Never Mind The Dambusters
Never Mind The Dambusters…It’s The Bomber Command Podcast!
Join historians and authors Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies as they delve into the world of RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. In this weekly podcast (episodes released every Wednesday), Jane and James explore strategy, policy, and the events which shaped one of the most controversial campaigns of the war.
Despite their iconic status, Bomber Command's history extends far beyond the famed Dambusters raid of 1943 and the Avro Lancaster. Through insightful discussions, expert analysis of the strategic bombing campaign and first hand accounts by veterans and civilians on the ground, Never Mind the Dambusters offers listeners a comprehensive exploration of Bomber Command's operations and the diverse aircraft it employed, as well as tackling some tough topics.
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. Please send in your questions to us on X (twitter) at @RAFBomber_Pod and on Instagram at @NeverMindTheDambusters. You can email the show at nmtdambusters@gmail.com.
Never Mind The Dambusters
Episode 1 - Bomber Command Begins
Welcome to the first episode of Never Mind The Dambusters! In this episode James and Jane discuss the origins of their mutual interest in RAF Bomber Command, and talk about the evolution of Strategic Bombing Theory from the Great War to the late 1930s.
What did it take to build a strategic bomber force and why was it necessary? How do you build a bomber base?
James waxes lyrical about the Bristol Blenheim, and the team answer your questions, on parachutes and training ops.
Buckle up!
For further reading on air power theory, we recommend:
Professor John Buckley's Air Power in the Age of Total War (quoted by Jane in this episode)
Tami Davis Biddle's Rhetoric and Reality in Air Warfare - The evolution of British and American Ideas About Strategic Bombing 1914-1945
Richard Overy's The Air War 1939-1945, and his The Bombing War.
Thank you for listening!
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters receive invitations to participate in our recording sessions as an audience member.
Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)
You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .
You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here