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Originally Posted by The Colonel
I'm guessing that the Lancaster would need to parachute retard the bombs then.
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Could do, how big would the chute(s) have to be though? factoring in the slower speed of the Lancaster etc, etc
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Colonel
Of course, if you are demonstrating the detonation of an atomic device under diplomatic cover, you don't actually need a second device or a working delivery system … you just need the enemy to think you do (and recall that the Abwher network in the UK was thoroughly penetrated and turned wherever it was not collapsed). A live strike would have the advantage that - the first time at least - the Luftwaffe would not recognise the significance of a lone bomber and would be concentrating on the bombardment group sent as a decoy...
Presumably, if the US alliance had not occurred, TUBEALLOY could have been relocated to, say, South Africa or something for plenty of space and fewer bombers...
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True, but it's a risky bluff, because what are Germany's options at that point?
Seek peace and give whatever Britain wants to get it, to avoid the threat and hope Britain won't do so anyway
or
Go hell for leather to stop Britain before these new wunder-bombs start dropping.
Also not forgetting that it's not you and I making that choice but Hitler (although differences in ATL/OTL might temper him a bit)!
There's also the point that this demonstration takes place in Apr 1946, when fighting had already been ongoing for the best part of a year including as stated an air war. So I think a question being asked in German high command would be "we're already fighting so if they have this thing in a usable form why aren't they dropping it on us, especially as they're dropping everything else they have on us?"
There's also the point that "Look we can make a really big, frightening explosion on an island in the south pacific" and "we can put one of these in a bomb on a single plane and drop it on the Ruhr valley at will" is a leap even if it's a worry!