Channel 4 Recalls Dambusters

Channel 4 History Commissioning Editor, Julia Harrington, has signed-up Windfall Films to produce The Return of The Dambusters - an ambitious special following engineers, explosive experts and aircrew, as they try to recreate one of the most famous bombing raids of WWII.
In 1943, a squadron of Lancaster bombers staged one of the most audacious bombing raids in history; they destroyed two gigantic dams in Germany's industrial heartland with a revolutionary weapon, the bouncing bomb. Those involved became known as the Dambusters. The raid itself is part of military folklore, celebrated for the ingenuity of the bomb's inventor, Barnes Wallis, as well as the skill and bravery of the pilots.
It is easily forgotten just what an incredible technical achievement the raid was and how difficult it was to solve all the engineering problems involved. Now, almost 70 years later, a crack team of experts including dam engineers, explosives specialists, mechanics and aircrew are led by Cambridge engineer Dr Hugh Hunt who attempts to recreate the famous raid in order to work out exactly how it was done.
This is a restating of the mission, not a dramatic reconstruction so the team can't rely on CGI or special effects. The end result will be truly spectacularl; a purpose-built 130-feet wide, 30-feet high concrete dam, a modified Douglas DC4 flying perilously low and one huge explosion. With less time and fewer resources than their WWII counterparts, the civilian team will find themselves fighting some battles of their own in a present-day story that will prove just as gripping as the original.
Ian Duncan, Director, Windfall Films, said: "By attempting to recreate a near impossible WWII mission, this documentary encompasses everything from ingenious resourcefulness to high-octane suspense. The Return of the Dambusters will give viewers a unique and vivid insight into a momentous part of our history with a fascinating approach into reconstructing the bouncing bomb and building a model of the Mohne Dam."
The Return of The Dambusters is a co production between Windfall Films and Omni Film Productions. The show is produced by Tom Cook, executive produced by David Dugan and directed by Ian Duncan for Windfall Films. It is produced by Linda Hay and executive produced by Gabriela Schonbach for Omni Film Productions.
(KMcA)