Firelock76 Miningman Kind of makes you wonder, governments being what they are, that there are not a couple of these stashed away somewhere in Siberia. Uh huh. The government of South Africa said a few years back (Mandela administration) they'd gotten rid of their nukes, but I wouldn't be so sure. No-one throws out a perfectly good nuke, considering the cost to develop the things. Probably stuck in a nice safe basement somewhere, "just in case."
Miningman Kind of makes you wonder, governments being what they are, that there are not a couple of these stashed away somewhere in Siberia.
Kind of makes you wonder, governments being what they are, that there are not a couple of these stashed away somewhere in Siberia.
Uh huh. The government of South Africa said a few years back (Mandela administration) they'd gotten rid of their nukes, but I wouldn't be so sure. No-one throws out a perfectly good nuke, considering the cost to develop the things.
Probably stuck in a nice safe basement somewhere, "just in case."
Israel has never admitted to possessing the bomb, but numerous intelligence analysts believe they have nukes.
They used to be pretty buddy-buddy with South Africa too...
The Vela Incident is believed to have been a nuclear test, but no one has ever claimed it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vela_Incident
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
See what I mean? If it scared the hell out of the guy that designed the thing, well, what can we say?
I wonder how many shots of Stoli it took to calm everyone down after that test shot?
CSSHEGEWISCH There are several articles on various websites regarding the "Tsar Bomba". Even at half its potential bang (it was designed for a potential 100 MT), it was too big (and too heavy) to be a useful weapon.
There are several articles on various websites regarding the "Tsar Bomba". Even at half its potential bang (it was designed for a potential 100 MT), it was too big (and too heavy) to be a useful weapon.
Oh, I don't know. I think the guys at Sandia were fairly shaken at the idea of the Soviets having a "deliverable" 50Mt weapon. Especially since many of their earliest fusion designs needed to be "delivered by ox cart" as Opie might say. It was Andrei Sakharov who decided to trash the 100Mt design that Kruschchev wanted and go with the 50Mt version. His reasoning, as I heard it, was that at 100Mt the fireball would be the width of the Earth's atmosphere and half the blast would go off into space, so why waste the Uranium? After the 50Mt blast, by the way, Sakharov became decidedly anti-nuke.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Speaking of stuff that blows up with unforseen consequences, anyone remember this great British sci-fi film from 1961?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUFtgep9sj4
Well-done and intelligent, it's one of the best sci-fi films ever!
Firelock76 A fifty-megatonner! Must have scared the hell out of the Russkies, they never did another one.
A fifty-megatonner! Must have scared the hell out of the Russkies, they never did another one.
Even with the parachute and the plane coated in a special reflective paint, the Soviet scientists thought the bomber crew only had 50% odds of survival.
Penny Trains Firelock76 I remember watching a TV documentary about Darryl Greenamyer's failed attempt at recovering "Kee Bird." "B-29: Frozen In Time". It was an episode of Nova, which I taped and watch once in a while.
Firelock76 I remember watching a TV documentary about Darryl Greenamyer's failed attempt at recovering "Kee Bird."
"B-29: Frozen In Time". It was an episode of Nova, which I taped and watch once in a while.
That's the one! Saw it years ago and never fogot it.
Da, tovarischi, that's exactly how the Russians dropped the "Tsar Bomba!"
I even found a film on the same, takes a few seconds to load up and go, so be patient.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9AMtUeyDP0
A fifty-megatonner! Must have scared the hell out of the Russkies, they never did another one. It'd scare the hell out of me too, and make me stick with cherry bombs and M-80's!
Hey, we were all kids once, anyone remember the kids answers to the following questions?
"How many cherry bombs equal an M-80?"
"How many M-80's equal a stick of dynamite?"
I hope somebody out there remembers, 'cause I've forgotten!
Yes. The Soviets used a system that was "suspiciously familiar" when they dropped the 50 megaton Tsar Bomba:
It should also be noted that the early thermonuclear devices were rigged for a parachute drop to give the B-36 crew enough time to escape to a safe distance before detonation.
blue streak 1 Anyone know what the original B-36 mission design was ? Don't answer by checking Wiki . And the second design mission. Hint When the original concept was put forward by the US government is a give away .
Anyone know what the original B-36 mission design was ? Don't answer by checking Wiki . And the second design mission. Hint When the original concept was put forward by the US government is a give away .
