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09-21-2013, 08:07 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Komoka Ontario
Posts: 2,680
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How many would not be here today?
US plane in 1961 'nuclear bomb near-miss
A four-megaton nuclear bomb was one switch away from exploding over the US in 1961, a newly declassified US document confirms.
Two bombs were on board a B-52 plane that went into an uncontrolled spin over North Carolina - both bombs fell and one began the detonation process.
The document was first published in the UK's Guardian newspaper.
The US government has acknowledged the accident before, but never made public how close the bomb came to detonating.
The document was obtained by journalist Eric Schlosser under the Freedom of Information Act.
Schlosser told the BBC such an explosion would have "changed literally the course of history".
The plane was on a routine flight when it began to break up over North Carolina on 23 January 1961.
As it was breaking apart, a control inside the cockpit released the two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs over Goldsboro.
One fell to the ground unarmed. But the second "assumed it was being deliberately released over an enemy target - and went through all its arming mechanisms save one, and very nearly detonated over North Carolina," Mr Schlosser told the BBC's Katty Kay.
Only the failure of a single low-voltage switch prevented disaster, he said.
The bomb was almost 260 times more powerful than the bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The accident occurred during the height of the Cold War between US and Russia, just over a year before the Cuban missile crisis brought nuclear fears to the US's front door.
There has been ongoing speculation ever since, including a 1961 book by former government scientist Dr Ralph Lapp.
The newly declassified document was written eight years after the incident by US government scientist Parker Jones - who was responsible for mechanical safety of nuclear devices.
In it, he comments on and corrects Lapp's narrative of the accident, including listing that three out of the four fail safe mechanisms failed, not five out of six as originally thought by Lapp.
"One set off by the fall. Two rendered ineffective by aircraft breakup," Mr Jones writes. "It would have been bad news in spades."
"One simple dynamo-technology low voltage switch stood between the United States and a major catastrophe."
There has been no official comment to the newly declassified details.
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"Well that didn't go as expected"
2015 Chev 2500HD Highcountry Duramax
Cedar Creek Silverback 33IK
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Rest in Peace Mary my darling wife.
Scottish by birth Canadian by time.
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09-21-2013, 11:44 PM
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#2
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PPST OGCDG
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Between I-95 & The Great Dismal Swamp
Posts: 2,163
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We would not be here. We are only 130 miles way the crow flies from the crash site.
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Frank- VA {:-{)
2004 4x4 Ford 6.0 PS, SCC, SB
2005 Wildcat 29 RLBS
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09-22-2013, 12:46 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 306
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The annihilation which the faulty bomb failed to unleash in an instant, Phillip-Morris, over the following 50 years has simply accomplished more gradually, deliberately, quietly and legally.
'murica. Land of military and corporate insanity...
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09-22-2013, 01:56 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 6,090
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I always love the way the press says "the plane was on a routine flight" when these things happen.
When a bomber is carrying a nuclear weapon (s) in its belly inflight, there's nothing "routine" about it.
These weapons are so complex their are so many things that can go wrong.
At the height of the Cold War, the U.S. had nuclear weapons loaded in B-52s that were airborne 24/7.
We were lucky there weren't more occurrences of this type.
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09-22-2013, 02:05 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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My exwife and mother inlaw
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2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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09-22-2013, 02:07 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 6,090
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford Idaho
My exwife and mother inlaw
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Cruel
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09-22-2013, 02:17 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Western Connecticut
Posts: 1,587
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That just made my Sunday.......
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2010 Cedar Creek 5th Wheel 34SATS "The Beast"
2006 Ford F350 Lariat 6.0L Diesel
2003 Harley Heritage Softail "Hogzilla"
1986 Marriage to "Wifey" (patience of a saint)
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09-22-2013, 02:22 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Komoka Ontario
Posts: 2,680
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford Idaho
My exwife and mother inlaw
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Thought this one might come up.
__________________
"Well that didn't go as expected"
2015 Chev 2500HD Highcountry Duramax
Cedar Creek Silverback 33IK
Donald&Casey cairn terrier
Rest in Peace Mary my darling wife.
Scottish by birth Canadian by time.
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09-22-2013, 02:26 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 6,090
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rattleNsmoke
That just made my Sunday.......
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Glad your Sunday is going well. Mine ain't - Cowboys 31 - Rams 7 with 5 minutes left in 4th quarter.
Still playing piano?
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09-22-2013, 09:26 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 881
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I'm wondering how a BUFF got into a spin? Not enough right rudder?
One of my favorite planes to watch:
It is ironic that a horrendous accident like this which I am sure (as is true with all accidents) was the result of a number of poor decisions was avoided by a failed component that probably failed for the same reason the accident occurred, because of a string of poor decisions.
I will say this - say what anyone will about how messed up the world can be, we have gotten a lot better at avoiding the accident in the first place these days.
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2011 PrimeTime Tracer 2600rls
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09-22-2013, 09:58 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Kansas City & Sierra Vista
Posts: 247
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford Idaho
My exwife and mother inlaw
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You weren't the aircraft mechanic for that bird, by any chance were you?
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Jim & Kathy
2012 Crusader 290RLT TE, TrailAir flex pin: 2012 Toyota Tundra 5.7 SR5 Dbl cab 4X2 Tow, 4.30 gears, RideRite air, TRD cold-air induction & dual exhaust: Reese 16K Slider: TST tpms
Miles towed to date: 26,890; Nights camped; lost count!
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09-22-2013, 10:02 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 6,090
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J_KHawthorne
You weren't the aircraft mechanic for that bird, by any chance were you?
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You talking to me? I never turned a wrench on b-52's , b-47's only for me.
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09-23-2013, 12:47 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Western Connecticut
Posts: 1,587
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B47
Still playing piano?
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Whenever I can....
__________________
2010 Cedar Creek 5th Wheel 34SATS "The Beast"
2006 Ford F350 Lariat 6.0L Diesel
2003 Harley Heritage Softail "Hogzilla"
1986 Marriage to "Wifey" (patience of a saint)
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