Introduction

I listen to a lot of podcasts while at my workbench, and one of my favorites is "Never Mind the Dambusters" about the RAF's Bomber Command during World War 2. Historians Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies host weekly looks at the strategy, policy, and the people who shaped perhaps the most-controversial aspect of Britain during the war. 

The podcast grew out of the realization that RAF Bomber Command is mostly known today for the famous "Dambusters" raid in 1943 on the dams of Germany's Ruhr Valley, and the policy of "area bombing" designed to bring hellfire to the cities and people of the Third Reich. The famous movie of the same name has helped spawn models and books about efforts to breach the Ruhr dams and damage the Nazi war machine, as well as kindle interest in successive generations of potential armchair historians. But Gulliford Lowes and Jefferies know that RAF Bomber Command was far more, and their goal is to introduce a general audience to the many aspects of this important branch of service.

Jane and James will be joined by leading academics, historians, aircraft enthusiasts, technicians and engineers and veterans' family members. Expect  discussions on relevant books and films and  a spotlight on a different aircraft in each episode.

The Review

The podcast is also available on YouTube, and combines the scholarship of the hosts with a constantly-changing cast of guest academics and historians. "Never Mind the Dambusters" is an attempt to bring to life the complex and wide-ranging history of Bomber Command during the war. From the war's very first days, Bomber Command was flying sorties. Indeed, plans had been made throughout the 1930s on how Britain would fight against the likely enemy of Nazi Germany.

At first, the RAF attempted to be "all things to all people," and undertook far too many tasks with too few planes and too few aircrew. The disastrous campaign in Norway, followed by the crushing defeat of France in May 1940 destroyed invaluable aircraft and personnel. And even though the Spitfires and Hurricanes (justifiably) claim the credit for defeating the Nazis during the Battle of Britain, Bomber Command was even then attacking Luftwaffe airfields in France.

Gulliford Lewes and Jeffries are undeniably (and charmingly) fans of the planes and people who fought in the war. Each has their favorite airplane (the Halifax and the Blenheim respectively), and they bring a refreshing level of personal chat and opinion to the business at hand. I'm glad to say they don't shy away, either, from controversial topics. Episodes Four and Five, for example, discuss an otherwise little-known raid on the Ruhr city of Wuppertal on May 29-30, 1943, bringing in first-person accounts from both the aircrews and German civilians subjected to the hell on earth of incendiary bombing.

Other topics include:

• Sara Louise Miller on her new book about the Avro Lancaster
• Graham Waterton on his book about the tragically short career of his uncle, Brian "Boy Slade," the youngest bomber pilot of the RAF
• Arthur "Bomber" Harris and the decision to abandon daylight precision bombing for nighttime "area" bombing intended to destroy housing and kill civilians
• Bomber Command and the Invasion of Normandy
• "Lack of Moral Fiber" and the RAF's struggle with pilots laid low by PTSD

As I stated at the beginning, I listen to a lot of podcasts when building models, and "Never Mind the Dambusters" is one of the best on World War Two. You can find it on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple and Amazon.