Schiphol Airport bombed!

[Skip Miller]

Uuuuhhh, well the bomb arrived a while ago. -Skip

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport has closed one of its five runways after a World War II bomb was unearthed during excavations nearby.

Army explosives experts say the 500-pound (226-kilogram) British bomb must remain still for 54 hours because it was moved during its discovery by workers building a road.

 

[ScottM]

When I lived in the UK there was one of the Nazi 500lbers found at the end of the runway near the airbase where I was working. It was found by an excavating crew. I would not have wanted to be the guy working the trencher that day! But I am sure he drank several pints and thanked his lucky stars.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

What's with the 54 hour thing?

 

[JohnR]

What's with the 54 hour thing?

I was wondering that, too. 53 hours isn't enough?

 

[ScottM]

I was wondering that, too. 53 hours isn't enough?

This one goes to 54

 

[JohnR]

This one goes to 54

Is that like turning it up to 11?

 

[flyersfan31]

Maybe 54 is 11 in the metric system.

 

[ScottM]

Is that like turning it up to 11?

Yeppers

 

[JohnR]

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2008/06/world_war_ii_bomb_alert_closes.php

"It was originally thought making the bomb safe would have to wait until Thursday morning because experts recommend a 54-hour safety margin between the time a bomb is discovered and its dismantling.

However, on Tuesday bomb disposal experts said the delay mechanism inside the explosive is 36 hours and not 54 hours."

Did the RAF use a 54 hour timer in the fuses?