Never Mind The Dambusters

Episode 68 - Cold War Bombers, with Joe Wilding (extended episode)

Never Mind The Dambusters

Show Notes

Send us a message or question! Hosts: Jane Gulliford & James Jefferies (although Jane disappears after the intro due to tech issues!) Guest: Joe Wilding Episode Summary In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane and James are joined by aviation enthusiast and aircraft designer Joe Wilding to explore the evolution of the bomber during the Cold War — a period that lasted nearly half a century and transformed aerial warfare more dramatically than any era before it. Rather than treat...

More from Never Mind The Dambusters

Oct 20, 2026

Send us a message or question! What happened to RAF Bomber Command after the Second World War? In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes and guest co-presenter Jamie Heffer from the RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre are joined by Erik Parker to explore the command's evolution from 1945 until its merger into Strike Command in 1968. The immediate post-war years brought new responsibilities, including Operation Exodus, the return of foreign squadrons and plans for Tiger Force. Meanwhile, Britain f...

Oct 6, 2026

Send us a message or question! In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by bestselling author and journalist Will Iredale to talk about his new book, Churchill’s Pirates. The book tells the story of the Royal Naval Patrol Service – the men who served in what was effectively a navy within the Royal Navy. Many were fishermen, trawlermen and civilian sailors who found themselves recruited into dangerous wartime work, operating small vessels around the British...

Sep 22, 2026

Send us a message or question! The Lancaster is probably the most recognisable aircraft associated with RAF Bomber Command. But what did an ordinary 24 hours actually look like on a Lancaster squadron? In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by military aviation historian and author Michael Napier to explore the Lancaster not simply as an aircraft, but as the centre of a vast organisation of people, preparation and expertise. Mike's new book, Lancaster: T...

Sep 8, 2026

Send us a message or question! Jane Gulliford Lowes welcomes author, editor, and aviation historian Dan Sharp to dig into the Luftwaffe’s bomber plans, from prewar requirements to late war jet concepts. The conversation focuses on how German bomber strategy was shaped by speed, range, and technological ambition, and why so many of the most advanced ideas never arrived in time. They also unpack the long standing myth around the Heinkel 177 dive bomber requirement, showing how the real story ...

Aug 25, 2026

Send us a message or question! Ep. 75 – Stanley Booker: Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy, with Sean Feast How does a young RAF observer go from flying operations with 10 Squadron to becoming one of the few Allied airmen imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp? In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies welcome back acclaimed aviation historian and author Sean Feast to discuss his compelling new book, Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy: The Remarkab...

See all episodes →