Posted: 10/8/2001 7:28:08 PM EDT
| Which transport aircraft is the big bomb dropped out of? |
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If you are referring to the BLU-82, it is dropped by the coolest aircraft in the USAF inventory - the C-130! The BLU-82 weighs 15,000lbs and contains 12,600lbs of GSX (not a FAE). It was first used in Vietnam, last used in the Gulf War. I'm not too sure about FAE bombs. The US stopped using them some time in the late 80's or early 90's. [url]http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu-82.htm[/url] [img]http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu-82-small_blu.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu-82-1.gif[/img] |
| The BLU-82 or "Daisy Cutter" is a solid explosive bomb. Not a FAM ( Fuel Air Mixture) weapon. Most FAM are smaller bombs that can be carried by fighters / attack aircraft and are designed to be used against bunkers / emplacements. Some still use Napalm / kerosene mixtures, others can use very heavy flamable gases that disperse very slowly and sink into pits and follow terrian like rivers and small valleys. Very nasty when the secondary ingnition source goes off. Deflagration at its best. |
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From a guy who fly in C-130's during Viet Nam and dropped M-121 10,000 pound bombs. [url]http://hometown.aol.com/SamC130/bc130.html[/url] In response to the Army's request, the Air Force created the more powerful Blu-82, a 15,000 pound bomb containing a slurry mixture of TNT and propane. [img]http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/SamC130/BombonRidge.jpg[/img] |
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There is a persistant story about the first time a BLU-82 was dropped in the Gulf War. A SAS cell on a LRS mission hadn't been informed that they were going to be used, they called it in as a NBC alert! Rattled everyones cage in Riyad for about two minutes. Then they compared the coordinants. Resulted in 4 sheep faced SAS blokes when they got back. Dont know if its true- but makes a nice story! |
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Quoted: There is a persistant story about the first time a BLU-82 was dropped in the Gulf War. A SAS cell on a LRS mission hadn't been informed that they were going to be used, they called it in as a NBC alert! Rattled everyones cage in Riyad for about two minutes. Then they compared the coordinants. Resulted in 4 sheep faced SAS blokes when they got back. Dont know if its true- but makes a nice story! I seem to recall the large headline in the [b]Army Times[/b] being 'My God the Yanks nuked Them!'. |