DeTomaso Mailing List: April 98, Message #159

If people really want more info, my step-father was one of the "twins"
group, and he
went on board ships after the "Atoll tests"and other tests
...I could relate the "half burned animal" stories...and other "stuff"....

======

	Dave Williams wrote:
	    >-> Ref: Gladstone, "The Effects of Nuclear Weopons",
USDoD/USAEC.
	    >
	    > Is that the one with the photo of the ('52?) Chevy pickup with
the
	    >paint burned off one side and the upholstery fire?  According
to the
	    >book it was still driveable.

	Yup, thats the one.  There was little blast damage to this vehicle,
the fire
	was started by thermal radiation.  The vehicle was parked 4000'
	from the epicenter of an air blast at 1850', temperatures were
between
	3000-4000 Celsius.  Thermal radiation affects cars interiors, glass
and 
	paint.  The vehicles are generally still drivable (albeit you will
	need some "new car" spray to cover the odor).  Cars and trucks that
had 
	suffered 5psi overpressure at 3000' from ground zero were usually
beat up from
	being rolled and objects (such as other cars) hitting them.  A
school bus
	was on its roof.  If they are shielded (by, e.g. a house, even a
wooden house,
	other cars, etc) they will esacpe most of the effects of thermal
radiation.
	These cars too are sometimes drivable.

	Cars are pretty tough, but I dont think you'd be winning too many
	concours' in them.

		Shane Ingate in San Diego