Fat Boy loading on Tinian

[Thiokol]

There were a number of Navy folks involved in the Manhatten Project. Capt. (Later Rear Admiral) Parsons was on aboard the Enola Gay. He did the final on board arming after takeoff.

Here's a bit of clarification regarding the arming of the weapon: Morris R. Jeppson, 87, an Enola Gay weaponeer who armed atomic bomb

 

[goldenlight]

My understanding of the Soviet suitcase design is the Tritium half life is so short that the "Trigger" will fizzle without maintenance/replacement every 2 or 3 years. It would still be a very nasty dirty bomb and maybe have a very small yield (estimated to be less than 1 ton yield, let alone anything in the kiloton yield). But the havoc and mess if set off in a metro area. The long term radiation poisoning might rival one of the Japanese cities. Ivan

Tritium has a 12.8 year half life. Hard to believe they can't engineer one that is reliable for more than just a few years.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Half life yes but I would imagine it needs to be at peak performance for the needed function.

Amazing pics from back in the day. Life was pretty different back then.

 

[chief38]

Interesting to examine it up close and see how it was HAND constructed and riveted together. Very cool!

 

[zzzippper]

Despite these comments, I state categorically, that I have never been to Tinian.