2003-03-13 21500 is getting closer to 10 Mg, but it is only 9.75 Mg
John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Terry Simpson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, 2003-03-13 12:55 Subject: [USMA:25119] Re: metric bombs > Of Bill Potts >The Thursday Sidney Morning Herald refers to the bomb's mass as 9545 kg >(a conversion that is both excessively precise and inaccurate >-- about 20 kg too high) Interesting but beware of using newspapers as sources. They often merely repeat other references without checking the data. The figure they quote is too low if you read plausible US military sources that say 21500 lb. For example: www.af.mil/news/Mar2003/31203861.shtml Note that the media mentions the mass of the bomb only. Since it is intended to be carried on an aircraft, it is the total payload mass that is critical. Looking at the picture of the bomb's pallet, it remains plausible that the design limit is 10 Mg for bomb plus pallet. See: www.af.mil/photos/images/030311-D-9085M-007.jpg On the other hand, the following link suggests that US aircraft still measure load in pounds: www-ext.tinker.af.mil/tild/to/11b50.pdf Sigh.
