RAF Scampton originally referred to as "Squadron X", was formed at Scampton in order to carry out the proposed raid, codenamed Operation Chastise. More commonly referred to as the "Dambusters Raid", the raid would go down as the most famous and widely remembered in the history of the Royal Air Force. On the night of 16–17 May 1943, 617 Sqn despatched 19 Lancasters from Scampton. Led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the main bulk of the squadron attacked the Sorpe, Eder and Möhne dams with an additional aircraft tasked to perform an attack on the Schwelm Dam. Both the Eder and Möhne
RAF Scampton Air Force Museum, Hendon. The next gate guardian was another restored Lancaster, repatriated from a French island in the South Pacific. This later Lancaster, "Just Jane NX611", is now at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at the former RAF East Kirkby. The current gate guardian at RAF Scampton is a former Red Arrows Hawk T.1 XX306. Positioned in front of the Station Headquarters, it was unveiled by the then Station Commander Wing Commander Michael Harrop during a ceremony on 12 October 2015. The aircraft was constructed at BAe Dunsfold and handed over to the Royal Air Force on 23 May