Better never, than late

Skybird · 06-02-10, 07:48 AM

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...698245,00.html

Happens rarely, but happens.

Dowly · 06-02-10, 08:02 AM

Ouch.

Weiss Pinguin · 06-02-10, 08:03 AM

My condolences to the family

Quote:

Wartime bombs are found almost weekly in Germany, but deaths are rare.

Oberon · 06-02-10, 08:04 AM

Yah, the war takes lives years after the treaties are signed. Condolences to the relatives of those killed in what is probably the most nerve wracking job in the world, particularly with old ordinance.

Jimbuna · 06-02-10, 08:31 AM

Deepest sympathies....especially after so many years

HunterICX · 06-02-10, 10:03 AM

World War 1 and World War 2 hasn't ended untill the last bombs/mines have been cleared.

my Condolences to the Family

HunetICX

SteamWake · 06-02-10, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterICX

World War 1 and World War 2 hasn't ended untill the last bombs/mines have been cleared.

my Condolences to the Family

HunetICX

Not to mention a few other conflicts that have left thousands of land mines behind accross the globe.

Catfish · 06-02-10, 01:09 PM

Hello,

when i lived in Goettingen there were 1-2 bomb alarms every year. Two of them went off by themselves, fortunately no one was hurt. One went up at night under a fair, only damaging the ferris wheel and a few whirligigs and carousels.

One problem are the delayed fuses, and the acid mechanism coming of age.

From Mr. Weise, a bomb technician:

"In the last few years we’ve found that the detonators we take out of such bombs are increasingly brittle," Weise said. "Recently we’ve had three extracted detonators go off with a pissssh sound while they were being transported away, all it took was a bit of vibration. One day such bombs will be so sensitive that no one will be able to handle them. We may have to stop defusing them as soon as next year."

From the commentary:

" ... Several people have been in injured in spontaneous bomb explosions in Oranienburg over the years and experts have warned that with the passage of time such detonations are becoming more likely.
An estimated 20,000 delay-action bombs were dropped on Oranienburg during the war because it had a suspected atomic bomb research site, the Heinkel aircraft factory and a pharmaceutical plant. They were designed to explode between two and 146 hours after hitting the ground, to disrupt clearing up work and cause chaos. ..."

A lot of those never exploded, but will sometime in the future.

Greetings,
Catfish

krashkart · 06-02-10, 01:54 PM

Some years ago my mother went on an anthropology field dig in the desert, on a government site. I remember feeling really scared the whole summer that she wouldn't come home, because they had her working in an old minefield that hadn't been deactivated. But they had a security detail with them that guided them safely through the mess. There are places all over that site (and other, more publicly accessible areas, too) that are littered with wartime explosives, leftovers from testing and training. You hear about shells being uncovered from time to time after a wildfire in the Boise foothills, even.

Putting in a little prayer tonight for those families. Any idea how many of those munitions are still out there?

Oberon · 06-02-10, 05:50 PM

Too many Krashkart, far too many.
Even over here in the middle of nowhere in Suffolk we still get bomb scares. The odd scattered Luftwaffe present, but also RAF and USAF presents, phosphorous flares, heck I even found an old battery box from the US army on the bank of our local river. But that's what you get for being next door to the army practice zones for D-day.
But considering how much was dropped on Germany during the latter half of the war, I dread to think how much is still down there.

Dan D · 06-02-10, 06:09 PM

In WW II, a British fire bomb hit the house of my mother’s family. The bomb penetrated the roof and the ceilings and floors of all 3 storeys. The story goes that my great-aunt, who had received fire-fighter training, rushed into the cellar, took the fire bomb and threw it out on the street. That must have been a dud.

Even today, if you lift the carpet, you can still see where the holes once were.

Skybird · 06-02-10, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krashkart

Putting in a little prayer tonight for those families. Any idea how many of those munitions are still out there?

Quote:

Most estimates for the percentage of unexploded bombs range from 5 to 15 percent -- or between 95,000 and 285,000 tons. As Germany hastily rebuilt its cities after the war, authorities didn't have the time or the means to locate and dispose of a large part of that tonnage.

As a result, more than 2,000 tons of American and British aerial bombs and all kinds of munitions ranging from German hand grenades and anti-tank mines to Russian artillery shells are recovered each year in Germany.

On the event yesterday, they showed some video on TV news. The explosion caused shrapnels showering houses 300 meters away. There were pictures of a 7 kg piece of bomb metal that ripped a hole of 50 cm in diameter through a wall in second or third floor, under the roof, right those 300 meters away they said. The house owner was at home, he obviously was very lucky that day.

