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This is a story that I did not hear about that involved bombs falling onto Spain and in the Mediterranean in January 1966. The U.S. plane carrying the bombs exploded in flight.
Parachutes failed to deploy on two of the bombs, resulting in high-explosive detonations that, although non-nuclear, spread radioactive material across a wide area of steep and rugged terrain.A massive retrieval and cleanup operation ensued, with hundreds of U.S. military and Spanish civil guards swarming the area for months.
Spanish town still haunted by its brush with ArmageddonThis reminded me of the story told at the beginning of that Tom Clancy movie, The Sum of All Fears, where an Israeli plane crashed while carrying an atomic bomb, which was eventually dug up by a peasant in modern times.
There was also a plane that jettsioned a bomb into the Pacific before it crashed in the 50's. I don't think the warhead was ever recovered. Here is a good link to an article about nuclear mishaps: http://www.cdi.org/Issues/NukeAccidents/Accidents.htm
Wow, great site that you linked to. I didn't realize there were so many nukes – about 30 or so before 1980 – that were involved in accidents. I also didn't know that the “Broken Arrow” is the code word for “Seizure, theft, or loss of a nuclear weapon or component (including jettisoning)”….that would explain the title of that movie from the 1990s in which a nuclear weapon is stolen by John Travolta.These were some other interesting tidbits:
Fuel vapors from a Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) exploded in the missile's silo, blowing off the 740-ton silo door of reinforced concrete and steel and catapulting the missile's nuclear warhead 600 feet. The accident occurred when an Air Force repairman dropped a heavy wrench socket that struck the missile, causing a leak in the missile's pressurized fuel tank.
And also this one:
Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, recorded a message that one of its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles was about to launch from its silo due to a computer malfunction. To prevent the possible launch, an armored car was parked on top of the silo.
It is well to remember that any system in which humans are an integral part is prone to error, nuclear weapons are no exception. The wonder is that there has not been an accidental detonation.
I was under the impression that nuclear weapons wouldn't just detonate without a proper sequence of events (a controlled detonation). Of course the radioactive material will still be released, but the force for critical mass requires more than just an explosion. Is this right or am I off base here?
I was under the impression that nuclear weapons wouldn't just detonate without a proper sequence of events (a controlled detonation). Of course the radioactive material will still be released, but the force for critical mass requires more than just an explosion. Is this right or am I off base here?
That's discussed in part at the top of the page that scout linked to, which says:
Inadvertent Explosion:"Nuclear weapons are designed with great care to explode only when deliberately armed and fired. Nevertheless, there is always a possibility that, as a result of accidental circumstances, an explosion will take place inadvertently. Although all conceivable precautions are taken to prevent them, such accidents might occur in areas where weapons are assembled and stored, during the course of loading and transportation on the ground, or when actually in the delivery vehicle, e.g., an airplane or a missile."-Atomic Energy Commission/Department of Defense, The Effects of Nuclear Weapons, 1962.
Homemade Nuclear Reactor in NYC News of a nuclear reactor in the neighbourhood got a mixed receptionhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10385853.stm
Homemade Nuclear Reactor in NYC News of a nuclear reactor in the neighbourhood got a mixed receptionhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10385853.stm
I think the amount of outright ignorance in that article is amazing; add in the stupidity of the neighbors and that article alone should be a classic. While reading I was reminded of how technologically ignorant most people are and also of the proverb about how "any technology, sufficiently advanced will appear to be magic." I have gigged my son on this constantly in regards to computers, cell phones, TV, etc. He has no idea how they work and has no desire to learn, they might as well be magic for all he is concerned.
I think the amount of outright ignorance in that article is amazing; add in the stupidity of the neighbors and that article alone should be a classic. While reading I was reminded of how technologically ignorant most people are and also of the proverb about how "any technology, sufficiently advanced will appear to be magic." I have gigged my son on this constantly in regards to computers, cell phones, TV, etc. He has no idea how they work and has no desire to learn, they might as well be magic for all he is concerned.
sob !
Wow, it is surprising this is not more well known. I'm 2 years into my history major and haven't heard anything about this through High School or anything. This is an interesting subject though. I might look more into it voluntarily. You would think that would have added tension between the two countries in an already tension laiden time.__________My stupid history professor is making us write a term paper over Christmas Break. Professor Scrooge. Grrrrrrr >:(
