Hopgood's last run black and white version Metal Print

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Doomed 617 Squadron Lancaster "M for Mother" releases its Upkeep "bouncing bomb" too late as it staggers under the defending flak on the Mohne Dam on 17 May 1943.

The Type 464 (Provisioning) aircraft, specially adapted for the precision bombing operation against the German dams, had already been damaged on the way to the target. Its front gunner was probably dead. The pilot, 21-year-old John Hopgood, was wounded. He made the second attack on the Mohne. The German flak 38 gunners, alerted by Guy Gibson's first run, hammered AJ-M during its low-level approach, setting fire to the port engines and a starboard wing fuel tank.

The weapon skipped over the dam and landed by the power station below, demolishing it in a huge fireball. Unable to gain height, the Lancaster crashed some three miles away. Incredibly three of the crew managed to get out but only two survived as prisoners of war. The other four went down with the plane.

NOTE: My picture reconstructs the d...

Photographer and digital artist based in the UK. Landscapes, cityscapes and seascapes - and photographically crafted aviation scenes under the Flight Artworks banner: catch up on Facebook or on Instagram. Please contact me or visit my website, flightartworks.com if you would like to license my photos, although a growing range is available via Alamy. Discussions about how my pictures are made are in my blog, Aerial Combat. On Instagram also at @gary.eason. On Twitter @flightartworks and @garyeason. CHANGES: As part of a constant quality improvement process please note that I review and sometimes replace or remove earlier works. COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Please respect the considerable time, effort and investment in equipment that goes...