Sixty-five years ago this month, in one of the most daring exploits of World War II, Guy Gibson and the crew of his 617 Squadron of Lancaster bombers attacked and breached the Ruhr dams with ‘bouncing bombs’. The resulting flood wrecked vast areas of war factories and power stations with devastating effects on German armament production. Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris, Bomber Command’s wartime chief, described the ‘Lanc’ as the greatest single factor in winning the war. More than 7,000 had been built when production ended in 1946. this iconic aircraft is one of 25 featured in our Set of The Month, Hitchman’s Aircraft of World War II, among which, needless to say are the Hurricane and Spitfire which played such an important part in the Battle of Britain. Other Allied aircraft in the set include the Mosquito, Mustang and B17 Flying Fortress, whilst the enemy’s armoury includes the Japanese Zero, a Heinkel bomber and several Messerschmitts – the 109, the 110 and the rocket-propelled 163 and the jet-propelled 262 introduced towards the end of the war, but too late to effect the outcome.

This set of 25 Aircraft of World War II issued by Hitchman in 1966 in mint condition is catalogued at £9.00.