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Catalogue for our Sir Barnes Wallis 'Dam Busters' Collection auction held on Wednesday 25th of March 2026

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description ( and estimated value in GBP )
  • BAIRSTOW, Leonard. Applied Aerodynamics. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 8vo, 808pp. Original red cloth, gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Second Edition. Initialled B.N.W. 1939

131

BAIRSTOW, Leonard. Applied Aerodynamics. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 8vo, 808pp. Original red cloth, gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Second Edition. Initialled B.N.W. 1939

sold for £100
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  • PLUMMER, H. C. Probability and Frequency. London: Macmillan and Co., 1940. 8vo, 265pp. Original green cloth, gilt lettered spine. Minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Initialled B.N.W. Dec. 1940

132

PLUMMER, H. C. Probability and Frequency. London: Macmillan and Co., 1940. 8vo, 265pp. Original green cloth, gilt lettered spine. Minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Initialled B.N.W. Dec. 1940

sold for £95
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  • A collection of research pamphlets (14) from 1927-1940 mainly by The Aeronautical Research Committee to include : The Strength of Tubular Struts 1927, 44pp. (initialled B.N.W to front cover), A Non Dimensional Form of The Stability Equations of an Aeroplane March 1927, Light Alloys For Aeronautical Purposes 1934, 32pp., Summary of The Present State of Knowledge Regarding Sheet Metal Construction 1933, 20pp. (back cover missing), Buckling of Thin Plates in Compression 1933, 21pp. (back cover missing), Technical Report Into The Accident To The Aeroplane G-AAZK at Meopham Kent on 21st July 1930, published January 1931, 92pp., The Size-Grading of Sand by Wind 1937, The Optimum Size of Models for Studying Flow Through Nest of Tubes 1939, 9pp., Resistance To Flow Through Nest of Tubes 1939, 20pp. The Manufacture of High Strength Light Alloy Extrusions 1938-1939, 39pp., The Use of Model Data in Aeroplane Design 1939, 16pp., The Stresses in a Circular Ring Supported by Frictionless Radial Pins 1940 marked With the author's compliments (x2) and Sound Control in Buildings 1940

133

A collection of research pamphlets (14) from 1927-1940 mainly by The Aeronautical Research Committee to include : The Strength of Tubular Struts 1927, 44pp. (initialled B.N.W to front cover), A Non Dimensional Form of The Stability Equations of an Aeroplane March 1927, Light Alloys For Aeronautical Purposes 1934, 32pp., Summary of The Present State of Knowledge Regarding Sheet Metal Construction 1933, 20pp. (back cover missing), Buckling of Thin Plates in Compression 1933, 21pp. (back cover missing), Technical Report Into The Accident To The Aeroplane G-AAZK at Meopham Kent on 21st July 1930, published January 1931, 92pp., The Size-Grading of Sand by Wind 1937, The Optimum Size of Models for Studying Flow Through Nest of Tubes 1939, 9pp., Resistance To Flow Through Nest of Tubes 1939, 20pp. The Manufacture of High Strength Light Alloy Extrusions 1938-1939, 39pp., The Use of Model Data in Aeroplane Design 1939, 16pp., The Stresses in a Circular Ring Supported by Frictionless Radial Pins 1940 marked With the author's compliments (x2) and Sound Control in Buildings 1940

sold for £120
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  • BECK, Adolf. The Technology of Magnesium and Its Alloys. London: F A Hughes & Co. Limited 1940. 8vo, 512pp. Original maroon cloth, gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine.

