Boom Computing

"What's that funny glow outside, dear?"

"Just the Russians, darling. Thankfully, I have my Nuclear Bomb Effects Computer right here. By my estimation, we're in 'damage to vehicles, roofing and exposed joists, moderate risk.' Terribly glad we went for the suburbs, what?"

Boom computing [Nonist via FFFound]

[#1 posted by mdhatter , July 21, 2008 9:19 AM]

Eeps. I think I've played with one of these.

My father was trained to deliver tactical nuclear weapons from his tiny (propeller driven) aircraft carrier based Navy airplane in the very early 60's.

I think they used it to convince themselves they could actually get away from the blast in their tiny low altitude planes.

[#2 posted by mgfarrelly , July 21, 2008 10:04 AM]

For some reason, as a kid, I was obsessed with nuclear blasts/weapons. I watched "The Day After" on video and "Threads" and "Testament" and "Miracle Mile" incessantly. Monsters and zombies and creatures of myth never scared me or gave me as creepy a thrill as reading about blast effects, doomsday scenarios and MAD strategies.

So yeah, I had one of these as a ten year old. And loved it.

[#3 posted by strider_mt2k , July 21, 2008 11:21 AM]

Does it say "duck and cover" on the back?

[#4 posted by Anonymous , July 21, 2008 11:43 AM]

Dr Strangelove, "Well let's see now ah, cobalt thorium G. aa... nn... Radioactive halflife of uh,... hmm.. I would think that uh... possibly uh... one hundred years.

[#5 posted by strider_mt2k , July 21, 2008 3:04 PM]

My Fuhrer!

I can walk!

[#6 posted by Scuba SM , July 21, 2008 3:44 PM]

The father of a friend of mine used to work on a boomer sub, and had one of these. He chose their house based on its distance from the nearest strategic targets, and always kept iodine and potassium tablets in the house.

[#7 posted by dderidex , July 21, 2008 4:44 PM]

"The father of a friend of mine used to work on a boomer sub, and had one of these. He chose their house based on its distance from the nearest strategic targets, and always kept iodine and potassium tablets in the house."

See, I go the other way. Working in Downtown, Major City, USA is fine by me.

I figure if there ever is a nuclear war...I'll never know about it.

[#8 posted by OM , July 22, 2008 2:57 PM]

...When Dr. Strangelove premiered, theaters could buy boxes of "official Dr. Strangelove" NECs to give away to theater patrons who saw the film. IIRC, one actually showed up on an episode of Star Trek!

[#9 posted by ndrummond , July 22, 2008 10:54 PM]

This little gizmo was a calcuation aide included in the book titled "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons" co-authored by Samuel Glasstone and Philip J. Dolan, published in three editions - 1950, 1962 and 1977 -(originally titled The Effects of Atomic Weapons). The book, published by the US government, is still one of the few technical tomes regarding the subject- the 1977 version is available online at: (minus the plastic slide-rule)

http://www.princeton.edu/~globsec/publications/effects/effects.shtml

[#10 posted by ndrummond , July 22, 2008 10:55 PM]

This little gizmo was a calcuation aide included in the book titled "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons" co-authored by Samuel Glasstone and Philip J. Dolan, published in three editions - 1950, 1962 and 1977 -(originally titled The Effects of Atomic Weapons). The book, published by the US government, is still one of the few technical tomes regarding the subject- the 1977 version is available online at: (minus the plastic slide-rule)

http://www.princeton.edu/~globsec/publications/effects/effects.shtml

[#11 posted by peggah , December 17, 2008 12:49 PM]

Weird, I found one of those while helping my boyfriend move. It creeped me out.