Re: 1945 -- uranuim to Japan.

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT>]

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: maury <maury@WEBTEXAS.COM>

An: Radiation Safety <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

Datum: Donnerstag, 18. Juli 2002 02:28

Betreff: 1945 -- uranuim to Japan.





>Recently came across this interesting tidbit of history -- can anyone

>say more now about the uranium being sent to Japan?

>Thanks,

>Maury       maury@webtexas.com

>==================================

> 1945

>Germany's largest U-boat, the 1,700 ton Type XB minelayer U-234 – was at

>

>sea when the war ended, and surrendered in mid-ocean to an American

>destroyer escort. Her original destination had been Japan; her cargo

>included two complete ME-262 jet fighters (disassembled in crates, but

>with complete technical data) and 550 kilograms of Uranium 235 (or

>Uranium oxide -- sources differ), packed in lead containers. The reason

>the uranium was being sent to Japan has never been determined – or, at

>least, revealed.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------



I remember that I read the story somewhere on the uranium on its way to

Japan, but I do not remember where - could it have been on National

Geographic? I remember as well that no explanation could be given, what it

would have been good for.



One is for sure: It cannot have been U-235: First of all Germany had no

enriched uranium, but was experimenting with natural uranium and some extent

with heavy water. Secondly: RADSAFErs should know, what happens if 550 kg of

U-235 are put together!!!! So when I read in an article something like this

I do not believe the rest.



Franz









************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.

You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/