Tinian B-29 Airfield

I have not read that book. My late brother, an advanced radiologist, worked in that program during the early stages. The family never got many details about it, naturally.

 

The book is about modern science and the convergence of the action in Los Alamos, it is my favorite book about when the USA really was great, then the space race, then crickets.

 

I wonder if this photo was taken during the air attack over Tokyo on March 10th?


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That attack was supposed to drive the Japanese to their knees and to the negotiation table. Did not work.

 

malcom Gladwell's book: The Bomber Mafia is an interesting read and has a chapter on the tokyo bombings. Very good read...though I admit I listened to it while on a road trip.

 

The firebombing raid of March 10 was at night and relatively low level.

 

B-53?

And more B-29's were lost on takeoff due to engine failure than were lost on
actual missions/near the targets.
IIRC it took about 2 years to solve the engine issue(?)

I do.
And I don't think this country will EVER get back to that level of 'spirit' today - or anything even remotely close to it.

It all changed with Korea, when targets, what we were allowed to do/attack, was
decided in Washington DC and not by the guys on the front lines. Just the facts.

 

Fernando- Bomb, not bomber. Our last real crowd pleaser. The rest are wimpy by comparison, even the B83.

B53 Thermonuclear Bomb > National Museum of the United States Air Force™ > Display

 

Affirmative, actually a W53, the missile equivalent of the B53. Same physics package. W53s had what we now consider rudimentary safety features so luckily the conventional explosives in the warhead did not detonate. The insensitive explosives in the B61 and retiring B83 are much less likely to go off in an accident, even a fire.