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Ryan Seacrest
Hello, it is Ryan. And I was on a flight the other day playing one of my favorite social spin slot games on chumbacasino.com I looked over the person sitting next to me and you know what they were doing? They were also playing Chumba Casino. Everybody's loving having fun with it. Chumba Casino is home to hundreds of casino style games that you can play for free, anytime, anywhere. So sign up now@chumbacasino.com to claim your free welcome bonus. That's chumbacasino.com and live the Chumbalaya sponsored by Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary VGW Group Void where prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply to the men, living and dead who did these things. We dedicate this program the Dam Busters. Presented by the author himself, Paul Brickhill. Dramatized by Morris West An Australasian radio product Good evening. This is Paul Brickhill. This story begins in September 1939 in a designer's office at the Vickers Armstrong's aircraft work at Weybridge, near London. There are two men in the room. One is Barnes Wallace, aircraft designer for Vickers. The other is one of his senior colleagues. They are listening on a small portable radio to the voice of Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of England. This morning, the British ambassador in Berlin handed the German government a final note stating that unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently, this country is at war with Germany. Well, Wallace, that's that. As you say, that's that. Well, I better get back to work. Wallace, you're the oddest fellow I've ever known. The lights of Europe have been dust for a second time in a generation. All you can say is, I better get back to work. Besides, today's Sunday. By rights, we shouldn't be here at all. All of us better get back to work or the lights will never shine again. Yes, I. Yes, I see what you mean. What are you working on? Still on this confounded tail plane for the Warwick. It's more tricky than I thought, so we'll get it right. Well, I'll. I'll see you later. Oh, no, no, no. Don't go. For a minute. There was something I wanted to ask you. What's that? Yeah. Sit down. You like Cigarette? No, thanks. What's on your mind, Wallace? I. I've been thinking about this war. Thinking about the last one, too. Trying to analyze what are the. The sources of a nation's power? What? Military power. Military power, economic power, political power. It's all one. Armies, air forces, navies are made up of men. Men, machines and weapons. But men have to be fed. Machines have to be built and maintained. What gets them built? What feeds them and keeps them going? Agriculture for food, coal, oil, steel, water, power. Right, let's take these things one by one. If we can deprive an enemy of oil and coal and power, we strike at his very heart. That's elementary, my dear Wallace. Textbook stuff. And perhaps we should start re reading the textbooks. Look out there. That production line of ours will be working 24 hours a day turning out Wellington bombers. Well, they're good craft, aren't they? You designed them. It's not the aircraft I'm thinking about, it's the bombs. What are you driving at? Just this. The biggest bomb available in this country today is a 500 pounder. Its filling is amatol, a second rate explosive. And each 500 pounder carries only 125 pounds of charge. You can do a devil of a lot of damage with 125lbs of amatol. Could you wreck a coal mine with it? Well, no, not unless you dropped it down the spud, as it were. Exactly. You could drop one on the Battersea Power Station. And unless you were dead on a vulnerable spot, you'd even cause a flicker in London's power supply. The same with oil installations. You can damage surface, plant, disrupt activity, but you don't touch the potential. Oh, no. But if you use blanket bombing. Blanket bombing is a waste, a criminal waste of men, machines and armament. Then what is the answer? Here, look at this. Do you know what that is? Well, it looks familiar. That's a photograph of the Mohna Dam, which supplies one third of the watering part of the whole of the Ruhr. Do you know that to make a ton of steel in the Ruhr, you need eight tons of water? If you could destroy the Mona Dam and the other two, the Ada and the Sauper, you could cripple the German armament industry overnight. What? Blow up the Mohna Dam with a bomb? Wallace, you're crazy. You can't mean it. I do mean it. That's what we need and that's what we've got to get. A bomb that will blow up the Mona Dam. A dam buster. Oh, I say, Charles, come off it. This is the Ministry of Aircraft Production, not the Wavy Navy. We have to work for our money. But I'll tell you what, if you could pick me up at 4:30. Oh, no, no. It