Another one bites the Red dust

[barrydidit]

Actually the Germans captured an Upkeep that didn't go off, disarmed it, did some trials with it but failed to work out you needed to backspin it.

Thick bastards, didn't they watch the movie?

They heard about the dog and boycotted it.

Anyway, wikipedia says of the german bouncing bomb:

After Operation Chastise, German forces discovered an Upkeep bomb intact in the wreckage of the Lancaster commanded by Flt Lt Barlow, which had struck high tension cables at Haldern, near Rees, Germany and crashed; the bomb had not been released and the aircraft had crashed on land, firing none of the detonation devices.[41] Subsequently, a 385-kilogram (849 lb) version of Upkeep, code-named "Kurt" or "Emil", was built at the Luftwaffe's Erprobungsstelle, or "test site", on Germany's Baltic coast at Travemünde, one in a network of four such establishments in Nazi Germany. The importance of back-spin was not understood and trials by a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 proved to be dangerous to the aircraft as the bomb matched the speed at which it was dropped. Attempts to rectify this with booster rockets failed and the project was discontinued in 1944

[stek]

No it is not. It is a standard British imperial ton. With a smoothly oiled 'tache on it's stiff upper lip.

Actually the Germans captured an Upkeep that didn't go off, disarmed it, did some trials with it but failed to work out you needed to backspin it.

Thick bastards, didn't they watch the movie?

[northernladuk]

Ah bum. Haven't seen the news but I am actually pretty disappointed if this is true. I do find this stuff interesting and does slightly piss me off how much money has been wasted. Such a shame. I just hope someone is held accountable though.

[SlipTheJab]

Chaparelli lander not responding

Abrupt stop in signals

Think it bounced too hard.

Its them bloody Martians again, can't say I blame em though.

[barrydidit]

Is that an American tonne?

No it is not. It is a standard British imperial ton. With a smoothly oiled 'tache on it's stiff upper lip.

[scooterscot]

4 ton

Is that an American tonne?

[barrydidit]

Kin 'ell, Guy Gibson managed it with a 7 ton mine in the dark at 60 feet at 246 mph in a Lanc in 1943, surely we can land a lander on Mars. I mean, I can see Mars in the sky, how far away can it be?

4 ton

[_V_]

54.6 million kilometers to Mars. A Merc diesel isn't even run in at that mileage.

[stek]

Chaparelli lander not responding

Abrupt stop in signals

Think it bounced too hard.

Kin 'ell, Guy Gibson managed it with a 7 ton mine in the dark at 60 feet at 246 mph in a Lanc in 1943, surely we can land a lander on Mars. I mean, I can see Mars in the sky, how far away can it be?

[_V_]

European Space Agency, says it all.

[original PM]

Chaparelli lander not responding

Abrupt stop in signals

Think it bounced too hard.