…and since it has something to do with B-47s too, i think this fits the soothing tranquility of this forum rather than the Moderatorintensitive Military forum.
The article you posted at the flameforum appearantly mentioned higher counts of leukaemia around Greenham Common, and somehow tried to link that with the use of hydrazine as an emergency fuel by some fighter aircraft, most notably the F-16 (not that those ever were stationed at GC, and not that an F-16 is likely to put it’s hydrazine into use).
I think the reason for that is far more horrifying and less far-fetched than just some hydrazine spills… GC was actually the site of a pretty nasty nuclear accident back in 1958, when a nuclear-armed B-47 burnt up on it’s alert apron after another B-47 had dropped some improvised napalm a few metres away…
From http://www.cdi.org/Issues/NukeAccidents/accidents.htm :
*February 1958, Greenham Common Airbase, England
A B-47 bomber experiencing engine trouble during takeoff jettisoned two full 1,700 gallon fuel tanks from an altitude of 8,000 feet, which missed a designated safe impact area and exploded 65 feet behind a parked B-47 loaded with nuclear weapons. The resulting fire burned for 16 hours and caused the high explosives package of at least one weapon to explode. The explosion released radioactive material, including powdered uranium and plutonium oxides, at least 10 to 20 grams of which were found off base. An adjacent hangar was also severely damaged, and other planes nearby had to be hosed down to prevent their ignition by the intense heat fueled by the jet propellant and magnesium in the B-47. The fire killed two people, injured eight others, and destroyed the bomber.
The Air Force has never officially admitted that nuclear weapons were involved in this accident. The Air Force and British Ministry of Defence agreed in 1956 to deny the existence of nuclear weapons in any accident involving U.S. nuclear weapons stationed in England. In 1985, the British government reported that the accident involved a parked B-47 that was struck by a taxiing B-47 on a training exercise, omitting any mention of the ensuing fire.
“Activists Claim Proof of Nuclear Accident,” San Francisco Examiner, July 15, 1996, p. A-11; Shaun Gregory, The Hidden Cost of Deterrence: Nuclear Weapons Accidents, Brassey’s UK, London, 1990, p.152; From a report on Greenham Common Accident, “Broken Arrow,” Center for Nuclear Disarmament, London, England, July 1996, http://www.cnduk.org/brokenarrow/index.html .
Is anyone here actually from the area? I think it’s a bit strange that the snipped posted by Moggy tries to find rather far-fetched explanations for the appearant high number of leukaemia-cases, when a far more logical explanation could be found in the incident above. I’m curious if the incident mentioned is actually known in the area or not.
By: Cliffair - 4th December 2007 at 19:27
Although we all like to think that everything in life revolves around aviation I think the real answer lies with the Atomic Research Agency just down the road at Aldermarston, but ssshhhh…..it doesn’t exist 😉
Interestingly whilst I was living in Tadley,approx 1/4 mile from AWRE Aldermaston some ten years ago there were reports in the local press of Greenham common as well as Aldermaston / Tadley being allegedly clusters for Infant leukaemia-cases.
IIRC nothing was ever prooved that current practise at AWRE were to blame when it went to enquiry so the alleged cause of the clusters remain a mystery. A bit off topic I know but since you mentioned the accident at Greenham in the 50’s maybe not so coincedental after all.
regards Cliff
By: VirginiaJim - 4th December 2007 at 13:08
…and since it has something to do with B-47s too, i think this fits the soothing tranquility of this forum rather than the Moderatorintensitive Military forum.
The article you posted at the flameforum appearantly mentioned higher counts of leukaemia around Greenham Common, and somehow tried to link that with the use of hydrazine as an emergency fuel by some fighter aircraft, most notably the F-16 (not that those ever were stationed at GC, and not that an F-16 is likely to put it’s hydrazine into use).
