The Outer Columns of the WTC
Since the second plane sliced through the south tower wall so easily, there is some sense that the wall of this building was not very heavily constructed.
It is worth pointing out that the outer columns were each 18 inch square steel box columns. Each one of these had the girth of a large telephone pole. Even if the columns towards the top of the building were made of 1/4 inch thick steel , this is still a VERY strong column. The picture below shows columns from the lower part of the building which were similar in size to the columns on the upper floors but were made of thicker steel. All of the columns were spaced 3 feet apart (except on the first floor, where the columns merged together in threes (picture)). Sets of three columns were also connected by a substantial steel spandrel plate at each floor (the plate just above the flag in the picture).
Just the fuselage of a 767, being 5 meters in diameter, would at minimum, impact three of these columns and one floor slab (steel spandrel, steel trusses and concrete). At maximum the fuselage would hit up to five box columns and two floor slabs.
The WTC2 hole, overlaid with a 767, shows a fuselage hole of five columns wide and an impact on one and a half floors. The WTC1 hole, for what ever reason, shows a much larger gash than WTC2 corresponding to the fuselage.
There is no doubt these columns and the floor slabs would have done serious damage to the front of a passenger plane, which is NOT a battering ram but more of a long, lightweight bus with wings. High speed will exert more force on the wall from the plane, but conversely, the wall will exert more force back AT the plane at high speed.
Importantly, the point is NOT that a 767 couldn't penetrate the outer wall, but rather this wall was not some flimsy obstacle that a 767 could easily smash through without slowing.
Apart from the initial fuselage impact, one would expect the box columns and floor slabs to offer TREMENDOUS RESISTANCE to the wings and tail of the plane.
In fact, the wings should have broken apart, released their fuel, and exploded upon contact with the outer columns. And the HUGE tail structure simply should have never made it past the columns, much less as smoothly as it goes in in the video.
Again, it defies all reason.
It is worth pointing out that the outer columns were each 18 inch square steel box columns. Each one of these had the girth of a large telephone pole. Even if the columns towards the top of the building were made of 1/4 inch thick steel , this is still a VERY strong column. The picture below shows columns from the lower part of the building which were similar in size to the columns on the upper floors but were made of thicker steel. All of the columns were spaced 3 feet apart (except on the first floor, where the columns merged together in threes (picture)). Sets of three columns were also connected by a substantial steel spandrel plate at each floor (the plate just above the flag in the picture).
Just the fuselage of a 767, being 5 meters in diameter, would at minimum, impact three of these columns and one floor slab (steel spandrel, steel trusses and concrete). At maximum the fuselage would hit up to five box columns and two floor slabs.
The WTC2 hole, overlaid with a 767, shows a fuselage hole of five columns wide and an impact on one and a half floors. The WTC1 hole, for what ever reason, shows a much larger gash than WTC2 corresponding to the fuselage.
There is no doubt these columns and the floor slabs would have done serious damage to the front of a passenger plane, which is NOT a battering ram but more of a long, lightweight bus with wings. High speed will exert more force on the wall from the plane, but conversely, the wall will exert more force back AT the plane at high speed.
Importantly, the point is NOT that a 767 couldn't penetrate the outer wall, but rather this wall was not some flimsy obstacle that a 767 could easily smash through without slowing.
Apart from the initial fuselage impact, one would expect the box columns and floor slabs to offer TREMENDOUS RESISTANCE to the wings and tail of the plane.
In fact, the wings should have broken apart, released their fuel, and exploded upon contact with the outer columns. And the HUGE tail structure simply should have never made it past the columns, much less as smoothly as it goes in in the video.
Again, it defies all reason.
posted by spooked at 11:26 PM
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