isn't possible, dear boy. I've got somebody coming to see me in a few minutes. Boffin Type, you know. Name of Chalice. Wallace. No, I don't know. All these inventors look the same and they're all as mad as hatters. Mm. Yeah, that's all right, Charles. See you at 4.30. Goodbye. Oh, hello. How did you get in here? The young lady showed me. And I have an appointment. Oh, yes. You are Mr. Chalice Wallace? Oh, yes, yes. Like a cup of tea? Thank you, yes. You've read my notes? Your notes? Oh, yes, yes. Have them here, right under my hand. Very interesting. Very ingenious. I'm glad of that. Well, what are you going to do about them? Do? I'm afraid we can't do anything. I mean, a Dam Buster bomb is all right in theory. If the theory is right, it must work in practice. Yes. Yes, I suppose it must. Sugar? Two lumps or one? None, thanks. Now, as I pointed out in my notes, the three principal problems are the weight of the bomb, the design of the aircraft to carry it and the problem of aiming the bomb. Aiming it? Oh, yes, yes, of course. Very important. Biscuit? No, thank you. What? You must understand, my dear fellow. I'm not your dear fellow. I put before you a perfectly logical thesis on the design, construction and delivery of a 10,000 pound bomb capable of breaching three of the principal dams in Germany. And you. You offer me tea and biscuits. What you must understand, Mr. Wallace, is that there are channels, methods of approach. And besides, if I'd known you didn't like tea. To the devil with your tea, sir. And your biscuits too. Give me my notes. See if I can find someone who doesn't talk like a congenital idiot. Good. Good day, sir. My dear Wallace, for my own part, I am more than prepared to accept both your figures and your conclusions. Meaning that other people won't? How many of our brains trust can read a simple memorandum, let alone an intricate set of calculations? What do we do about it? Surely, Tedder, you have some influence. Yeah, Vice marshals, a tuppence a dozen. But I do have a lot of friends. I'll talk to some of them. You'll have to leave it with me for a while, I'm afraid. You know how these things are done. I know only too well how these things are done. It's a comfort to know there's someone who doesn't think I'm just another crack potted inventor. You know, Wallace, if. If There was some way you could demonstrate your conclusions. Actions speak louder than words. They've been demonstrated already. How? When? Back in 1935, when they were building Waterloo Bridge, the engineers found that the concrete piles were no sooner driven into the mud than they shattered. That's the exact word, shattered. Why? Well, putting it simply, the shock wave was sent down the pile by the impact of the pile driver. Then it bounced back up the pile as soon as it hit the clay at the bottom. Result, a tension was created in the concrete which shattered it in exactly the same way as this bomb which I've described would shatter the concrete retaining wall of a dam. You. You'll find it all in the journal of the Civil Engineering Institute. Yes, which brings us back to our first problem. How many of our colleagues can read? Leave it with me. I'll see what sort of interest I can stir up. Meantime, if you could think up a way of demonstrating. I'll think about it. Thanks, Terror. It's the truth, I tell you. If you'd seen him, you'd think the old boffin had gone crazy. There he was in his backyard with all these children, tossing a chunk of broomstick handle into a tub of water. He never seen such a mess when I spoke to him. Quite odd. So odd that I decided to leave him to it. He's been pestering every one of the departments for weeks now. Some crazy idea or other. They've had him, I can tell you. Oh. Oh, here he comes now. Oh. Oh. Good morning, gentlemen. Oh, good morning. Can I have a cup of tea, Maisie? How's the tail plane coming along, Wallace? Oh, the tail plane. Oh, fine, fine. I've ironed out all the bugs. By the way, Jackson. Yes? What can I do for you? Do you think one of your office girls could do a job for me? What sort of job? Typing and duplicating. How long is it? About 70 pages of full scap. 100 copies. Oh, well, it's a tall order, but I suppose I can arrange it. Good, good. I'll send it over this afternoon. See they make a good job of it, won't you? I'm sending it out to a lot of important people. What, another plan to win the war? Not exactly, but it could shorten it. I'll see you later. Now I've heard everything, and I know he's going crazy. Oh. Oh, my dear. What is it, darling? Have you seen that. That projectile of mine? The one I was using in the garden last Saturday? Oh, you mean that piece of broomstick? What? I'm sorry. I threw it out. Did it mean something? Oh, dear. It was quite a nuisance. She had to carve