Never Mind The Dambusters

Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies

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, and continue the conversations in our Facebook group.  Never Mind the Dambusters Merchandise is now available at https://never-mind-the-dambusters.teemill.com/

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Episode 60: The Short Stirling, with Jonathan Falconer

    Send us a message or question! In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, host Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by Jonathan Falconer, a leading authority on the RAF and the Second World War, to discuss the Short Stirling, Bomber Command's first four-engine heavy bomber. They explore its development, operational history, and the unique challenges it faced. Jonathan shares insights into the aircraft's design, its role in key operations, and its eventual transition to transport and special duties roles. The conversation also touches on the legacy of the Stirling and the men who flew it, highlighting its often overlooked contributions to the war effort. You can read more about Jonathan's work here The titles referenced in this episode:  Short Stirling Owner's Workshop Manual (Haynes) https://amzn.eu/d/1TFE4JV Handley Page Halifax Owner's Workshop Manual (Haynes) https://amzn.eu/d/cyCLs9O RAF Bomber Command Operations Manual  https://amzn.eu/d/cyCLs9O Bomber Command Crewman https://amzn.eu/d/g3ZyFQ7 Stirling Wings https://amzn.eu/d/dPwKkse Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    43 min

  2. 7 JAN

    Episode 59: Oh Canada! RCAF, 6 Group & 429 Bison Sqn, with Greg Kopchuk

    Send us a message or question! Welcome back and a happy new year !  🇨🇦 In this episode of "Never Mind the Dambusters," host Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by Dr. Dan Ellin and Canadian historian Greg Kopchuk . The team explore the Canadian contribution to RAF Bomber Command, and the formation of 6 Group, from the perspective of 429 Bison Squadron. Greg explains how the Squadron got off to a fairly rocky start, with a CO who wouldn't fly and a very high casualty rate.  Greg's book on 429 Sqn is available here Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    45 min

  3. SEASON 4, EPISODE 58 TRAILER

    Series 4 Trailer

    Send us a message or question! SERIES 4 OF NEVER MIND THE DAMBUSTERS IS ON THE WAY! Brand new episodes drop Wednesday January 7th 2026 (available from Saturday 3rd for our paid subscribers).  We're returning with our most ambitious series yet — filled with new interviews, untold stories, and in-depth explorations of RAF Bomber Command. Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming up: ✈️ The Short Stirling with historian Jonathan Falconer 🪵 The de Havilland Mosquito with John Lilley from the People’s Mosquito project 🇨🇦 429 Bison Squadron and the RCAF with Greg Kopchuck 🎯 The Peenemünde Raid & the Master Bomber with Sean Feast 🇺🇸 USAAF Schweinfurt missions with Mike Peters of the Mighty Eighth podcast 💣 Bomb disposal in wartime Hamburg with Thomas Rost 📚 Professor Alan Allport on his new book Advance Britannia 🔥 Erik Parker on the Rotterdam raids …and much more to come. If you’re fascinated by the aircraft, the crews, the tactics, or the debates that still surround Bomber Command, you won’t want to miss this. Make sure to follow the page, join our discussion group, and subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you’re ready for takeoff! #NeverMindTheDambusters #WW2History #BomberCommand #AviationHistory #Podcast Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    5 min

  4. 30/09/2025

    Episode 57: The U-boat War - Wolfpack, with Roger Moorhouse

    Send us a message or question! Have we got a treat for you...Something different - U-boats instead of aircraft! In our final episode of this series, “The U-boat War - Wolfpack,” we explore the U-Boat War from the German perspective with historian and author Roger Moorhouse, whose new book Wolfpack: Inside Hitler’s U-Boat War will be published on 9 October 2025. Hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford-Lowes dive into what life was really like aboard German U-boats, the shifting strategies of the Battle of the Atlantic,  the human stories behind the steel hulls, the role of Ultra Intelligence, the impact of Allied bombing and developments in technology.  By looking at the war through the eyes of the U-boat crews, this episode reveals a side of World War II history that’s often overlooked. Join us for a fascinating conversation that brings these powerful and complex narratives to life. Further reading:  You can read Jane's articles on Ultra Intelligence in the Battle of the Atlantic and How to Survive Being Sunk by a U-Boat here.  Never Mind the Dambusters Merchandise is now available at https://never-mind-the-dambusters.teemill.com/ Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    49 min

