Defense Tech: A Chocolate (well composite, anyway) Mess


	Subscribe via RSS


	Archives by Date
		June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 See all Archives


	Archives by Category
		'Canes Afghan Update Ammo and Munitions Armor Around the Globe Av Week Extra Axe in Iraq (and Elsewhere) Bizarro Blimps Blog Bidness Body Armor Blues Bomb Squad Brownshoes in Action Bubbleheads, etc. Cammo Green Catch the "Buzz" Chem-Bio Civilian Apps Cloak and Dagger Commandos Comms Contingency Ops Cops and Robbers Cyber-warfare Data Diving Defense Tech Poll Defense Tech Radio Dissent Tech Door Kickers Drones DT Administrivia Eat DT's Dust Extra! Extra! Eye on China Fast Movers FCS Watch Fire for Effect FOS Files Friday Funnies Gadgets and Gear Going Green Grand Ole Osprey Ground Vehicles Guns Homeland Security In the Weeds with Eric Info War Iraq Diary Jarhead Jazz JSF Watch Just War Theories Lasers and Ray Guns Less-lethal Logistics Los Alamos and Labs M4 Monopoly Medic! Mercs Missiles Money Money Money Most Wanted MRAP Edge Net-Centric Nukes Old Skool Our Shrinking Planet Planes, Copters, Blimps Podcast Politricks Polmar's Perspective Popular Mechanics Rapid Fire Raptor Watch Red Team Retro-Futuro Robots Roll Your Own Sabra Tech Ships and Subs Snipertech Soldier Systems Space Special Ops Star Wars Strategery Stray Trons Tactical Development Terror Tech The Deadlies The Defense Biz The Peoples' Site The Sunday Paper The Tanker Tango The View from Av Week Those Nutty Norks Training and Sims Trimble on the Case Video Lounge War Update Ward'z Wonderz You can run... See all Archives


	Newsletters


Edited by Christian Lowe \| Contact

A Chocolate (well composite, anyway) Mess

DT contributer emeritus Chris Michel gave us a heads up about a series of photos over at Gizmodo that show details of the aftermath of the B-2 crash in Guam a few months back.

Here's one of them:

B-2 crash.bmp

Composites have afforded amazing performance capabilities in modern aircraft but they are nasty when they burn. The fibers get airborne in a fire and can get into the lungs of those who might inadvertantly breath the smoke -- which is why crash crews are careful to wear respirators even after that flames die off.

Messy, ain't it?

(Gouge: CM)

-- Ward

Comments

The aircraft is not salvagable. Some components might be but will need to be bench checked before they know. I helped build 19 of the aircraft and know them inside-and-out. It might berepaired enough to be placed on a pedistal along side the "Arc Light" B-52. Using it for anything else would be cost prohibitive. There are already 2 test beds (never flown) and the Simulators are the only logical pilot training divice. MLH

Posted by: Michael L Henry at July 16, 2008 06:00 PM

I understand that some electrical connectors were not sealed correctly and water shorted out some computers. Ref. above, Obama giving it to Iran, he is correct! Nothing on a crash can be re-used, especially composit.

Posted by: James Baudier at July 16, 2008 04:21 PM

"If Obama in the Oval office right now he and his wife would be joyfull and would give this b2 to Iran for a gift".

Newwin, you're out of line, and I think you will regret your statement when you discover that Mr. Obama is far more moderate than you right-wing nuts give him credit for.

Sad about such a beautiful machine, but yes, its scrap.....

Posted by: ExLoadmeter at July 16, 2008 04:10 PM

You Tell Me any aircraft crash that is fun or funny to look at!!!.besides the possible lose of life. there is always the (why) did it happen and how do we correct the problem.yes the aircraft looks nonrepairable.but I just imagine there is alot of parts and knowledge that can be glenned from this crash.how not to let this happen again.in order to advance in technology there has to be a few broken eggs.hopefully and praying that no lose of life happens.just like the space shuttles ( but to the misery of every one. people died).I say keep up with all the good work it helps keep us free.

Posted by: ron pond at July 16, 2008 10:22 AM

parts!!!! :P

Posted by: brad pitt at July 16, 2008 10:04 AM

If burning of moister was known to prevent this. Why wasn't SOP?

Posted by: Sam at July 16, 2008 08:43 AM

If burning of moister was known to prevent this. Why wasn't SOP?

Posted by: Sam at July 16, 2008 08:42 AM

No way is this plane salvageable. After a fire like this, the structures suffered likely heat damage, and the composites are likely damaged in ways we can't see from this picture (molecular level damage). It ain't made of RHA and DU like an Abrams! The plane is junk now, never fly again. Never seen a billion dollars go up in flames like that.

Posted by: AeroEngineer at July 16, 2008 08:09 AM

This brought back vivid memories of the B50 Crash at the sam site on May 19, 1953. We were able to get the Pilot and Co-Pilot out but not the others. A horrific scene and perpetual memory. we did what we could tghough not enough.

Posted by: Senator Curry at July 16, 2008 07:15 AM

yo 1 of those cost 2 billion dollars i dont think their gonna just throw it away i sure as hell wouldnt.

Posted by: spartan1134 at July 16, 2008 07:12 AM

A sad sight.

Posted by: USA at July 15, 2008 09:41 PM

If Obama in the Oval office right now he and his wife would be joyfull and would give this b2 to Iran for a gift.

Posted by: John Newwin at July 15, 2008 09:37 PM

surprisingly intact.

-DA

Posted by: DarthAmerica at July 15, 2008 12:48 PM

You know if the aircraft is considered unflyable after this, perhaps a good use for it would be to turn it into a testbed for new technology for the fleet of B-2s remaining. It may also possibly be used as a way to train new pilots, or to offer as a walk through for the media to keep the media away from the main flight line.

Posted by: Ed at July 15, 2008 12:32 PM

Appears salvageable. Could probably sell this burnt to crisp, slightly used, stealth bomber to China for full price, and get our money back. OK maybe not, since China already stole most its secrets over the years.

Posted by: FlawedLogic at July 15, 2008 11:29 AM

A Chocolate (well composite, anyway) Mess

Comments

Post a comment