134

BECK, Adolf. The Technology of Magnesium and Its Alloys. London: F A Hughes & Co. Limited 1940. 8vo, 512pp. Original maroon cloth, gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine.

sold for £25
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  • A wooden adjustable catapult designed for and used in the 1955 movie "The Dam Busters" by Michael Redgrave (playing Sir Barnes Wallis). The catapult represents that used by Wallis in his 1941 April Bank holiday garden marble experiments, to prototype the concept of the bouncing bomb. The catapult raised on triform base and mounted on metal collar with tripod supports. The catapult firing rail adjustable in angle by a wing nut, having a projectile receptacle attached to elastic cord running along the top rail of the device. The rail fitted a trigger to release the projectile. 138cm h, catapult rail 93cm l

135

A wooden adjustable catapult designed for and used in the 1955 movie "The Dam Busters" by Michael Redgrave (playing Sir Barnes Wallis). The catapult represents that used by Wallis in his 1941 April Bank holiday garden marble experiments, to prototype the concept of the bouncing bomb. The catapult raised on triform base and mounted on metal collar with tripod supports. The catapult firing rail adjustable in angle by a wing nut, having a projectile receptacle attached to elastic cord running along the top rail of the device. The rail fitted a trigger to release the projectile. 138cm h, catapult rail 93cm l

sold for £3400
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  • A collection of marbles belonging to Sir Barnes Wallis' daughter, Elisabeth Gaunt (now 93). These marbles were famously used by Wallis during his garden experiment in April 1942 whilst developing the conceptual principles behind the Dam Busters 'bouncing bomb'. Of the day Elisabeth recalls "I remember the Easter bank holiday weekend when Daddy came home with a strange device and placed it in front of a metal wash tub that he had filled with water in the garden. He then asked if he could borrow my marbles for an experiment. I was fiercely protective of my marbles but reluctantly agreed, I was very worried in case any of my precious marbles were lost, sadly some of them did get chipped." Elisabeth's late sister Mary Stopes-Roe, also reflected on these formative experiments, recalling "We had this wonderful experiment at our family home, where my father set up the washtub and got a catapult made by his department. He altered the angle of the slant at which the ball was delivered and the distance from the water, and then he bounced my sister's marbles, which she has never forgotten, the fact that they were her marbles." Mrs Gaunt has displayed the marbles over the years at various events and they have always been in her possession.

136

A collection of marbles belonging to Sir Barnes Wallis' daughter, Elisabeth Gaunt (now 93). These marbles were famously used by Wallis during his garden experiment in April 1942 whilst developing the conceptual principles behind the Dam Busters 'bouncing bomb'. Of the day Elisabeth recalls "I remember the Easter bank holiday weekend when Daddy came home with a strange device and placed it in front of a metal wash tub that he had filled with water in the garden. He then asked if he could borrow my marbles for an experiment. I was fiercely protective of my marbles but reluctantly agreed, I was very worried in case any of my precious marbles were lost, sadly some of them did get chipped." Elisabeth's late sister Mary Stopes-Roe, also reflected on these formative experiments, recalling "We had this wonderful experiment at our family home, where my father set up the washtub and got a catapult made by his department. He altered the angle of the slant at which the ball was delivered and the distance from the water, and then he bounced my sister's marbles, which she has never forgotten, the fact that they were her marbles." Mrs Gaunt has displayed the marbles over the years at various events and they have always been in her possession.
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  • BACON, Admiral Sir Reginald and MCMURTRIE, Francis E. Modern Naval Strategy. London: Frederick Muller Ltd. 8vo, 208 pp. Original black cloth, white lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine, some minor foxing in places. Initialled BNW Salisbury Feb 15th 1945 and inscription To N Spark. With the authors best wishes Xmas 1940 R H Bacon. Having a loose leaf with pages numbers noted on which comments have been written in pencil

137

BACON, Admiral Sir Reginald and MCMURTRIE, Francis E. Modern Naval Strategy. London: Frederick Muller Ltd. 8vo, 208 pp. Original black cloth, white lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine, some minor foxing in places. Initialled BNW Salisbury Feb 15th 1945 and inscription To N Spark. With the authors best wishes Xmas 1940 R H Bacon. Having a loose leaf with pages numbers noted on which comments have been written in pencil

sold for £95
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  • KARMAN. Theodore V and BIOT, Maurice A. Mathematical Methods in Engineering. New York and London: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. 1940. 8vo, 505pp. Original black cloth, gilt lettered spine. Minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. First Edition, Second Impression. Initialled B.N.W. 1940. Handwritten pencil notes with diagram to the back page