  5. 23/09/2025

    Episode 56: Rough Justice - The Murder of Allied Airmen, with Thomas Rost

    Send us a message or question! In Episode 56 ( the penultimate episode of series 3), we delve into a chilling chapter of World War II history: the murders of Allied airmen in Germany. As the war raged on, downed airmen often found themselves at the mercy of their captors - military, civilian authorities and sometimes ordinary citizens. This episode uncovers the fate of one Allied airman, missing in action in January 1945. We are joined by German historian Thomas Rost, and together we explore the complex web of wartime  and post-war justice, and the search for the truth.  A thought -provoking discussion about crime, justice, due process, human responses and revenge. Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    46 min

  6. 16/09/2025

    Episode 55 - Operation Pimento: Escape, Evasion and Resolution, with Adam Hart

    Send us a message or question! This week, we're joined by Adam Hart, to discuss his new book about a downed Halifax pilot, who also happens to be his great-grandfather.  Operation Pimento  is a riveting story of courage, defiance, and survival.  Centered on his great-grandfather, Frank Griffiths, this extraordinary true account shines a light on the men and women of the French Resistance who risked everything to stand against tyranny and to assist Allied airmen to evade capture. From the perilous crossings of the Swiss Alps to the treacherous trails of the Pyrenees and beyond, Hart retraces his ancestor’s footsteps, uncovering the untold stories of bravery and resilience that defined an era. Blending personal discovery with powerful history, Operation Pimento is not only a testament to the indomitable spirit of resistance but also a deeply moving journey across landscapes where freedom was won step by step. If you'd like to read more, you can buy a copy of Operation Pimento here Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    51 min

  7. 09/09/2025

    Episode 54 - (Part 2) Above Us The Stars : 10 Squadron Bomber Command - The Wireless Operator's Story.

    Send us a message or question! (Available on general release on 10 September) In this episode James and Jane continue their chat about Jane's book, Above Us The Stars: 10 Squadron Bomber Command - The Wireless Operator's Story. Jane continues the story of the Pennicott crew, through the summer and autumn of 1943, and into 1944 and discusses the emotional toll of writing about such a difficult subject. Jane reveals  how a chance phonecall transformed the book, and how the story might have differed if she'd written it in 2025.  Signed copies are available direct from Jane's website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/store-buy-books/ Plain copies are available from all good booksellers, as well as Amazon. There's also a kindle version if that's your thing https://amzn.eu/d/aT1OfHg Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    40 min

  8. 02/09/2025

    Episode 53 - Above Us the Stars: 10 Squadron Bomber Command - The Wireless Operator's Story (part 1)

    Send us a message or question! This week James interviews Jane about her first Bomber Command book, "Above Us the Stars: 10 Squadron Bomber Command  - The Wireless Operator's Story." We can't believe it's taken us 53 episodes to finally get around to discussing it!  Jane shares with listeners the background to the book, her motivation for writing it, and describes her research processes (including what it feels like to sit in the wireless op's position in a Halifax). Jane traces her great uncle Jack Clyde's journey from apprentice joiner in a small mining town on the Durham coast to bombing raids over the Ruhr Valley.  (Part 2 available for subscribers now, for everyone else on 10 September)  Signed copies are available direct from Jane's website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/store-buy-books/ Plain copies are available from all good booksellers, as well as Amazon. There's also a kindle version if that's your thing https://amzn.eu/d/aT1OfHg Support the show 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 get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 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

    53 min
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Trailers

About

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, and continue the conversations in our Facebook group.  Never Mind the Dambusters Merchandise is now available at https://never-mind-the-dambusters.teemill.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Never Mind The Dambusters
  • Show Website
    Never Mind The Dambusters

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