Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water, but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent delivery of an explosive warhead through water. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb, and Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose but this was rejected. Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered.ġ:50 Scale model of the Moehne Dam, Building Research Establishment 51☄2′06″N 0☂2′28″W / 51.701764°N 0.374486°W / 51.701764 -0.374486Īt first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10-long-ton (22,000 lb 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers. A one-off surprise attack might succeed but the RAF lacked a weapon suitable for the task. Calculations indicated that attacks with large bombs could be effective but required a degree of accuracy which RAF Bomber Command had been unable to attain when attacking a well defended target. In addition to providing hydroelectric power and pure water for steel-making, they supplied drinking water and water for the canal transport system. 3.5 Attacks on the Sorpe and Ennepe Damsīefore the Second World War, the British Air Ministry had identified the industrialised Ruhr Valley, and especially its dams, as important strategic targets.The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. An estimated 1,600 civilians – about 600 Germans and 1,000 forced labourers, mainly Soviet – died. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. 617 Squadron, later called the Dam Busters, using a purpose-built " bouncing bomb" developed by Barnes Wallis. Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16– by Royal Air Force No. (including 1,000+ prisoners and forced labourers, mainly Soviet). Eder, Möhne and Sorpe (Röhr) rivers, Germany