138

KARMAN. Theodore V and BIOT, Maurice A. Mathematical Methods in Engineering. New York and London: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. 1940. 8vo, 505pp. Original black cloth, gilt lettered spine. Minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. First Edition, Second Impression. Initialled B.N.W. 1940. Handwritten pencil notes with diagram to the back page

sold for £120
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  • A Confidential handbook - 53.3 c/m Weymouth Torpedo for Turkish Destroyers. Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd. 1940. 4to, 9pp. with 16 pull out cross section plates of torpedos. Original blue cloth, gilt lettering. Rubbing to corners and edges of spine.

139

A Confidential handbook - 53.3 c/m Weymouth Torpedo for Turkish Destroyers. Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd. 1940. 4to, 9pp. with 16 pull out cross section plates of torpedos. Original blue cloth, gilt lettering. Rubbing to corners and edges of spine.

sold for £220
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  • A 2 inch aluminium sphere of the type used in the Teddington ship tanks during the development of the Golf Mine "bouncing bomb". Discovered in a box of Sir Barnes Wallis' lectures slides on the "Dam Busters" raid, the spheres were the next evolutionary step after the garden marbles leading eventually to the development of the Highball and Upkeep bombs. Between 9 June and 10 September 1942, Wallis made use of one of the two large indoor water tanks of The National Physical Laboratory at Teddington on at least 18 occasions, he stated "I moored a wax model of a battleship several hundred feet up the tank, broadside on. We fired 2in diameter balls at it, when of course after hitting the freeboard of the ship, the sinking velocity of the ball combined with back-spin to move it towards the ship, and by adjusting the mean density of the ball we were able to pass it right underneath "the soft underbelly", to quote Winston Churchill.

140

A 2 inch aluminium sphere of the type used in the Teddington ship tanks during the development of the Golf Mine "bouncing bomb". Discovered in a box of Sir Barnes Wallis' lectures slides on the "Dam Busters" raid, the spheres were the next evolutionary step after the garden marbles leading eventually to the development of the Highball and Upkeep bombs. Between 9 June and 10 September 1942, Wallis made use of one of the two large indoor water tanks of The National Physical Laboratory at Teddington on at least 18 occasions, he stated "I moored a wax model of a battleship several hundred feet up the tank, broadside on. We fired 2in diameter balls at it, when of course after hitting the freeboard of the ship, the sinking velocity of the ball combined with back-spin to move it towards the ship, and by adjusting the mean density of the ball we were able to pass it right underneath "the soft underbelly", to quote Winston Churchill.

sold for £9000
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  • ALLEN, Edgar C. Machinery's Screw Thread Book. London: Machinery Publishing Co, Ltd 1940, 8vo, 147pp. Orange card cover with black lettered spine. Fading to spine, some minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Pastedown and endpaper with stuck labels "MR. WALLIS' PRIVATE COPY". Initialled to front cover B.N.W.

141

ALLEN, Edgar C. Machinery's Screw Thread Book. London: Machinery Publishing Co, Ltd 1940, 8vo, 147pp. Orange card cover with black lettered spine. Fading to spine, some minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Pastedown and endpaper with stuck labels "MR. WALLIS' PRIVATE COPY". Initialled to front cover B.N.W.

sold for £190
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  • DIEHL, Walter Stuart. Engineering Aerodynamics. New York: The Ronald Press Company. 8vo, 556pp. Original green cloth, gilt lettered spine. Some rubbing to corners and edges of the spine. Fourth Printing, July 1940. Initialled B.N.W. April 1941