Firelock76I remember watching a TV documentary about Darryl Greenamyer's failed attempt at recovering "Kee Bird."
I remember watching a TV documentary about Darryl Greenamyer's failed attempt at recovering "Kee Bird."
I'm not one for anthropomorphising inanimate objects, but somehow I think old "Kee Bird" was very happy where it was, and just didn't want to leave.
Military parade? I don't know, DC doesn't have a big enough space to do a "Red Square" style shindig, and besides, our armed forces have other things to do.
The Russian military, on the other hand, doesn't have any better things to do, at least not that I know of.
I found the Russian's 70th Anniversary of V-E Day Red Square parade on You Tube, and I will say this much, it WAS impressive as hell! I really admired the re-created Red Army WW2 infantry regiment complete with original equipment AND those five restored T-34 tanks! The only thing missing was a Sturmovik fly-over, but I guess those airplanes are a little scarce right now, except for museum pieces. One of the few pieces of gear the Russians ever threw out, I suppose.
I won't bother to link it, it's over two hours long, and anyone can find it on You Tube if they're curious.
I don't know if it's correct, but as far as I always heard, it was to maintain the capabililty to attack continental Europe with bombers if Great Britain were to fall.
Of course by the time it entered service, it had taken on the mission as America's primary nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union.
selector Agreed, several of them crashed, including in the BC Rockies in 1950. Just finished reading about the 1950 crash of 075 in the book The Lost Nuke by Dirk Septer. Almost all of the crew bailed out near Vancouver Island, but the aircraft contacted Mother Earth about three hours later, well east, with at least the pilot still aboard, and it was thought with the nuclear fissible material. Later Geiger surveys showed no 'interesting' radiation near the crash site.
Agreed, several of them crashed, including in the BC Rockies in 1950. Just finished reading about the 1950 crash of 075 in the book The Lost Nuke by Dirk Septer. Almost all of the crew bailed out near Vancouver Island, but the aircraft contacted Mother Earth about three hours later, well east, with at least the pilot still aboard, and it was thought with the nuclear fissible material. Later Geiger surveys showed no 'interesting' radiation near the crash site.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_British_Columbia_B-36_crash
The Air Force claimed that the bomb was incomplete, and not capable of a nuclear detonation. And they would NEVER lie, right?
selector The problem in this case was ice. The aircraft's systems couldn't manage it.
The problem in this case was ice. The aircraft's systems couldn't manage it.
The B-36's engines faced backward, which meant that the air intake was leading and constantly exposed to cold air, with little heating from the engine. This made them prone to blockages from ice buildup, with the effect being that the engine ran richer and richer until there was enough unburned fuel in the exhaust to catch fire.
Good movie! And don't miss that "unknown" whose name was not on the posters!
Here's an aircraft restoration that ended tragically for both plane and crew:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kee_Bird
Here's a good B-36 "might have been."
I remember back in the early 70's there was a B-36 on display at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. A local group got the idea "Hey! Let's restore it to flying status!"
The D-FW airport folks were all for it, and the group was well on their way, even to the point the got those big recip engines started, and then one day the Air Force showed up.
"Nothing doing!" they said. "That's still OUR airplane! The airport's got it just as a loaner, so don't even think about making it fly again!"
That was the end of that. Now in 2018, I believe the B-36 at the Pima Air And Space Museum in Tuscon AZ is the same airplane, but I'm not sure on that. I've been through D-FW several times, and didn't see any B-36 on display anywhere. That's something that would be hard to miss.
www.pimaair.org/
I worked with a guy who was a retired USAF sergeant who said he was inspected by General Stewart in Viet Nam.
I was at Westover AFB in 1963 during an open house. I recall the B-47s taking off and a B-36 there as an exhibit- it wasn't an active aircraft but it was there. My Uncle Fran (Lt. Col. and a former P-47 driver in the ETO) had an F-86 to buzz around in. Also a 1962 Lincoln Continental that I fell in love with but that's another story.
samfp1943 the B-36 Pacemaker, by Convair. It was the frontline heavy SAC bomber between, 1949 and '59.
the B-36 Pacemaker, by Convair. It was the frontline heavy SAC bomber between, 1949 and '59.
TEN ENGINES! Six turning, Four burning. What a plane!