I think the reason for that is far more horrifying and less far-fetched than just some hydrazine spills… GC was actually the site of a pretty nasty nuclear accident back in 1958, when a nuclear-armed B-47 burnt up on it’s alert apron after another B-47 had dropped some improvised napalm a few metres away…
From http://www.cdi.org/Issues/NukeAccidents/accidents.htm :
Is anyone here actually from the area? I think it’s a bit strange that the snipped posted by Moggy tries to find rather far-fetched explanations for the appearant high number of leukaemia-cases, when a far more logical explanation could be found in the incident above. I’m curious if the incident mentioned is actually known in the area or not.
This is my first time here so go easy on me. My father was involved in this ‘incident’ as he was stationed at Greenham Common at the time. He was cited for assisting in moving two B-47s away from the fires. I quote from a fitness report ‘TSGT Sparkman was only one of four men that I know of who did not panic in the face of our recent disaster. Although unfamiliar with B-47 aircraft he helped evacuate two B-47’s away from the fire area.’ He died in 1969 from brain and lung cancer.
I have always wondered if this incident had an effect on him as well as others early in his career with the AF. He was a crew chief on RB-36 aircraft and regularly spent time riding with the ‘nucs’ they sometimes carried. He smoked like a chimney but so did the rest of his brothers and sister. They all had lung issues but not until they reached their early 80s. He died at 45 years of age.
He met my mother while at Greenham on a TDY from Rapid City AFB/Ellsworth during the early 50s. Somewhat ironic that I was born there as well.
By: frankvw - 12th August 2004 at 13:31
I’m sure next one on th “list” will be Bent_waters… Regarding to A-10s being stationed here, and their lovely DU shells 😀
By: Arthur - 12th August 2004 at 13:23
Thanks for this.
Can I just make it clear that I am in no way associated with any of the ‘protestors’ about GC or any other US presence here. Just the opposite I am looking for info to counter stuff locally about Lakenhall and Mildenheath.
Moggy
As you should 😉 Nothing spectaculair like the GC fire ever happened at either one of those as far as i know, and certainly no secret hydrazine storage sites there either. Any increases in cancer around Mildenhall surely has a lot to do with the food at the Mildenhall airshows… mmmmmmm!
By: DGH - 12th August 2004 at 13:08
I dont know about the decommisioning but I used to know a fireman who worked there and …… well I best not say or I might just dissappear one night 😮
By: Firebird - 12th August 2004 at 11:34
but ssshhhh…..it doesn’t exist 😉
That’s probably true now……well for most it anyway. Arn’t they spending a fortune on decommissioning most of it, an engineer I used to work with got the Project Managers job for this about 3 years ago, and he reckoned it would see him through to retirement with the amount of work to do, and he was only in his late 30’s at the time…. 😉
By: DGH - 12th August 2004 at 10:54
Although we all like to think that everything in life revolves around aviation I think the real answer lies with the Atomic Research Agency just down the road at Aldermarston, but ssshhhh…..it doesn’t exist 😉
By: Moggy C - 12th August 2004 at 10:20
Thanks for this.
Can I just make it clear that I am in no way associated with any of the ‘protestors’ about GC or any other US presence here. Just the opposite I am looking for info to counter stuff locally about Lakenhall and Mildenheath.
Moggy
By: Arthur - 12th August 2004 at 09:22
That would be great BuccS. I find it interesting that both the B-52 crashes with nuclear spills at both Greenland and above the southern part of Spain are far better reported than this incident, while i believe it’s actually this one which posed the greatest risk.
By: JetBlast - 11th August 2004 at 23:47
Hi Arthur, I am base about 2 miles from the old runway threshold and have always lived within a 6 mile square radius of the airfield.
I have heard about the incident and believe it to be very true, I have several friends whom were based at nearby RAF Welford at the time and they remember quiet clearly that the entire fire team had to attend a major accident at GC, I will try and get some more gen on this subject over the next couple of days
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August 11, 2004 at 11:16 pm