another one. I'm sorry, dear. I didn't realize. I thought it was. Who could be calling at this hour on Saturday morning too? I shan't be a moment, dear. Excuse me, ma'am. Is Mr. Barnes Wallace at home, please? Yes, won't you come in? Who is that? A gentleman to see you, Barnes, dear. Oh, I wasn't expecting visitors. Oh, Mr. Wallace? That's right. My name's Jenna, sir. A special branch Scotland Yarn. It is Ryan Seacrest here. There was a recent social media trend which consisted of flying on a plane with no music, no movies, no entertainment. But a better trend would be going to chumbacasino.com it's like having a mini social casino in your pocket. Chumba Casino has over a hundred online casino style games, all absolutely free. It's the most fun you can have online and on a plane. So grab your free welcome bonus now@chumbacasino.com sponsored by Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary. VGW Group void where prohibited by law. 21/ Terms and Conditions apply. Find your American Express card and start earning rewards. With cash back and bonus points on your everyday purchases. Like dining in or eating out, shopping at your favorite retail stores or picking up groceries. You can earn rewards when you use Amex. See if you pre qualify with no impact on your credit score. Learn more about our offers@americanexpress.com check for offers. Your credit score may be impacted. If you submit an application, terms apply. Do you think I could see you for a few minutes alone? Certainly. Excuse us, Maria. I'll be in the kitchen. Now. Mr. Jenner, what can I do for you? A gentleman in the Department of Aircraft Production received this document in the mail. Do you recognize it? Yes, yes I do. I wrote it and posted it myself. Oh, I see. Sir, Is there anything wrong in that? Yes, sir, I'm afraid there is. Well, then, what's wrong? I'm sorry, sir, but I must ask you to come with me to Scotland Yard. It was a devastating piece of irony at the Barnes Wallace, the man who designed the R100, the most successful British dirigible. The Wellesley and the Wellington bombers should be sure to be taken in charge by a plain clothes policeman and hustled off to Scotland Yard. But Barnes Wallace was a man untouched by irony. That he sat through the long drive and the longer minutes of waiting with an air of faint puzzlement which deepened when he was ushered into a drab room and closely Questioned by a deputy Commissioner. You are Mr. Barnes Wallace? That's right. You are a chief designer at Vickers Limited at Weybridge? That's right. As such, you are in the possession of a great deal of highly secret information. Information of extraordinary value to the enemy. Well, yes. Yes, I suppose I am. You are the author of this report on a project for the breaching of three important hydroelectric dams in Germany? Yes. And yet I understand that you committed to the mails more than 70 copies of this vitally secret and vitally important document. Do you know, Commissioner, that's very encouraging. I. I beg your pardon? Vitally secret, Vitally important. Do you know what, Commissioner? I presented that report to more than 50 officials in a dozen different departments. More than half of them have dismissed it as scatterbrained humbugs. So? So you see, I'm quite encouraged by your reception. Oh, I see. Why did you post these copies? It was a gesture, Commissioner. A final attempt to discover one man in England who was capable of reading a simple argument and accepting my figures for what they are. The work of a responsible and reputable scientist. Well, in that case, Mr. Wallace, I'm in a difficult position. I must caution you against the possible consequences of broadcasting information like this. And at the same time, I'd like to wish you luck. Thank you, Commissioner. At the moment, I think I need a blasted miracle. Oh, confound it. Wallace here. Don't you know that I've repeatedly given orders that no phone calls are to be put through to me? I'm sorry, sir, but it's Lord Beaverbrook. What's that you said? Lord Beaverbrook, sir. Shall I put him through? Yes, yes, of course, Girl. Lord Beaverbrook is waiting, sir. Hello? This is Barnes. Wallace. Oh, Wallace, this is Beaverbrook. How long will it take you to get up to London? When, sir? Tomorrow. Oh, confound it. Today. Oh, well, sir, allowing for hold up, say two hours. Make it an hour and a half. I'll be expecting you. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye, sir. Beaverbrook. Beaverbrook. Now we are really getting somewhere. His lordship will see you now, Mr. Wallace. Come this way, please. Thank. It's very good of you to see me, sir. Sit down, ma'am. Sit down. I've brought some notes, sir. Notes? Notes? I don't know anything about notes. I want to know how quickly you can leave for America. I don't understand, sir. America? I thought you wanted to see me. I want to see you about an immediate flight to America. The purpose of your visit will be to investigate the work being done on the use of Pressurized cabins for high flying aircraft. I understand the Americans have made great strikes. There's no need to go to America for that, sir. What's that you say? What do you mean, no need to go to America? I'm telling you. I'm telling you, sir, that we have here in England all the data on the construction and use of pressurized aircraft. And that in all respects we're keeping face with Americans if we're not actually ahead of them. I can give you all the information you want in 24 hours. Oh, well, thank God for a man who knows his business. I'll hold you to that, Wallace. I want all the information on my desk in 24 hours. You'll have it, sir. Good. Now, you wanted to see me about something? Have to make it brief. Well, for the past three months I've been trying to get someone in authority to examine my project for the breaching of the three principal dams in the Ruhr district by heavy bombs dropped from aircraft. What's that you say? Breach the dams? You mean. I mean the Mirna, the Ada and the Saupa. If we could breach those dams, we could flood the whole countryside, disrupt the heavy armament industry. I know exactly what we could do. If we could breach the dams, we could do it. All right, sir. You'll find it all there in my report. I'll read it later. Tell me in plain words what you need. A 10,000 pound bomb and an aircraft capable of carrying it. Yes, we'd like a slice of the moon, too. It could be done, sir. All right, I'll take your word for that. But don't you see, Wallace? We're so far behind, we have to disrupt the whole program of production. It would still be worth it, sir. Besides, we can do it in stages. I've got drawings for 2 ton and 6 ton bombs on the same principle. My Wellingtons can carry a two tonner and the new four engine ones can carry the six tonner. They'll be operating in a year. Now, see my experts about it. But if we have to divert too much efforts, I don't like your chances. Let me have those other reports in 24 hours. Good day, Wallace. Hello, George. Wallace here. I want your boys to get some information for me. I want a shell casing to carry 5,000 pounds of explosive and to be able to withstand the shock of impact at a thousand miles an hour. Yes, yes, yes. I know it's crazy, but I want you to tell me whether it can be done. Hello, Andy, it's Wallace here. I want some figures on bomb aiming, is it possible for a bomb aimer to pick up a small target from 40,000ft? What's the minimum size for visibility at that height? What allowances must be made for wind deflection? Yes, yes, I know it's pinpointing but you're working on it and I'd like the latest information you've got as quickly as possible. Hello? Hello? Research library. Wallace here. I want you to chase up this one as quickly as you can. Now, In World War I there was a landmine exploded under Messines Ridge. That's right. M E double S I N E S. The shockwave was recorded in Castle Miles away. See if you can dig me out any information on it. Yes, as soon as you can. Thank you. It's 11:00, darling. Don't you think you should go to bed? No, no, I'll wait up a little while. I'm expecting a ring from Craven. He's going to see Beaverbrook today and try to get some action on this project of mine. He told me he'd be back late but I said I'd wait up. How's it going, dear? Are you getting anywhere? As far as my end is concerned I'm getting further every day. I've got enough information to prove 10 times over the thing can be done. As far as the others are concerned I. I don't know. I thought Beaverbrook would do something but. Well, we'll just have to wait until Sir Charles Craven rings. I'll make you a cup of tea. Oh, there it is now. I'll take it. Hello, Wallace here. Hello, Wallace? This is Craven. Yes, sir. I saw Beaverbrook today as I promised. Yes, the policy of the Air Council is definitely against large bombs. They regret that they can give you no further support to your proposal. I. I see. Thank you for ringing, sir. Good night. I'm sorry. Good night, Wallace. Attention all personnel. Attention all personnel. A large force of enemy bombers is approaching Weybridge. It is believed that their target is this factory. Switch off all power supplies and proceed to shelters immediately. Attention all personnel. Switch off all power supplies and proceed to shelters immediately. Fire wardens take up their posts. Fire wardens take up their posts. Well gentlemen, that's very good news. In spite of the fact that seven direct hits were scored on our vicar's works only 24 out of 500 machines were put out of action. Of these, only two have been