I will never complain again when they clear some bomb ordnance in the city and evacuate the urban area even half a kilometer away.

krashkart · 06-02-10, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Too many Krashkart, far too many.
Even over here in the middle of nowhere in Suffolk we still get bomb scares. The odd scattered Luftwaffe present, but also RAF and USAF presents, phosphorous flares, heck I even found an old battery box from the US army on the bank of our local river. But that's what you get for being next door to the army practice zones for D-day.
But considering how much was dropped on Germany during the latter half of the war, I dread to think how much is still down there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan D

In WW II, a British fire bomb hit the house of my mother’s family. The bomb penetrated the roof and the ceilings and floors of all 3 storeys. The story goes that my great-aunt, who had received fire-fighter training, rushed into the cellar, took the fire bomb and threw it out on the street. That must have been a dud.

Even today, if you lift the carpet, you can still see where the holes once were.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

On the event yesterday, they showed some video on TV news. The explosion caused shrapnels showering houses 300 meters away. There were pictures of a 7 kg piece of bomb metal that ripped a hole of 50 cm in diameter through a wall in second or third floor, under the roof, right those 300 meters away they said. The house owner was at home, he obviously was very lucky that day.

I will never complain again when they clear some bomb ordnance in the city and evacuate the urban area even half a kilometer away.

Damn. So, if I ever visit Europe you'll be kind enough to show me the safe camping spots, right?

Skybird · 06-03-10, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krashkart

Damn. So, if I ever visit Europe you'll be kind enough to show me the safe camping spots, right?

Depends on the state of our relations in this forum.

krashkart · 06-03-10, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

Depends on the state of our relations in this forum.

Yes, that's kind of what I'd wagered the question on. Good comeback.

06-02-10, 07:48 AM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,603 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Better never, than late http://www.spiegel.de/international/...698245,00.html Happens rarely, but happens. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

06-02-10, 08:31 AM	#5
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,473 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Deepest sympathies....especially after so many years __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

06-02-10, 10:03 AM	#6
HunterICX Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2006 Location: Malaga, España Posts: 10,750 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	World War 1 and World War 2 hasn't ended untill the last bombs/mines have been cleared. my Condolences to the Family HunetICX __________________

06-02-10, 01:54 PM	#9
krashkart Navy Seal Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5,292 Downloads: 100 Uploads: 0	Some years ago my mother went on an anthropology field dig in the desert, on a government site. I remember feeling really scared the whole summer that she wouldn't come home, because they had her working in an old minefield that hadn't been deactivated. But they had a security detail with them that guided them safely through the mess. There are places all over that site (and other, more publicly accessible areas, too) that are littered with wartime explosives, leftovers from testing and training. You hear about shells being uncovered from time to time after a wildfire in the Boise foothills, even. Putting in a little prayer tonight for those families. Any idea how many of those munitions are still out there? __________________ sent from my fingertips using a cheap keyboard

06-02-10, 06:09 PM	#11
Dan D Grey Wolf Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: 9th Flotilla Posts: 839 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	In WW II, a British fire bomb hit the house of my mother’s family. The bomb penetrated the roof and the ceilings and floors of all 3 storeys. The story goes that my great-aunt, who had received fire-fighter training, rushed into the cellar, took the fire bomb and threw it out on the street. That must have been a dud. Even today, if you lift the carpet, you can still see where the holes once were. __________________

06-02-10, 08:02 AM	#2
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Ouch.

06-02-10, 08:04 AM	#4
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Yah, the war takes lives years after the treaties are signed. Condolences to the relatives of those killed in what is probably the most nerve wracking job in the world, particularly with old ordinance.

06-02-10, 01:09 PM	#8
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,765 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Hello, when i lived in Goettingen there were 1-2 bomb alarms every year. Two of them went off by themselves, fortunately no one was hurt. One went up at night under a fair, only damaging the ferris wheel and a few whirligigs and carousels. One problem are the delayed fuses, and the acid mechanism coming of age. From Mr. Weise, a bomb technician: "In the last few years we’ve found that the detonators we take out of such bombs are increasingly brittle," Weise said. "Recently we’ve had three extracted detonators go off with a pissssh sound while they were being transported away, all it took was a bit of vibration. One day such bombs will be so sensitive that no one will be able to handle them. We may have to stop defusing them as soon as next year." From the commentary: " ... Several people have been in injured in spontaneous bomb explosions in Oranienburg over the years and experts have warned that with the passage of time such detonations are becoming more likely. An estimated 20,000 delay-action bombs were dropped on Oranienburg during the war because it had a suspected atomic bomb research site, the Heinkel aircraft factory and a pharmaceutical plant. They were designed to explode between two and 146 hours after hitting the ground, to disrupt clearing up work and cause chaos. ..." A lot of those never exploded, but will sometime in the future. Greetings, Catfish

06-02-10, 05:50 PM	#10
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Too many Krashkart, far too many. Even over here in the middle of nowhere in Suffolk we still get bomb scares. The odd scattered Luftwaffe present, but also RAF and USAF presents, phosphorous flares, heck I even found an old battery box from the US army on the bank of our local river. But that's what you get for being next door to the army practice zones for D-day. But considering how much was dropped on Germany during the latter half of the war, I dread to think how much is still down there.