No. 5 Group RAF effective squadrons of Bomber Command, personified by No 617 Squadron the "Dambusters", formed from 5 Group aircrew in March 1943. Most of the group's main airfields were around Lincoln, including RAF Scampton. By the end of the war the group had grown to 15 squadrons. The group was noted for its high accuracy bombing, being involved the sinking of the "Tirpitz" in November 1944 and the shattering of the strategic Bielefeld railway viaduct in March 1945. The Group introduced new weapons operationally, including Barnes Wallis's "bouncing" and his Tallboy and Grand Slam "earthquake" bombs. The group was disbanded on 15
RAF Scampton Sqn). The first departure was that of 83 Sqn which left in August 1942, transferring to RAF Wyton in order to become part of the fledgling Pathfinder Force. This departure resulted in 83 CF moving to RAF Wigsley where it was disbanded into 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit. On 2 January 1943, 49 Sqn departed for RAF Fiskerton with 49 CU disbanding, subsequently becoming 'C' Flight of 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Waddington. By early January 1943 this left 57 Sqn as the sole occupier of the base. Following the development of the "Upkeep" bouncing bomb, 617 Squadron (617 Sqn),