WWII Bomb found under Autobahn

[SVT666]

A section of the German Autobahn has been shut down after construction crews stumbled upon an 1,100-pound British bomb built during World War II.

The German government flew in experts to defuse the bomb using chemicals but the process failed. Transporting the 70-year old device to a safe location was deemed too dangerous, so authorities had no choice but to close the freeway and detonate it on location.

The explosion ripped a crater measuring about 75 feet wide and 8 feet deep in the east-bound lanes of the A3 Autobahn. Approximately 160 people living in a nearby village named Offenbach had to evacuate their homes because the detonating crew didn't know how big of a blast to expect.

The lane closures and the miscellaneous detours caused a traffic jam that stretched over 7.5 miles, crippling one of Germany's busiest regions. Part of the nearby Frankfurt airport was also closed for about an hour on Tuesday night, delaying 22 flights.

Construction crews are currently working to fill the crater and repair the road. When it will be re-opened to the public is not known.

The local government was only half surprised to hear about the bomb. Frankfurt was almost entirely destroyed during World War II, and Germany's Ministry of Transportation told Spiegel that construction workers typically dig up anywhere between 40 and 60 explosive devices from the war each year in the Hesse state.

[FoMoJo]

Amazing how many bombs didn't go off when dropped.

[GoCougs]

Fascinating these relics. And that is one big ass crater.

[Soup DeVille]

In a country like Germany, which has the know how and the resources to deal with them, they are fascinating, and a bit unnerving.

In Laos, however, a poor agrarian country who's only crime was bordering Vietnam, its altogether a more horrific problem.

[Soup DeVille]

Amazing how many bombs didn't go off when dropped.

A very, very small percentage.

It is however, a reminder of how many were dropped.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

A very, very small percentage.

It is however, a reminder of how many were dropped.

Don't bet on it, I'm sure alot of the domestic commercial companies where switched to wartime production(just like in the states).

Which means.........

Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun DUNNNNNNNN

Bombs, Powered by Lucas Industries.

[Soup DeVille]

Don't bet on it, I'm sure alot of the domestic commercial companies where switched to wartime production(just like in the states).

Which means.........

Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun DUNNNNNNNN

Bombs, Powered by Lucas Industries.

Well, I can't attest to the British industries at all, and I imagine they were under considerably more stress. I do however, have a M1 Carbine made by Rock-Ola ( yes, the jukebox people) that works perfectly well.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Well, I can't attest to the British industries at all, and I imagine they were under considerably more stress. I do however, have a M1 Carbine made by Rock-Ola ( yes, the jukebox people) that works perfectly well.

Sweet, listen to some tunes while you pop off a few rounds.

[Byteme]

Don't bet on it, I'm sure alot of the domestic commercial companies where switched to wartime production(just like in the states).

Which means.........

Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun DUNNNNNNNN

Bombs, Powered by Lucas Industries.

We dropped probably millions of bombs on the Axis powers and god only knows how many arty and mortar rounds.  Not all detonated but most did.   

Allied ordinance was much more likely to detonate than German ordinance.  The difference had nothing to do with design and everything to do with slave labor sabotaging what they were forced by Germany to make.  I've read the laborers got so skillful at it their efforts usually passed the scrutiny of the onsite German inspectors. 

[SVT666]

We dropped probably millions of bombs on the Axis powers and god only knows how many arty and mortar rounds.  Not all detonated but most did.   

Allied ordinance was much more likely to detonate than German ordinance.  The difference had nothing to do with design and everything to do with slave labor sabotaging what they were forced by Germany to make.  I've read the laborers got so skillful at it their efforts usually passed the scrutiny of the onsite German inspectors.

This was a British bomb.  The Germans didn't bomb their own country.

[Soup DeVille]

This was a British bomb.  The Germans didn't bomb their own country.

For the most part, no


They did however, bomb their own railroads, roads and bridges as the allies and Russians advanced to slow them down.

[Byteme]

This was a British bomb.  The Germans didn't bomb their own country.

Yes, I know.  It say that in the first line of the article.

I was offering a comparison of allied vs. German ordinance.

[AutobahnSHO]

Imagine shutting down a highway in the middle of a city- the Autobahns near cities are insanely busy. That's totally crazy.

One time we saw police officers picking up a blown tire, they stopped all traffic during the cleanup, and traffic was backed up behind them for miles and miles and miles. (We were going the opposite direction.)

[Morris Minor]

22,000-pounds...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_bomb

[Mustangfan2003]

I heard a story on NPR a few years ago about people still finding bombs from WWI in France. 

[MaxPower]

This is very similar to the French/Belgium iron harvest: http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000002952555/world-war-is-iron-harvest.html

It's all very interesting, I couldn't imagine having to be worried about a live bomb while doing my job.

[Byteme]

This is very similar to the French/Belgium iron harvest: http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000002952555/world-war-is-iron-harvest.html

It's all very interesting, I couldn't imagine having to be worried about a live bomb while doing my job.

From a 2010 article:

Each year as spring and summer construction work expands, unexploded aerial bombs, hand grenades, artillery rounds and ammunition are uncovered: Last year, construction crews even found old explosives near the private apartment of Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Berlin city officials estimate there are some 4,000 unexploded pieces of ordnance — mostly aerial bombs and artillery — still scattered across the capital.

Earlier this spring, officials evacuated several hundred Berlin residents from offices and apartments after construction crews found a live 500-pound bomb near a main S-Bahn commuter rail track.

Unexploded World War II ordnance remains a problem in many European cities and in parts of North Africa. Berlin city officials estimate the German capital was bombarded by 465,000 tons of explosives and that 1 out of 8 bombs dropped on the city during the war did not explode.

According to Berlin's municipal records, some 7,300 bombs have been detonated successfully in the city since officials started purchasing aerial images from the British in the mid-1980s.


Another interesting article:

http://www.jmu.edu/cisr/journal/4.2/Features/ww2/ww2.htm

[FoMoJo]

From a 2010 article:

Each year as spring and summer construction work expands, unexploded aerial bombs, hand grenades, artillery rounds and ammunition are uncovered: Last year, construction crews even found old explosives near the private apartment of Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Berlin city officials estimate there are some 4,000 unexploded pieces of ordnance — mostly aerial bombs and artillery — still scattered across the capital.

Earlier this spring, officials evacuated several hundred Berlin residents from offices and apartments after construction crews found a live 500-pound bomb near a main S-Bahn commuter rail track.

Unexploded World War II ordnance remains a problem in many European cities and in parts of North Africa. Berlin city officials estimate the German capital was bombarded by 465,000 tons of explosives and that 1 out of 8 bombs dropped on the city during the war did not explode.

According to Berlin's municipal records, some 7,300 bombs have been detonated successfully in the city since officials started purchasing aerial images from the British in the mid-1980s.


Another interesting article:

http://www.jmu.edu/cisr/journal/4.2/Features/ww2/ww2.htm

A good reminder not to start wars.