Pictured: The last Dambuster meets modern day airmen from squadron he helped immortalised 69 years ago
By Kevin Widdop
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He is the last surviving British veteran from the Dambusters' most audacious bombing raid of World War II.
But George 'Johnny' Johnson, 90, looks as sprightly as ever as he poses for pictures with modern day bomber pilot Tom Hill nearly 69 years on from the extraordinary raid.
The war veteran turned out at the launch of the Dambusters 2012 Motorcycle Ride in support of today’s RAF heroes.
All smiles: Surviving airman George 'Johnny' Johnson poses with Squadron Leader Tom Hill in front of one of the last Lancaster planes at the Rolls Royce Heritage Museum in Filton, Gloucestershire
George 'Johnny' Johnson, charity rider Simon Dufton and bomber pilot Tom Hill, of the current 617 squadron, pose holding a Dambusters model at the base
The 617 Squadron Leader was snapped with bomber pilot Tom Hill, who flies for today’s Dambusters squadron, and Simon Dufton, who will motorcycle to the re-built Mohne Dam to lay a wreath.
Simon, 49, is one of four people who will be riding to the dam to mark the 69th anniversary of the night-time raid on three heavily-defended dams deep in Germany’s industrial heartland.
The Help for Heroes event saw smiling George snapped in front of one of the last surviving Lancaster planes, holding a Dambusters model and walking alongside Squadron Leader Tom as he reminisced about the events of May 16, 1943.
The original Dambusters’ success was immortalised in classic film The Dambusters with its memorable theme tune and gung-ho script.
The daring mission started at a remote RAF base in Lincolnshire and finished at RAF Scampton. It ended with the destruction of the Mohne and Edersee dams while the Sorpe dam only sustained minor damage.
The charity motorcycle raid will mirror that journey on May 17.
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At 12.19am on that day, the team of four pilots will drop a wreath onto the water of the Mohne Dam to remember those who lost their lives following the raid.
The return journey will see them travel via the John Frost Bridge at Arnhem, also known as the ‘Bridge Too Far’.
That fateful night: George looks relaxed as he holds a Dambusters model and reminisces with pilot Tom
Smiling team: Squadron Leader Tom and former leader George rest on a Rolls Royce Merlin engine at the Heritage Museum
Although the Squadron set out to destroy three dams, they succeeded in breaching two, providing a terrific morale victory for Allied troops.
The raiders flew across occupied Europe under heavy attack and dropped their bombs with pin-point precision from 60ft.
Destroying the dams in the Ruhr Valley and flooding the great armament factories was engineer Barnes Wallis' vision of stopping the war.
But the task of turning his theories into reality seemed like an impossible goal.
Survivor: George, pictured with pilot Tom, is the last surviving British veteran from the raid on the three German dams on May 17, 1943, and (left) the pilot aged 21 in the year he flew the Dambuster Mission over Germany
The RAF sent their elite pilots and aircrew on the mission which started at RAF Scampton, Lincoln.
In their race to be ready by May, when water levels in the Ruhr reservoirs would be at their highest and - hopefully - they could rely on the light of a full moon, they were led by the vastly experienced but somewhat abrasive figure of 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson.
The bravery of the 19 Lancaster bomber crews that fateful night in Nazi Germany is well documented.
And as the 69th anniversary approaches, charity motorbike riders are looking to raise close to £8,000 in their bid to help Help for Heroes.
Simon, who will take part in the charity ride to the dam, told the Lincolnshire Echo: 'This is purely a fundraising event but I am very proud to remember the sacrifices of the original Dambusters while raising money.
'We are working closely with the current squadron who are in Afghanistan at this moment in time and they are helping us with publicity.
'We are also in contact with the last surviving UK member of the original squadron so we have plenty of reason to complete this ride. It will be emotional when we are at the dams because we will in a way be able to put ourselves in the shoes of the original Dambusters.'
RAF aircrew and Wing Commander Guy Gibson (centre) who took part in a raid on Cologne
The cream of Bomber Command: A Dambuster aircrew with 617 Squadron's mascot