Crazed Marines
18-09-2004, 23:15
0500 hours
The Warrant officers loaded the new bomb into the B-217 (think B17 plus B52 with a tad bit of B2 in it). This sucker was HUGE. They liked the idea of having a bomb that could level half a city in a single hit. But this, its supposed destructive capabilities were beyond that. It was rumored to be able to blow a swath of destruction three miles wide.
0530
Loading of the GBU-86 was complete. The 43,000 lb. bomb barely fit in the bomber, and the thing had to go completely unarmed to do this bombing run. Not only that, but the fuel usage was going to be horrible.
0600
The B-217 took off, barely. It would take fifteen minutes to reach off the dropsite.
0615
"Jordan! Get ready to drop that Mofo!"
"Yes Colonial!"
"How many times have I told ya, you can call me John in the air."
"Sure John."
0616
The B-217 reached the DZ and the pilot informed his bombadier, "Gotcha John. PICKLE! PICKLE! PICKLE!" the bombadier screamed over his mike. The bomb descended upon the earth. Its stabilizer fins worked like the Techies told them they would. The bomb reached 175 feet and exploded. The resulting devestation seemed like a nuclear bomb, even though it was only conventional.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/images/moab-test-030311-12.jpg
The resulting crater was three miles in diameter and 150 feet deep.
The Warrant officers loaded the new bomb into the B-217 (think B17 plus B52 with a tad bit of B2 in it). This sucker was HUGE. They liked the idea of having a bomb that could level half a city in a single hit. But this, its supposed destructive capabilities were beyond that. It was rumored to be able to blow a swath of destruction three miles wide.
0530
Loading of the GBU-86 was complete. The 43,000 lb. bomb barely fit in the bomber, and the thing had to go completely unarmed to do this bombing run. Not only that, but the fuel usage was going to be horrible.
0600
The B-217 took off, barely. It would take fifteen minutes to reach off the dropsite.
0615
"Jordan! Get ready to drop that Mofo!"
"Yes Colonial!"
"How many times have I told ya, you can call me John in the air."
"Sure John."
0616
The B-217 reached the DZ and the pilot informed his bombadier, "Gotcha John. PICKLE! PICKLE! PICKLE!" the bombadier screamed over his mike. The bomb descended upon the earth. Its stabilizer fins worked like the Techies told them they would. The bomb reached 175 feet and exploded. The resulting devestation seemed like a nuclear bomb, even though it was only conventional.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/images/moab-test-030311-12.jpg
The resulting crater was three miles in diameter and 150 feet deep.