NickN
27th January 2009, 12:17 PM
From todays Telegraph online....
GERMAN authorities are preparing to clear hundreds bombs left from World War II that are strewn under Berlin's busiest airport.
There are so many explosives - bombs and grenades - that litter the ground around Tegel airport that more than 500 sites will be excavated to finally make it safe for passenger jets if they stray off the tarmac.
Berlin's Senator for Urban Development, Ingeborg Junge-Reyer declined to comment on the threat posed by the deadly relics.
However, Spiegel Online has reported that, "an officially commissioned report cited in the press earlier this year described ‘live munitions near the ground surface’ that could be detonated by vehicles, airplanes or ‘mowing and landscape work that digs into the earth.’ It called Tegel an 'objectively dangerous situation’.”
The German magazine continued, saying: “Within Germany, the problem of unexploded bombs is far from rare.
“The country is still contaminated with bombs - just a fraction of the more than 2.7 million tons of explosives dropped by Allied forces over Germany during the Second World War.
“Experts warn the hazardous relics are becoming increasingly unstable with age. “
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24960927-5013605,00.html
Notice in the picture the aircraft is using reverse thrust with the nose still 12 degrees in the air. Looks a little weird.
GERMAN authorities are preparing to clear hundreds bombs left from World War II that are strewn under Berlin's busiest airport.
There are so many explosives - bombs and grenades - that litter the ground around Tegel airport that more than 500 sites will be excavated to finally make it safe for passenger jets if they stray off the tarmac.
Berlin's Senator for Urban Development, Ingeborg Junge-Reyer declined to comment on the threat posed by the deadly relics.
However, Spiegel Online has reported that, "an officially commissioned report cited in the press earlier this year described ‘live munitions near the ground surface’ that could be detonated by vehicles, airplanes or ‘mowing and landscape work that digs into the earth.’ It called Tegel an 'objectively dangerous situation’.”
The German magazine continued, saying: “Within Germany, the problem of unexploded bombs is far from rare.
“The country is still contaminated with bombs - just a fraction of the more than 2.7 million tons of explosives dropped by Allied forces over Germany during the Second World War.
“Experts warn the hazardous relics are becoming increasingly unstable with age. “
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24960927-5013605,00.html
Notice in the picture the aircraft is using reverse thrust with the nose still 12 degrees in the air. Looks a little weird.