AN air force hero who took part in one of the most famous and dangerous raids of the Second World War has died at the age of 81.

George Chalmers was one of the bombing elite who, in May 1943, took part in Operation Chastise - better known to millions around the world as the legendary Dambusters raid.

Although Scottish-born he had lived in Harrogate for many years. He died on Wednesday and leaves a widow and eight children.

He volunteered for the RAF in 1939 and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner. The following year he joined Leeming-based 10 Squadron where he flew a tour of thirty ops in Whitleys.

After a period of instructing he flew Halifaxes with 35 Pathfinder Squadron for several ops and a short detachment to 38 Squadron Coastal Command was followed by another stint as an instructor.

But he was unhappy at instructing and after making his feelings plain was promptly posted to a new squadron that was being formed, 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

Without knowing what they were training for, the crews then began weeks of ultra-low flying over the dams and valleys of England and Wales.

Finally, on the night of May 16/17, 1943, nineteen Lancasters took off to attack the Mohne, Eder, Sorpe and Ennnepe dams in the industrial Ruhr valley of Germany.

The Mohne and Eder were successfully breached and George's aircraft, skippered by Bill Townsend, went in to attack the Eneppe.

George then watched as the bouncing bomb skidded off to the left and exploded against the corner of the dam wall.

George and his crew were the first to arrive back at Scampton and he was first to emerge from the aircraft where he was met and personally congratulated by Bomber Harris.

George stayed with the squadron and joined the crew of Flight Lieutenant Bernard Clayton, from Aldborough near Boroughbridge, and together they flew another 28 ops - many using the 1200lb Tallboy bomb attacking special targets in France and Germany.

He left the RAF in 1946 with the rank of flight lieutenant and worked in the British aircraft industry, principally with Avro.