Graphic: What Sort of Exploding Ordnance Is This?

BBC ^ | October 27, 2001 | BBC

[Ironword]

The following graphic is from a current BBC front-page article discussing the latest bombing sorties targeting the Taliban front-line positions in Afghanistan.

That's some nasty aftereffect. Is it a fuel-air bomb?

[Ironword]

Not fuel/air. Looks like a std. Mk84 to me.

What is that?

[Ironword]

Thanks both for the link/graphics.

[goright]

YOU GUYS--remember those pics with the old "historic fort"?I think this bomb hit that funny thing in the ground that was long and silvery.

[Mark17]

In any case, anyone at the bottom of that mushroom is hurtin'.

But only for a split second. They will go so fast, they will never know what hit them.

[Ironword]

Just speculating..but the cloud looks like a lot of earth being displaced..it's a dust cloud...not an explosion.therefore the target ould be a deeply buried bunker..

Why/how do you think the strange shape?

[Darksheare]

Look up the Great Halifax Explosion of World War One... I have a book from the time and it has a nice photo from it.. unfortunately, I can't scan it as the book is too fragile to scan. Now that was an explosion.

[ken5050]

Depending on the angle the bomb hits, or what it deflects as it penetrates..energy is not dissipated straight up.....thus the odd shape..also..winds will disperse the dust cloud...usually in any explosion you see darker colors.....if you've ever seen any pics of an underground nuclear explosion..it's a similar colored cloud.......again..I have no special expertise...just general knowledge...

[ken5050]

another possibility for the shape, which adds confidence to my theory...initial explosion of a penetrator causes the first dust cloud as the earth is displaced up..shortly after, there is a secondary explosion in the bunker..generating another upward dispersion..thus the "stacked" clouds appearance..

BTW, this is a great night....wife is out with the daughters..I ordered in Chinese..and now I'm watching the Yankees get killed...hangin on FR, and I've got an open botle of Port and a tray of cannolis.........OUTSTANDING!!!..and I get to set the clcok back an hour tonite as well.....

regards to ya....

[Ironword]

Quiet, Port, cannolis, extra hour -- totally excellent.

[Ironword]

Look up the Great Halifax Explosion of World War One

What went up?

[ken5050]

Port, $45....cannolis...6 for $10......Yankees losing.....PRICELESS.....quiet.....an added bonus......(G)

[maestro]

?? Natural Gas & Grain Storage Area??
(There goes the comforts of a long winter's night)

[Ironword]

Round here (Joisey waterfront), they still talk about the "Black Tom" explosion.

[maestro]

Your#53) Right. But, didn't "Black Tom" blaze on for days??

[america-rules]

— A top U.N. official dismissed calls for a pause in airstrikes to allow more aid into Afghanistan, saying the U.S.-led military assault had not significantly disrupted aid flow. Kenzo Oshima, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told the British Broadcasting Corp. on Saturday that more aid was urgently needed, but that a bombing pause was not necessary.

[BILLNHILL MAKE ME ILL]

It's a direct hit on a fully fueled camel.

[Ironword]

Probably the best humanitarian effort we could achieve for the Afghanis is to destroy the crazed Taliban and bin Ladenites.

Should have done it after the Cole. After the Khobar Towers. After the embassies. After WTC-I. . . .

And we should have finished the job in Iraq.

[Ironword]

But, didn't "Black Tom" blaze on for days??

I think so.

[Ironword]

It's a direct hit on a fully fueled camel.

Can't be -- Dubya said he wouldn't use a $2 million missle to hit a camel in the butt.

[null and void]

A whole ship full on ammonuim nitrate. Blew all the water out of the harbor...