Eder Dam

A wide angle view of the area below the huge dam on the Edersee reservoir in Hesse, Germany, which nestles in a narrow wooded valley. In the early hours of 17 May 1943, Lancasters from the RAF's 617 Squadron, using secret "bouncing bombs", successfully breached the dam. This viewpoint shows the difficulty of the target for the aircrew, who had to fly at very low level over the dam then climb and turn to avoid the hillside beyond. This picture was taken on a rainy day in May, 70 years after the operation.