Xref: utzoo sci.space.shuttle:2127 sci.space:8664
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!bellcore!texbell!uhnix1!sugar!peter
From: peter@sugar.uu.net (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
Subject: Re: Fuel based explosions [was: Re: USSR and the Moon ]
Message-ID: <3055@sugar.uu.net>
Date: 4 Dec 88 18:37:40 GMT
References: <880@cernvax.UUCP> <18263@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <18420@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <2025@eos.UUCP>
Organization: Sugar Land Unix - Houston, TX
Lines: 17

In article <2735@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> doug@loihi.hig.hawaii.edu (Doug Myhre) writes:
> It does remind me of the experiment that the Air Force (I think) did
> where they deliberately crashed a plane to test a new jet fuel mixture.
> The mixture supposable wouldn't ignite as easily when a place crashed and
> the fuel was spread out in a fine spray.  From the news footage, it didn't
> look as if it worked very well.

The problem is that they landed the plane slightly crooked and the knives
that were supposed to rip open the fuel tanks ripped open one of the
engines. The mixture was not designed to deal with the much higher temperatures
and exposed super-hot metal parts in the engine, so the initial flames
went out but when the leaking fuel reached the engine it was re-ignited.
-- 
		    Peter da Silva  `-_-'  peter@sugar.uu.net
		     Have you hugged  U  your wolf today?

	          Disclaimer: My typos are my own damn busines#!rne