142

DIEHL, Walter Stuart. Engineering Aerodynamics. New York: The Ronald Press Company. 8vo, 556pp. Original green cloth, gilt lettered spine. Some rubbing to corners and edges of the spine. Fourth Printing, July 1940. Initialled B.N.W. April 1941

sold for £200
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  • A 1942 A5 calendar notepad by Napier bound in marbled green calf initialled in gilt B.N.W, half empty with top sheet having pencilled diagrams of what appears to be a tunnel (or support structure of Italian dams) with dimensions having a round object following a dotted curve. One other loose sheet having technical drawing of and circular diagrams

143

A 1942 A5 calendar notepad by Napier bound in marbled green calf initialled in gilt B.N.W, half empty with top sheet having pencilled diagrams of what appears to be a tunnel (or support structure of Italian dams) with dimensions having a round object following a dotted curve. One other loose sheet having technical drawing of and circular diagrams

sold for £360
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  • A pair of cross section plans of the Mohne Dam to illustrate the intended path of the Upkeep mine stencilled "CROSS SECTION OF MOHNE DAM" and "CROSS SECTION OF UPPER PART OF MOHNE DAM". The main dam plan displaying a blue mine against the dam freeboard and another example of the red mine further down at 30 metre depth (the detonation point). The water has been added with a cumbersome blue crayon/pencil, the torpedo nets indicated by a yellow crayon buoy. At the top of the plan is a pencilled skimming bounce motion and there are pencilled formulae to the centre of the plan. A label bottom right stating Dr. Barnes Wallis used the plan to brief 617 Squadron on the night of the raid. Plan framed 83cm h x 109cm w (unframed x 73cm h x 100.5cm) The upper dam plan details a close up view of the mine striking the freeboard of the dam, the water side in coloured blue crayon, and then another depiction of a red mine at 30 metres depth - a light red pencil indicates 'detonation depth'. Plan framed 82cm h x 94cm w, (73cm h x 84.5cm w unframed) Both plans label to verso "loaned to RAF Museum by Sir Barnes Wallis" together with RAF stock label circa 1971.

144

A pair of cross section plans of the Mohne Dam to illustrate the intended path of the Upkeep mine stencilled "CROSS SECTION OF MOHNE DAM" and "CROSS SECTION OF UPPER PART OF MOHNE DAM". The main dam plan displaying a blue mine against the dam freeboard and another example of the red mine further down at 30 metre depth (the detonation point). The water has been added with a cumbersome blue crayon/pencil, the torpedo nets indicated by a yellow crayon buoy. At the top of the plan is a pencilled skimming bounce motion and there are pencilled formulae to the centre of the plan. A label bottom right stating Dr. Barnes Wallis used the plan to brief 617 Squadron on the night of the raid. Plan framed 83cm h x 109cm w (unframed x 73cm h x 100.5cm) The upper dam plan details a close up view of the mine striking the freeboard of the dam, the water side in coloured blue crayon, and then another depiction of a red mine at 30 metres depth - a light red pencil indicates 'detonation depth'. Plan framed 82cm h x 94cm w, (73cm h x 84.5cm w unframed) Both plans label to verso "loaned to RAF Museum by Sir Barnes Wallis" together with RAF stock label circa 1971.
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  • PIAGGIO, H. T. H. Differential Equations - An Elementary Treatise on Differential Equations and Their Applications. London: Bell 1942 8vo 259pp. Original blue cloth, gilt lettered spine. Notepaper with pencilled triangles to page 47. Minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Signed B.N. Wallis

145

PIAGGIO, H. T. H. Differential Equations - An Elementary Treatise on Differential Equations and Their Applications. London: Bell 1942 8vo 259pp. Original blue cloth, gilt lettered spine. Notepaper with pencilled triangles to page 47. Minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Signed B.N. Wallis

sold for £140
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  • MANLEY R.G. Fundamentals of Vibration Study. London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. 1942. 8vo, 128pp. Original red cloth, gilt lettered spine. Some fading to spine, minor rubbing to corners. First Published 1942. Initialled B.N.W. Sept. 1942

146

MANLEY R.G. Fundamentals of Vibration Study. London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. 1942. 8vo, 128pp. Original red cloth, gilt lettered spine. Some fading to spine, minor rubbing to corners. First Published 1942. Initialled B.N.W. Sept. 1942

sold for £75
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  • Composed by the Fluid Motion Panel of the Aeronautical Research Committee and Others, edited by S Goldstein, Modern Developments in Fluid Dynamics Volume I. Oxford: At The Clarenden Press. 8vo, 330pp. Original blue cloth with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. First Edition 1943. Some underlined text and written notes in pencil on page 327 and notes to page 329 together with a note with hand written equations.

