Posted: 5/31/2006 8:41:18 AM EDT
And you thought blasting off Tannerite was fun...  www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9xCgNdZPKk |
Uhhhh I think that the explosive they use for FAE type bombs is a bit more potent than tannerite dude. There is a difference between all of the different types of explosives out there. |
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The military already has a weapon like this if Im not wrong. I saw somewhere that its dropped from above and it will suck all the air out of an area killing everyone below. Can someone chime in on this more?
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I think you might be thinking of a daisy cutter from that movie Outbreak? There is a larger/similar bomb that they have now called the MOAB. Here's the military's version of the FAE bomb  :
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Hey Bubba, hold my beer and watch this.
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The first time I did it I was a young teen, I did not stand back quite far enough… What you been doing? You look sunburned…  Nothing mom…  ANdy |
Anything that involves "lighting" a propane tank with a match is a little to risky for me  
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Two things stand in the way of Bubba making an FAE. Dispersal and timing. While the BBQ/propane system of Vito's description would make an explosion of sorts, it lacks the effectiveness of an FAE of that mass of propane. First, the physics of FAE. Fuel, oxygen and an initiator. What people forget is the volume of air necessary for most common fuels. The problem is the fuel must be dispersed within the limits of flammability and most fuels have a narrow "window" of flammability. Propane, natural gas, gasoline and the like are all similar, between 4 and 10% by volume is necessary for flammability. Too much or too little and it will not ignite. Then there is the nature of the combustion. Think of it in terms of octane. Fuels like propane and natural gas are high octane and as such, combustion is highly orderly and does not have a high dependence on pressure. The result is the explosion is very low energy. More exotic fuels like acetylene and ethylene are quite different. These fuels have a very low octane rating and for acetylene, will detonate at ranges from 5-90%. In fact, these fuels are quite dangerous because of their flammability limits. But they are very effective. |
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butyl-nitrate and alcohol (not sure which type at the moment) is what the Military likes to use in their FAE mixtures and yes I have seen the monkey high chair video. The Mil is now pretty much going with thermobaric weapons for underground bunkers and such wich is basicly micro pulverized insensitive high explosives, explosively aerosolized then detonated which to me is way cool. BTW the Army's 35 pound FAE bomb is equivelent to 250lbs of TNT when it goes off correctly. |
I think he's talking about using tannerite to atomize the fuel. Problem is with any explosive, it will deplete the surrounding oxygen and might send the flare flying too. |
I used to show that one to my students when I was teaching in the Air Force. I usually had at least one female crying for those "cute little monkeys" before it was over, and more than a few folks that puked. I have to admit that the high chair bit was a little over the top! 
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