kept in private collections.

The first wave of three Dambuster missions was led by Guy Gibson who set off at 9.39pm on May 16, 1943, from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. Only five out of nine aircraft returned from the first wave.

The squadron suffered heavy losses in what was to become one of the most difficult bombing raids ever carried out. Eight aircraft and a total of 56 men were lost.

An hour’s run flying the Dambuster route in the Tiger Moth costs £425.