20.12.2009, 05:02
the "fat man" type is protected against detonation by design.
the little boy type on the other hand by design is a almost suicidal bomb as it can go off by itself when the two parts inside that form the critical mass are put together by an accident... or even when the plane has to make a forced landing in salty water this would have caused a nuclear detonation.
there was the fact, taht the ignitors which force the two parts together on ignition where only placed during flight to protect the plane on takeoff but there where scenarios even then when mechaical failure could have caused a mis-detonation.
that is why only one little boy ever was built and used, all other types where the safe-to-handle fat man types.
the little boy type on the other hand by design is a almost suicidal bomb as it can go off by itself when the two parts inside that form the critical mass are put together by an accident... or even when the plane has to make a forced landing in salty water this would have caused a nuclear detonation.
there was the fact, taht the ignitors which force the two parts together on ignition where only placed during flight to protect the plane on takeoff but there where scenarios even then when mechaical failure could have caused a mis-detonation.
that is why only one little boy ever was built and used, all other types where the safe-to-handle fat man types.