Dambuster prototypes recovered

Army engineers began a delicate operation yesterday to recover prototypes of Barnes Wallis's famous dambusting bouncing bombs from the Kent coast.

Five bombs have been discovered on the low tide mark at Reculver, near Herne Bay, where trials for the most famous air-raid of the Second World War were held.

Specially-equipped Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson dropped the bombs to breach dams in Germany's industrial Ruhr, creating a flood that destroyed power supplies and disrupted war industries.The dambusters were immortalised in the eponymous 1954 film, starring Richard Todd and Michael Redgrave.