Lancaster "AJ-M" Short-Sleeve Unisex Premium T-Shirt

This design is based on Lancaster “AJ-M” (serial number ED925) flown by Flight Lieutenant J V Hopgood, during Operation Chastise (also known as the “Dambusters Raid”). Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, using special "bouncing bombs".  AJ-M was the second aircraft to make an attempt at breaching the Mohne Dam and encountered intense flak and 20mm fire from the shore and from the towers of the dam itself. Just moments from the release of the Upkeep bomb, both of Hopgood's port engines took direct hits and burst into flames as other rounds ripped through the starboard wing. Despite these fatal strikes, the brave crew pressed home their attack but released their bomb just seconds too late to be effective. The bomb bounced over the dam wall, landing on the power station below where it exploded with devastating results. With blazing fuel now engulfing the wing of his crippled aircraft, Hopgood climbed to about 500ft where the wing failed, sending ED925 into a dive from which it would never recover. By jumping clear just moments before impact, two of her crew survived to become prisoners of war.

Lancaster “AJ-M” (ED925) Crew:
- Pilot, Flight Lieutenant J V Hopgood DFC
- Flight Engineer Sergeant C Brennan
- Navigator Flying Officer K Earnshaw
- Wireless Operator Sergeant J W Minchin
- Bomb Aimer Flight Sergeant J W Fraser  (POW)
- Front Gunner Pilot Officer G H F G Gregory DFM
- Rear Gunner Pilot Officer A F Burcher (POW)

✈ Right Sleeve: Full color Lancaster with RAF 617 Sqn motto: "Après moi, le déluge" (after me, the flood). 

✈ Left Sleeve: Aircraft Serial Number. During training for Operation Chastise, the aircraft involved had the suffix /G shown after the serial. This denoted the aircraft as “secret” and required guarding 24 hours a day. On the night of the mission, the /G was painted over which is why our t-shirts only show the aircraft serial number.