Guy Gibson was chosen to lead the great Dambusters Raid of 1943 as he had already proven himself to be a skilled pilot and a magnificent leader of men.
Gibson joined the RAF in 1936, he was a bomber pilot when war broke out. He won a DFC in July 1940 then, having completed a tour of operations volunteered for Fighter Command and flew nightfighters on 99 sorites during which he was awarded a bar to his DFC and the DSO.

He then returned to Bomber Command and flew 46 more missions before being chosen to form and command No.617 Squadron for the Dambusters Raid.
After a period off operations, Gibson returned to Bomber Command to act as a Pathfinder. He was killed on one such raid in September 1944.