Atomic Bomb Ratchet

[Provincial]

Can anyone identify the ratchet lying on the edge of the bomb loading pit?

This is a photo taken while loading the "Fat Man" bomb into the B-29 "Bock's Car" for delivery to Nagasaki. The bomb is being lowered into the pit while still bolted to the trailer used to move it. It is being lowered by what appears to be a modified single-post hydraulic automotive lift. The same lift was used to raise the bomb up into the aircraft by changing the attach points on the top of the ram so it supported the bomb while clearing the inside opening of the trailer.

The series of photos is located here:

http://www.alternatewars.com/Bomb_Loading/Bomb_Guide.htm

Ordinary tools were deeply involved in making and handling the most advanced piece of technology of the age. And they continue to do so.

 

[DBendr]

Old Williams Superratchet. Well the guys in the picture probably called it the NEW Superratchet

 

[Provincial]

Nine minutes. Not bad!

 

[ganymede]

"No Smoking !"

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Look up this book...it is a gearhead approach to the first A bombs, bot flavors:
"Atom Bombs, the top secret inside story of Little Boy (gun type bomb) and Fat Man"

John Coster-Mullin

Author has spent decades hunting down every scrap of information on these things, and his main goal is to fully explicate the layout and function of each. A goldmine of technical history, and much wrenching going on.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Plus it has no male drive.

 

[3baygarage]

Good call DBendr. Looks like a 3/4" H-50 most likely.

Cool photo. "Top Secret" too!

 

[KEH]

My older brother was on Tinian Island when the bomb was flown off. H<e didn't know anything about it until it was over.

KEH

 

[OxJaw]

Neat video to go along with the pictures

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Really neat photos, video.. Amazing that the bomb shape was top secret until 1960.. Heck Hillary cannot keep secrets like that today...

Sad it had to come to that, but glad it happened. My grandfather was mopping up in Italy and was probably being readied for the Pacific.. and if he had died fighting there, I wouldn't be typing this...

I typed the book title into the Amazon search.. $50... Opps someone is knocking at the door.. looks like a G Man..... .....

 

[reivertom]

I just bought one just like it at an estate sale along with several sockets and a Proto breaker bar. I bought a half inch adapter so I can use it to destroy my 1/2 inch Craftsman sockets. :^)

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Look up this book...it is a gearhead approach to the first A bombs, bot flavors:
"Atom Bombs, the top secret inside story of Little Boy (gun type bomb) and Fat Man"

John Coster-Mullin

Author has spent decades hunting down every scrap of information on these things, and his main goal is to fully explicate the layout and function of each. A goldmine of technical history, and much wrenching going on.

Received the book last night.. couldn't put it down.. Really neat treatise on the mechanics of the bombs..