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To: Rebelbase
Incredible the rocket didn't explode. Probably this was because the Minuteman used solid fuel.

There was a much more famous incident that happened in Arkansas, in which a dropped socket wrench fell 80 feet down the silo (between the missile and the silo's inner wall), at which point it struck something which deflected it toward the missile.

That was a Titan missile, not a Minuteman.

It went right through the missile's skin like it was nothing. Inside was thousands of gallons Aerozine-50 rocket fuel, which is a 50-50 mixture of hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, two of the nastiest, most dangerous chemicals anyone ever synthesized. Above them was another tank filled with thousands of gallons of nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer, another incredibly noxious, dangerous, explosive, corrosive, poisonous brew.

The two didn't mix immediately, but the fuel tank drained out, dumping fuel down the silo where it pooled in the depths.

Eventually, the missile collapsed. At that point, first-stage fuel and oxidizer made contact, causing an enormous explosion that killed one airman and injured about two dozen others. The missile was destroyed, and eventually the entire missile launch facility was written off.

The nine-megaton thermonuclear warhead was thrown 100 feet and landed near the launch site's gate.

Here's a more thorough description of the incident.

20 posted on 11/03/2017 8:57:35 AM PDT by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrat's John Dean])
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To: Steely Tom
The nine-megaton thermonuclear warhead

Nine Megaton?

WOW!!

29 posted on 11/03/2017 9:53:27 AM PDT by painter ( Isaiah: �Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,")
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To: Steely Tom

Re the Titan incident.

Before I retired from the USAF, i was tasked to provide an analysis of the toxic fumes leaking from the silo before the explosion. There were a few lawsuits from local yahoos that claimed injuries. The trial was held in Little Rock. When I got there I found out that the only expert witnesses for the government was me and an AF doctor. He testified that these toxins either kill you or you’re ok. I testified that the fumes drifted to the NE away from the site and vegetation kills in the area verified my analysis. I did not know of the vegetation kils BTW. The plaintiffs were all located well south of the site and obviously in no danger. The Jimmy Carter affirmative action appointed judge gave the plaintiffs 10K each for their trouble and I went fishing the next day.


31 posted on 11/03/2017 10:05:34 AM PDT by waredbird
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