147

Composed by the Fluid Motion Panel of the Aeronautical Research Committee and Others, edited by S Goldstein, Modern Developments in Fluid Dynamics Volume I. Oxford: At The Clarenden Press. 8vo, 330pp. Original blue cloth with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. First Edition 1943. Some underlined text and written notes in pencil on page 327 and notes to page 329 together with a note with hand written equations.

sold for £160
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  • Modern Developments in Fluid Dynamics Volume II. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1943. Lg. 8vo, 702pp. Original blue cloth, gilt lettered spine. On page 601 is a taped folded handwritten page detailing notes and formulae titled "Heat Transfer, Laminar Motion". Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine.

148

Modern Developments in Fluid Dynamics Volume II. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1943. Lg. 8vo, 702pp. Original blue cloth, gilt lettered spine. On page 601 is a taped folded handwritten page detailing notes and formulae titled "Heat Transfer, Laminar Motion". Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine.

sold for £500
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  • Barnes Wallis' facsimile copy of the 617 Squadron Grant of Arms granted in March 1944. The badge symbolises the successful attack on the dams in May 1943 with the lightning flashes symbolising the three dams attacked. The French motto "Apres Moi Le Deluge" translating as "After me the flood". The paper is creased and stained and framed in a contemporary 1940's perspex frame with green border 18cm h x 15cm w

149

Barnes Wallis' facsimile copy of the 617 Squadron Grant of Arms granted in March 1944. The badge symbolises the successful attack on the dams in May 1943 with the lightning flashes symbolising the three dams attacked. The French motto "Apres Moi Le Deluge" translating as "After me the flood". The paper is creased and stained and framed in a contemporary 1940's perspex frame with green border 18cm h x 15cm w

sold for £1300
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  • Two black and white oak framed aerial photographic prints of the Mohne Dam before and after the Operation Chastise "Dam Busters" strike on May 16th 1943, the post strike photograph signed by surviving members of 617 Squadron also ground crew and admin staff, notably Wg Cdr Guy Gibson V.C DSO DFC whose signature is direct centre over the water rushing through the breach in the dam. 105cm h x 105cm w (89.5cm h x 89.5cm w unframed)

150

Two black and white oak framed aerial photographic prints of the Mohne Dam before and after the Operation Chastise "Dam Busters" strike on May 16th 1943, the post strike photograph signed by surviving members of 617 Squadron also ground crew and admin staff, notably Wg Cdr Guy Gibson V.C DSO DFC whose signature is direct centre over the water rushing through the breach in the dam. 105cm h x 105cm w (89.5cm h x 89.5cm w unframed)

sold for £17500
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  • A Commander Of The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire, Civil Division silver gilt neck badge, 2nd Type, with original ribbon, by Garrard and Co Ltd, awarded to Sir Barnes Wallis in 1943, contained in original black fitted case with gilt lettering.

