Dam Buster Film Photograph #2

Large format black and white photograph, approximately 41 x 30cm / 16 x 11.5".  Shows two Avro Lancaster bombers in the air over Lincolnshire during production of the classic film 'The Dam Busters' in 1954.  The aircraft, Lancaster B-7 NX679 and NX763 can be seen clearly and have the film prop 'bouncing bomb' slung beneath the fuselage.  It is interesting to note that the actual bomb, codenamed 'Upkeep' was still under the official secrets act at the time of filming so the 'dummies' used were loosely based on the actual bomb. The Lancaster shown in the foreground was the one used as Wing Commander Guy Gibson's aircraft, 'piloted' in the film by Sir Richard Todd.  Four original Lancaster bombers were used during filming and this air to air shot was taken by Sgt. Michael Cawsey, a flight engineer of 97 Squadron who flew as part of the crews.  His flights included low level formation and runs over the Derwentwater dam casting beams on the water to establish flight at 60'.  This rare photograph is in very good condition and comes from the now dispersed Brian Goulding archive (co author of the Lancaster At War books).  A similar photograph, impossibly signed by a Guy Gibson sold for around £1000 recently!  Stock code P20089.