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Why does napalm tumble?
The containers of napalm bomber are very light and fabricated of aluminum, with a capacity for about 75 gallons of combustible gel. They lack stabilizing fins, and consequently acquire a tumbling motion on being dropped that contributes to the scattering of the combustible gel over a wide area.
Does napalm spontaneously combust?
Napalm is often used in combination with gasoline or jet fuel to make a bomb with a thin outer shell that easily explodes and ignites upon impact with a target. Once ignited, napalm can burn at more than 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).
How many people have died to napalm?
Yet, when 690,000 pounds of napalm was dropped on Tokyo on March 9, 1945, some 87,000 people perished in what was the single deadliest night in the war and the opening round of an incendiary campaign against Japan’s largest cities that in 10 days saw 18.7 million pounds of napalm and ex- in 1942 to plosives incinerate …
How was napalm dropped in Vietnam?
American bombers dropped Napalm-B bombs in large canisters which exploded on impact, engulfing the surrounding area in flames. Napalm bombs were preferred to conventional high explosive bombs where careful targeting was required, as they could be dropped from a much lower altitude.
Why did US use napalm in Vietnam?
Napalm was first used in flamethrowers for U.S. ground troops; they burned down sections of forest and bushes in hopes of eliminating any enemy guerrilla fighters. Later on in the war B-52 Bombers began dropping napalm bombs and other incendiary explosives.
Was napalm used in the Gulf War?
The United States is using the napalm bomb — one of the most controversial weapons of the Vietnam War — behind Iraqi lines in the Persian Gulf war, a military spokesman said Friday. He denied that napalm was being used against Iraqi troops.
How hot is liquid napalm?
It was developed by U.S. scientists during World War II. Napalm is also employed in a pyrotechnic gel containing gasoline and less-volatile petroleum oil, powdered magnesium, and sodium nitrate; this composition burns at a temperature of about 1,000° C (1,800° F), compared to 675° C (1,250° F) for thickened gasoline.
Is white phosphorus worse than napalm?
Napalm is the most notorious incendiary substance, but it is only one of more than 180. White phosphorus munitions cause particularly severe injuries, including chemical burns down to the bone.
How many Japanese were killed by napalm?
In the space of a few hours, they dropped 1,667 tons of napalm-filled incendiary bombs on the Japanese capital, killing more than 100,000 people in a single strike, and injuring several times that number. It was the highest death toll of any air raid during the war, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
How many Vietnamese died from napalm?
The Vietnam Red Cross recorded over 4.8 million deaths and 400,000 children born with birth defects due to exposure to Agent Orange. Agent Orange was later determined to be in violation of the Geneva Contract.
What is the difference between Agent Orange and napalm?
Agent Orange, which was used during the Vietnam War to clear dense vegetation, is a deadly herbicide with long-lasting effects. Napalm, a gel-like fuel mixture that burns slowly and more accurately than gasoline, was used in bombs.