151

A Commander Of The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire, Civil Division silver gilt neck badge, 2nd Type, with original ribbon, by Garrard and Co Ltd, awarded to Sir Barnes Wallis in 1943, contained in original black fitted case with gilt lettering.

sold for £8000
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  • A wooden model of Tallboy (Medium) Bomb 32cm, raised on a mahogany stand with brass plaque marked Tallboy (Medium) 12,000 LB. 1/20 scale. The Tallboy was the first bomb Wallis designed after the success of the bouncing bomb. The bomb was so large, there were no aircraft capable of lifting it to its optimal altitude but it could be dropped from a lower height and would enter the earth at near supersonic speed, penetrating to a depth of up to 20m before exploding. The Tallboy was used on strategic German targets such as V-2 rocket launch sites, the V-3 supergun bunker, submarine pens and the battleship Tirpitz, as well as large civil constructions such as viaducts and bridges

152

A wooden model of Tallboy (Medium) Bomb 32cm, raised on a mahogany stand with brass plaque marked Tallboy (Medium) 12,000 LB. 1/20 scale. The Tallboy was the first bomb Wallis designed after the success of the bouncing bomb. The bomb was so large, there were no aircraft capable of lifting it to its optimal altitude but it could be dropped from a lower height and would enter the earth at near supersonic speed, penetrating to a depth of up to 20m before exploding. The Tallboy was used on strategic German targets such as V-2 rocket launch sites, the V-3 supergun bunker, submarine pens and the battleship Tirpitz, as well as large civil constructions such as viaducts and bridges

sold for £1550
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  • A Sheffield stainless steel pocket knife by Southern and Richardson having mother of pearl handle and blade stamped Immaculate Stainless (found within the Tallboy bomb model whilst cataloguing).

153

A Sheffield stainless steel pocket knife by Southern and Richardson having mother of pearl handle and blade stamped Immaculate Stainless (found within the Tallboy bomb model whilst cataloguing).

sold for £360
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  • A wooden model of The Grand Slam Bomb (medium capacity) 22,000 LB (10,000 kilogrammes earthquake bomb) raised on a turned wooden stand 17cm x 7cm. The Grand Slam was the second bomb Wallis designed after the success of the bouncing bomb. The bomb was even larger than the Tallboy and there was still no aircraft capable of lifting it to its optimal altitude. Like the Tallboy it could be dropped from a lower height and would enter the earth at near supersonic speed, penetrating to a depth of up to 20m before exploding. The Grand Slam was also used on strategic German targets such as V-2 rocket launch sites, the V-3 supergun bunker, submarine pens and the battleship Tirpitz, as well as large civil constructions such as viaducts and bridges.

154

A wooden model of The Grand Slam Bomb (medium capacity) 22,000 LB (10,000 kilogrammes earthquake bomb) raised on a turned wooden stand 17cm x 7cm. The Grand Slam was the second bomb Wallis designed after the success of the bouncing bomb. The bomb was even larger than the Tallboy and there was still no aircraft capable of lifting it to its optimal altitude. Like the Tallboy it could be dropped from a lower height and would enter the earth at near supersonic speed, penetrating to a depth of up to 20m before exploding. The Grand Slam was also used on strategic German targets such as V-2 rocket launch sites, the V-3 supergun bunker, submarine pens and the battleship Tirpitz, as well as large civil constructions such as viaducts and bridges.

sold for £820
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  • A black and white photograph of the grave of Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC DSO DFC, contained in a cream and red Bakelite table frame 15cm x 15cm x 5cm, the grave is situated in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Steenbergen-en-Kruisland, Netherlands. The photograph is visible in photos of Sir Barnes Wallis' office on top of a bookcase. A colour photo of the pair of graves of Gibson and his navigator, Squadron Leader Jim Warwick DFC, was found in the frame and is also included. Gibson and Warwick died on 19th September 1944 when their Mosquito aircraft crashed in Holland.

155

A black and white photograph of the grave of Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC DSO DFC, contained in a cream and red Bakelite table frame 15cm x 15cm x 5cm, the grave is situated in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Steenbergen-en-Kruisland, Netherlands. The photograph is visible in photos of Sir Barnes Wallis' office on top of a bookcase. A colour photo of the pair of graves of Gibson and his navigator, Squadron Leader Jim Warwick DFC, was found in the frame and is also included. Gibson and Warwick died on 19th September 1944 when their Mosquito aircraft crashed in Holland.

sold for £420
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