Except it became (all too often) more like "two turning, two burning, two smoking, two choking, and two more unaccounted for".
daveklepperI should point out that Eisenhower considered his Presidency of Columbia University as important to him as his Presidency. And Columbia is the oldest North American University, started around 1690 as Kings College.
Oh my. I hate to correct David on this, my admiration for his knowledge, wisdom, and life experiences knows no bounds, but unfortunately he's wrong on this one.
Columbia University's not the oldest here in the US, Harvard is, founded and chartered in 1650. Next in line is The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg VA, chartered in 1693, and rumor has it partially funded with pirate money, and a not quite voluntary contribution either!
"Here, Cap'n, tell us where the treasure is so we can fund this fine institute of learning, or it's up the long ladder and down the short rope with ye!"
It's called the "College of..." for tradition's sake, it's actually a university now.
Third? Yale. 1701.
Columbia didn't come along until 1754, when it was founded as King's College. The name was changed to Columbia after the Revolution, for obvious reasons.
But there's one thing Columbia has that the other's don't, probably the most distinguished college drop-out in American history, Alexander Hamilton. He decided fighting a war was more important than hitting the books. He did pretty well for himself anyway, at least until his run-in with a certain surly Princetonian.
And Sam, I didn't forget the B-36. Remember, I said "...up to and including..." simply because I'm sure General Stewart flew anything with wings on it the Air Force would let him, and I couldn't list 'em all!
Jimmy Stewart didn't retire from the USAF in 1959. That was the year he was promoted to brigadier general. He stayed in the Air Force through most of the 1960's in the reserve, and quietly even flew on one B-52 raid over North Vietnam to better understand what B-52 crews needed to best be able to do their job.
Firelock76 "...54', I know Jimmy Stewart was certainly multi-engine qualified having flown Air Force bombers starting with the B-24 and up to and including the B-52 and B-58.>>" Tyrone Power flew R4D's, known more famously as C-47's, for the Marines during WW2. Tom Cruise took up flying after filming "Top Gun" back in the 80's, and is capable of flying high-performance single engine aircraft, including the P-51, but I don't know about his multi-engine skills. And then there's Ronald Reagan who once said... "All I ever flew was a desk, but at least I never crashed one!" It's been a while since I've seen "Das Boot," but I think one or two (or more) of the crew are seen wearing the British battledress jacket with Kriegsmarine rank insignia. Pretty darn authentic film!
"...54', I know Jimmy Stewart was certainly multi-engine qualified having flown Air Force bombers starting with the B-24 and up to and including the B-52 and B-58.>>"
Tyrone Power flew R4D's, known more famously as C-47's, for the Marines during WW2.
Tom Cruise took up flying after filming "Top Gun" back in the 80's, and is capable of flying high-performance single engine aircraft, including the P-51, but I don't know about his multi-engine skills.
And then there's Ronald Reagan who once said...
"All I ever flew was a desk, but at least I never crashed one!"
It's been a while since I've seen "Das Boot," but I think one or two (or more) of the crew are seen wearing the British battledress jacket with Kriegsmarine rank insignia. Pretty darn authentic film!
Linked photo @ https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8911823
Miningman The 82nd Airborne parade is remarkable. That depicts a high water mark...terrific stuff!! I know your President has expressed an interest in holding a military parade but has met fierce resistance.
The 82nd Airborne parade is remarkable. That depicts a high water mark...terrific stuff!! I know your President has expressed an interest in holding a military parade but has met fierce resistance.
Except for a handful of victory parades, military parades in the style of May Day in Krasnaya Square are not to American tastes or culture.
54', I know Jimmy Stewart was certainly multi-engine qualified having flown Air Force bombers starting with the B-24 and up to and including the B-52 and B-58.
Thanks Miningman, and happy Canada Day to you and yours!
And also, today is the 102d anniversary of the Battle Of The Somme.
Respectful remenberances to all those brave British, Canadian, Newfoundland, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers who went "over the top" into the teeth of those German guns, and who never wavered.
And oh yeah, that parade is certainly representative of an American "high-water mark," not just militarily but the society as well. The United States was Number One, and everyone knew it, from the post-war era after everything settled down (took almost a year) right into the 1960's.
And then Vietnam happened and wrecked everything. We've never really been the same country since.
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