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American History

ProfessorGAC

(70,636 posts)

2. I'm Guessing They Were Making Amatol

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Oct 4, 2023, 06:03 PM

Oct 2023

Amatol is a mixture of ammonium nitrate & TNT. That crater in the picture is the result of an ammonium nitrate exposion.
Amatol was commonly used in depth charges to combine high brisance/high velocity with lower speed/high pressure explosives. Also, used in dam busting.
U-Boats were a problem in WW1, of course. Planes weren't yet capable of dropping dam busters so I'm guessing depth charge manufacturing.

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On this day, October 4, 1918, the T. A. Gillespie Company shell loading plant explosions began. [View all] mahatmakanejeeves Oct 2023 OP

This type of history is being lost bucolic_frolic Oct 2023 #1

I'm Guessing They Were Making Amatol ProfessorGAC Oct 2023 #2