Italian firm goes nuclear with atomic toys

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Am I the only one who wants these?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11501081/

Those of us who enjoy military history usually just switch on the History Channel for our daily fix of guts, gore and armed conflict. But if you’re a serious war buff, and you want to relive one of the most horrifying moments in the deadliest war in human history, an Italian toy maker has just the thing.

Brumm recently unveiled miniature models of “Little Boy” and “Fat Man.” Those names may conjure up images of cuddly cartoon characters, but they’re actually the codenames for two atomic bombs that the U.S. military dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the final days of World War II.

The bombs were detonated above the Japanese cities in August 1945, killing tens of thousands of Japanese civilians, and thousands more would later die as a result of nuclear fallout and from cancer. Just in case the gross insensitivity of their new products went unnoticed, Brumm chose to unveil its mini bombs earlier this month at of all places the Nuremberg toy fair in Germany.

“In everyone’s mind eye the words Hiroshima and Nagasaki have always evoked the nuclear tragedy. However very few people know the actual appearance of the bombs that caused this tragedy,” notes Brumm in breathless tones on its Web site. “With the faithful scale reproductions of ‘Fat Man’ and ‘Little Boy,’ we plan to provide a small historical contribution so as not to forget what generated the worst catastrophe of the twentieth century.”

Tiny weapons of mass destruction are an unusual departure for a company that to date has focused on miniature models of Ferraris and Fiat Pandas that it fashions from a metal alloy of zinc, copper and aluminum at its factory near Como, Italy. Each bomb costs around $10 and comes mounted on a fetching display inscribed with the location, date and exact time of detonation.

Not surprisingly, Brumm has been roundly condemned for making the atomic toys. Critics say they are in poor taste, but the criticism, apparently, is unwarranted. A Brumm spokesman said the company was only trying to do its bit for world history, protesting “against the insanity of nuclear-war” according to a report in the U.K.’s Scottish Daily Record. We reckon actually producing these tasteless model bombs will end up being a fairly insane act too.
 
OK, just playing Devil's advocate here...

Why is it ok to make models of bombers, guns, tanks, ships, etc.
But NOT ok to make models of these specific bombs?
Is it just the scale of devastation?

Most people would not object to a B-52 model. Well, hundreds of thousands of people were killed by B-52 bombers, just not all at once.

How about an Airsoft or model AK-47? AK-47s have killed more people than both Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.
 
LOL

Well, at my last job I was in charge of several large computer projects, that required some very, very heavy duty computing power (database servers)... And being the totally un-PC guy that I am, we named them "Fatman" and "Little Boy"...Surprisingly I caught very little flak for that one...

Oh, and we named our test server "Trinity" (the test bomb)....
 
I don't collect models, but what is wrong with them? If you were against their use, you'd think it was a good thing that people not forget. If you didn't mind them being used, then it's a cool toy. Is it just more of the 'ban the tool' ideology, except now they are banning even representations of the tools?

They were planning to fight to the death of every Japanese person in the country, arming children with bamboo spears. If they didn't drop those bombs it's unlikely the peace-loving people of Imperial Japan would have laid down their arms for a group hug and allowed enemy soldiers to walk around their country, and re-build it into the world's third largest economy.

Eh, forget it,they'll believe what they want to believe. Poor old Japanese, victims of western agression. Brings a tear to your eye.


...wonder if you could make a coffee-table out of one?
 
How about an Airsoft or model AK-47? AK-47s have killed more people than both Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.

I just watch "Lord of War" where the cop tells cages charater that the AK47 he sells is the real weapon of mass destruction not nukes.

You both may have a point there....

-Bill
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ivy_Mike_Sausage_device.jpg

This is the toy version I want. Forgetabout Fat Chump and Little Chump!
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Have you ever seen those toy grenades with a sign that says, "Complaint Department. Take a number." with the number tag is attached to the pin? How come the blissninnies haven't said anything about these over the years? Are they afraid to take a number?
 
so as not to forget what generated the worst catastrophe of the twentieth century

They must mean instantaneous catastophy? I wouldn't mind having a Fat Man model. Never thought Little Boy was much to look at though.

LAP-106.jpg
 
Now that's what I'm talking about Sindawe!!! ;)

I'll take two of those - one for a lawn ornament, and the other "have tsar bomb will travel". I could always use Ivy Mike as a paperweight.
 
Typical MSNBC left opinions disguised as news.

I personally am glad we bombed Japan...alot of American lives were saved, and that is what matters.
 
I don't know how people can call the U.S. use of atomic bombs to end WWII a catastrophe. If we had invaded the Main Islands of Japan, that would have been a bloody fight. I saw a program on the history channel, and if we had invaded with ground troops (the only other way to end the war), it would've taken an estimated three years and a million American casualties (not an exaggeration). The Japaneese would have suffered casualties in the millions, as their entire populace was being trained and indoctrinated to kill Americans. When the bombs were dropped, Japan still didn't surrender. We had to threaten the use of five more bombs (which we didn't quite have yet) to convince them to surrender. Most people also forget, that Japan was working on its own version of the bomb, despite Germany surrendering. They would have used it, but not to end the war faster, for peace. Its too bad that it came down to it, but the atomic bombs saved more lives than they took. Also, research a little city known as Drecsdend. We fire-bombed that city, and killed many more Germans than both of the atomic bombs together. Note that no one complains about that "incident."
 
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