The Lancaster will fly from Lincolnshire to Surrey

A Lancaster bomber similar to those used in the Dambusters raids is taking to the skies again - 60 years after the daring attacks behind German lines.

The plane from the RAF 617 Squadron is taking off on a nostalgic trip around England, overflying key places and facilities that were vital to the daring operation on the night of 16 May 1943.

It will leave RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on Saturday bound for Northamptonshire and the Eyebrook Reservoir.

The Lancaster will fly on to Reculver, on the north Kent coast near Herne Bay, where Barnes Wallis, who was born in Ripley, Derbyshire, tested his innovative "bouncing bombs".

Ruhr dams

The aerial tribute will then pass the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, where the engineer developed the bombs while working at the Vickers armaments factory.

It will then return to its home base at RAF Scampton, north of Lincoln, from where 19 specially-adapted Lancasters took off on their audacious, low-level assault with their deadly payload.

Fitting tribute Even 60 years on, it's still something that captures the public's imagination Defence Ministry

The flight is the latest in a series of events to commemorate the feats of the Dambusters airmen.

Veterans of the attack joined former and current members at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland last week to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their formation.

A Ministry of Defence official said of the Dambusters raid and the memorial flight: "This is a fitting tribute to the sacrifices made by these men on behalf of their country.

"Even 60 years on, it's still something that captures the public's imagination."

Morale booster

It was credited with boosting the beleaguered morale of troops and was made into the film The Dambusters starring Sir Michael Redgrave in 1954.

The unit was formed at RAF Scampton on 21 March 1943 with the specific aim of breaching dams in the Ruhr area of Germany that provided vital power to key German industrial centres.

Crack flyers and airmen from other Lancaster squadrons were recruited for the dangerous night-time mission under leading airman Wing Commander Guy Gibson.

On the night of 16-17 May 1943, the Mohne and Eder dams were successfully breached as Gibson bravely drew fire from enemy aircraft but two other attacks on the Sorpe and Schwelme failed.

But the raids came at a cost: eight aircraft and 53 crew were lost during the night.