The picture below is a photo of the Navigator's Log from Lancaster AJ-J written during the Dams Raid 16th/17th May 1943. It is also the basis of Dambusters2012 route planning for our charity ride in 2012. It is a piece of pure history. Sadly, Sgt V Nicholson did not survive long after the Dams Raid and was lost with the rest of AJ-J's crew later in 1943. Please visit www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012 and show your support for our troops today as they carry out their duty on all our behalf! Thank you.

Early notification of the first of the various events that Dambusters will be attending to promote our fund-raising for Help for Heroes. A big 'Thank you' to Craig Whitney and the team at Touratech UK who given us permission to attend their 2012 Travel Event on 11th/12th/13th May. There will the usual heady mixture of speakers, presentations, stalls, ride-outs, stunt shows etc - and camping of course... their words not mine!! Nick Sanders will be headlining, more event update coming shortly. More details about the event and also about Touratech UK themselves can be found at http://www.touratech.co.uk/. More information on this and other fund-raising events will follow on the blog soon - keep checking in!

Don't forget you can donate safely and securely on line at www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012
Please show your appreciation for the scrifice and dedication to duty shown by our forces in Afghanistan today on all our behalf. Thank you.

First look at the route the Dambusters 2012 Ride will take. We will follow as closely as we can the  route taken by Lancaster AJ-J to the Mohne Dam and return via the 'John Frost Bridge' at Arnham, the Bridge too Far. Purpose of all this is to raise money for our modern day heroes, so please visit www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012 and make a small donation to recognise the sacrifices made by our men and women on active serive every day that turns over!!

Quick reminder. If you agree with what we are doing please visit www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012 and donate on-line for Help for Heroes. Thank you.

Two 'Hero Bears' on their way to us from Help for Heroes. These will be shipped out to 617 sqdn, the Dambusters, in Afghanistan and will then be flown on an 'active sortie' in theatre. They will then be sent back to us at Dambusters 2012 with a photo and certificate of authenticity from the 617 Sqdn team .... and then it will be a case of sale to the Highest Bidder - every penny going to Help for Heroes! Get saving for this unique opportunity to own a Bear that has been on active service!!! Watch this space for more details!!!

Huge thanks to a brilliant website that is full of great information about the market town where I live, Stone in Staffordshire. www.alittlebitofstone.com. Check out this post on the site all about Dambusters 2012! http://alittlebitofstone.com/2012/02/22/dambusters-back-help-for-heroes-adventure/ . Just a great piece of support for dambusters2012!!!

Some more of the pictures taken by our friends at 617 Sqdn, RAF Lossiemouth last week shortly before deployment to Afghanistan. What heroes they are - which is exactly why we are raising money for Help for Heroes. So dig deep and visit www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012 and donate something today. It is absolutely safe and secure. thank you.

1. Please visit www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012 and help us raise the money Help for Heroes needs to continue their amazing work!!!

Advance warning of a one-off opportunity. We are working with our friends in 617 sqdn to bring some unique items back to the UK for auction to raise more cash for Help for Heroes. Nearer the time of our ride to the Mohne Dam we will be holding an on-line auction of Help for Heroes merchandise that has flown on board 617 Tornado GR4s over the 'front line' in Afghanistan!! All will come complete with a photo of the item and the Tornado with Certfication from the 617 Sqdn team in theatre. Warch this space for more details on this cool development - and get ready to buy a unique piece of Help for Heroes stuff and help our troops at the same time.

Fund-raising total for dambusters passes the £500 mark .... and we haven't really started yet!! thanks to all. If you would like to make a donation to Help for Heroes, please visit our website where you can do this on line, safely and securely. Thank you. www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012

Second post today but just a short one. Dambusters is very proud to say that we are now in contact with the last remaining member of the May 1943 raid aircrew, Sqn Ldr George Johnson DFM who was a bomb aimer with the Lancasters who attacked the Sorpe Dam. What a privilege for us. A true hero! Even more so, as he was kind enough to send a substantial donation in his letter too. Amazing. More on this tomorrow.

Today's blog shows another of the wonderful pictures supplied to us by our friends at 617 Sqdn ahead of the depoyment to theatre. What a cool photo this one is!!!!

Don't forget the purpose of all this is to raise money for help for Heroes so please go to www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012 and make a donation. It is safe and secure and we need your cash!

Huge thanks to Ft Sgt Paul Peden of 617 Sqdn at RAF Lossiemouth, the 'real' Dambusters! He has sent us a disc of photos taken at RAF Lossiemouth in the last few days featuring our Dambusters 2012 Poster and one of their Tornado GR4s. Brilliant. It is fantastic to have the full support of 617 Sqdn for our fund-raising efforts on behalf of Help for Heroes. They are in the process of deploying to Afghanistan as I write this - which is exactly what Help for Heroes is all about. Please, please show your support for what they and all our service men and women are doing on our behalf by visiting www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012 and making your donation today!!!

More of Paul's pictures over the next few days. Remember, please show your support for the Dambusters and for Help for Heroes by visiting www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012.
Thank you.

Tonight I need to say thank you to Mr Charles Foster, nephew of David Maltby, pilot of 'our' Lancaster AJ-J. Through the Maltby family we now have a picture of what is almost certainly AJ-J in flight on a training flight shortly before the Dams raid in May 1943. The picture was taken by David's wife, Nina, at the family farm just outside Wickhambreaux in Kent. The building had a distinctive gable end which can be seen in the picture. Credit to the "Maltby family" for allowing us to use the pic. Personally I find it quite moving to be able to see the actual Lanc' we are following in the flightpath of when we make our trip to the Mohnesee!

This post includes two pictures which have been sent to me on twitter by @scottynewitt . They show his Grandad who was a bomb aimer with 227 Sqdn on Lancasters and his crew. All heroes, with @scottynewitt's Grandad standing on the right of the group shot.
Respect to them all and all the others who flew with Bomber Command in WW2.
#lestweforget #bomberboys

Confimration today that a CD of photo's from our friends at 617 Sqdn is in the post to us. Really looking forward to seeing copies of our Dambusters 2012 poster in front of one of their Tornado GR4s. How cool will that be! Incredible generosity considering how busy the 617 Sqdn team is getting ready to deploy. We will post some pictures as soon as we have them!

The internet is an amazing place. Through it Dambusters 2012 has been privileged to make contact with Charles Foster, whose uncle was David Maltby, the pilot of AJ-J, the Avro Lancaster Special from the Dams Raid in 1943 whose route our bikes will be following! How cool is that!

Dear Simon


Thanks for your email.


It's a great tribute to David and his crew that you are doing this ride. I will publicise it on my Dambusters blog -- http://dambustersblog.com -- and on my tribute site to the crew of AJ-J -- http://www.breakingthedams.com .


I am sending you pictures of the aircraft AJ-J in flight, and of the crew.


best wishes


Charles
Charles' website which is a wonderful tribute to the Dambusters and David Maltby and AJ-J can be found at http://www.breakingthedams.com/ 

Even better poster now available - Come on folks - lets get the fund-raising under way!!! www.bmycharity.com/dambusters2012. This is all about raising money for the amazing Help for Heroes charity.