Greetings, Jim!
  On 25 Oct 97, Jim Sanders entered the following ASCII codes for the express 
viewing pleasure of Bill Wunsch:
 >> The year was 1950 and the weapons were atomic bombs with the plutonium
 >> core removed.  I understand it was standard procedure, with the intent
 >> being to safeguard nuclear-bomb design secrets, to jetison and explode
 >> the device if the aircraft developed problems.  The blast would disperse
 >> about 45 kilograms of uranium into the atmosphere.
 JS>
 JS>   This is mostly in error...   The U2 would not be in the older
 JS>  bombs until armed.  Those were a pain to arm that is all I can
 JS>  say... Only the HE would explode.
 JS>
 JS>
I understand the bombs were complete, except for the core.  All the 
explosives used to detonate the weapon were in place.  These were used to 
destroy it.  The casing of uranium, designed to boost the force of the 
nuclear explosion, accounts for the 45 kilograms of uranium dispersed in the 
atmosphere.
The one from the B-36 was released and denonated over the Pacific Ocean near 
Vancouver Island.  There is no comment on whether anyone on the ground 
noticed. The B-50, however, ran into trouble over the St. Lawrence River.  I 
will quote a few paragraphs from the article.
Quote
The bomb, also lacking its essential plutonium core, was detonated near 
Riviere-du-Loup, Que., at about 760 metres.
"I have the confirmation from the crew on board," Clearwater said.
The blast of 2.2 tonnes of high explosives shook the ground and scattered 45 
kilograms of uranium.
Residents in the area were terrified, fearful that the hostilities of the 
Korean War had somehow crept into their backyard.
The U.S. Air Force covered up the incident by saying a load of 500-pound 
conventional practice bombs had been jettisoned.  The B-50 bomber later 
landed safely at a Maine air base.
Unquote
                                             -==-
--- GoldED/386 2.42.G0615+
In a message to someone  Murray Wallace wrote:
 MW> Sorry, but "experienced" pilots don't go flying with empty tanks.
 MW> One of the first fundamentals pilots are taught is to check and
 MW> recheck the fuel, and don't just rely on the guages - dip the tanks!
Thanks Murray.  It's refreshing to hear a pilot talk about pilot 
responsibility.
                                 -- Bob Linenweber --
.
... There is safety in numbers - Participate in the "Wings" Program!
--- QuickBBS 2.81 Ovr
---------------