seriously damaged. There has been no loss of life. I should like to convey my congratulations to the staff on their cool and competent behavior and to Tell them that we shall be in full production tomorrow morning. That is all, gentlemen. Thank you. Could I see you a moment, Sir Charles? Oh, yes, certainly, Wallace. What can I do for you? Seven direct hits, wasn't it, sir? Yes, that's right. And we'll be back in full production tomorrow. Wonderful, isn't it? Yes, sir. Seven 250 pound bombs and we haven't even fought it in our stride. Jerry will never knock us out of the war at that rate. No, sir. We won't knock him out either. What's that you say? Oh. Oh, I see. You're a stubborn devil, aren't you, Wallace? Am I, sir? Well, I better be getting back to work. I'm sick and tired of tinpot officials who are trying to fight a war with typewriters and teacups. Yes, dear. I'm sick and tired of bungling incompetents who sit behind their desks and dictate memos to each other about sweet Fanny Adams. Yes, dear. I'm sick and tired of men who call themselves engineers and scientists who can't read a simple equation. Yes, dear. You'll wake the children. I'm sorry, I seem to have come to a dead end. My dear, I've done everything possible to demonstrate the project theoretically, but I can't get anyone interested enough to make even a few practical experiments. Well, yeah, I suppose they're frightened of the money involved. Money? Money. If you could see the criminal waste of public money. Oh, dear. Let's have a cup of tea and go to bed. Yes, dear. Oh, I'm sorry. I almost forgot. Somebody rang for you just before dinner. He left a number and asked you to ring back. Oh, what was his name? Summerlee? No, no, Winterbottom. Group Captain Winterbottom. It's a city number. Oh, there's not much point in ringing back now. Everybody still goes home at 5 o'clock in the city. In spite of the fact that there's a war on. I don't think so, dear. This gentleman said it'd be in all the evening. Oh, that change anyway. I'll ring him back while you're making the tea. The number's on the pad. Yeah, I've got it. Winterbottom here. This is Barnes Wallace. You telephoned me earlier. I didn't get your message until just now. That's all right. Good of you to ring. I was wondering if I could come down and see you tomorrow. Oh, I. I'm afraid not. I've got a very heavy day tomorrow. What did you want to see me about? You. You wrote a little fairy tale some time ago. I did? Yes. I've got a copy of it on my desk. We're interested. Who's we? Do you know Tizard? Tizard Aircraft Production? That's right, I am. I work for him. Oh. Then come on down, my dear fellow. Come on down. I'll keep the whole day for you. Well, there it is, gentlemen. All the general data, all my figures. What do you think of it? It's up to Sir Henry Tizard. I'm just the office boy. Well, Sir Henry, I like it, Wallace. I like it very well. Thank God for that. You've had a tough time, I know, but I'll try to help you on this. Not out of the wood yet, of course. You've got to prove it. Well, I can't prove it without a bomb and an aircraft to drop it. It may be possible. Go on, Sir Henry. We'll leave the bomb out of it for the moment. The first thing we've got to do is to find out how much explosive it takes to crack the wall of a dam. If the explosive is placed anywhere near the wall and under the water. That's right. Once we've done that, we can proceed to the bomb part of it. Constructing, delivering, etc. Where do we get a dam, sir? We build one. A little one and a bigger one and a bigger one still. And then. Yes, Sir Henry. If you can blow the little dams with scaled down explosive, then we'll get you a big one. A real one. I. I'm sorry, Sir Henry, but where do we get a real dam? We'll borrow one. No. At least three of them being used. One up near Birmingham, for instance. If you can blow that one up, then you really accomplish something. That still doesn't build us a bomb or an aircraft. If you can bring out this first part of it, Wallace, you'll at least have a chance of getting what you want. And from there on, well, you'll cha cha cha cha. Chumba looking for excitement. Chumba Casino is here. Play anytime. Play anywhere. Play on the train. Play at the store. Play at home. Play when you're bored. Play today for your chance to win and get daily bonuses when you log in. So what are you waiting for? Don't delay. Chumba Casino is free to play. Experience social gameplay like never before. Go to Chumba Casino right now to play hundreds of games including online slots, bingo, Slingo and more. Live the chumba life@chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary VGW GROUP VOID where prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply. 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