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ClusterChuck
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Norway and a slice of history
« on: Oct 6th, 2005, 8:40pm » |
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OK, before we get to today’s pictures, let’s have a little history lesson:
During Germany’s occupation of Norway, they took over all production plants, too. One, that they considered the crown jewel was the Vemork plant in Rjukan. This plant generated electricity for a very large area. It was a big plant. One of the byproducts of this operation is the production of what is called “heavy water.” Heavy water is a very important part of atomic fission and making atomic weapons. The Vemork plant was the only plant in the world, at that time, producing heavy water in any volume.
Germany was VERY deep into developing the atomic bomb. They NEEDED the heavy water. Had Germany been able to continue research on heavy water they might well have been in a position to produce an atomic bomb, and this could have meant defeat for the allies, or at least that was the thought of the powers that be, at the time. The allies gave high priority to the destruction of the plant.
The first attempt failed miserably, with a total loss of life to the airmen involved in the attempted night landing near there. The next plan went off very well. February 27th, 1943, men trained in sabotage snuck into the plant and blew up the vital tanks of heavy water. They all got away, and no men were lost, in the operation. Germany rebuilt the area damaged, and started production back up. On November 16th, 1943 the plant was attacked by a massed daylight bombing raid of 143 B-17 bombers dropping 711 bombs, of which at least 600 missed the plant, the damage, however, was quite extensive; the reason for the original ground assault a year earlier was that the available alternative of night bombing was considered unrealistic at that time. This disabled the plant, and Germany decided to move the undamaged stockpile of heavy water to Germany. The weak link in the route, was the ferry used to transport the railroad cars across lake Tinnsjøen. Resistance fighters were able to place a bomb on board, and the ferry blew up in the middle of the lake. The entire stockpile went down, along with the German guards, and 14 Norwegian civilians, in an area that is between 450 and 500 meters deep.
This ended Germany’s attempt at producing a nuclear warhead.
This is the place that we went to today. It is about a 3 hour ride west of Oslo. The trip there is through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. During part of the ride, we traveled alongside Drammens Fjord. The sights were breathtaking. After touring the Vemork plant (which was repaired and put back into producing electricity, which it did until the early 70’s) we went to Krassobanen, in Rjukan, to take the aerial cable car up to the top of the mountain. On a good day, it is reported that you can see 1/6th of Norway from this vantage point. We had a good day. As a side note, the men that snuck into the plant and blew up the tanks of heavy water, used the trail, below the aerial cable cars (which were heavily guarded) to cross over the mountains to safety. Wait till you see the landscape, and imagine these guys going up there, in Norway, in the dead of winter!
OK, enough writing, let’s get to the pictures. Hopefully the above will help you to understand and enjoy the pictures.
Here is the first view of Drammens Fjord from Bolkesjo Hotel
A few ruffians I found along the way ...
Driving alongside Tinnsjoen (Tinn Lake)
Approaching the town of Rjukan
I know this is generally a lousy picture, but look at that water fall! Any one got a tire tube to ride down it?
YOUSA!! Now that is a sheer rock ledge!
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| « Last Edit: Oct 7th, 2005, 8:37am by ClusterChuck » |
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ClusterChuck
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #1 on: Oct 6th, 2005, 8:44pm » |
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This is the only access to the Vemork plant
Looking up the gorge from the center of the bridge
Looking straight down at the original power plant
This is non-historical, but see that circle and arrow? That is an extension platform, added off the side of the bridge for bungee jumping. Freaking IDIOTS!
This is a world famous view of the Vemork Plant.
The list of those that participated in the sabotage plans
Inside the museum, a display showing the saboteurs placing bombs on the heavy water tanks
Again, inside the museum, the saboteurs placing the charges on the hull of the ferry
Look at that steep cliff! That is the wall of the gorge, that the bridge goes over. The saboteurs had to go up and then back down that, in FEBRUARY!
The base and power plant for the aerial cable cars
A car on its way
DAMN! We are high up!
See the arrow? That is the base!
Gaustadtoppen
See the snow at the top of Gaustadtoppen?
Vemork, from the observation deck at the top
A ski area
Svenn showing his best side
Another water falls. These are all over the place. Some are very small, but they are all beautiful and HIGH!
Sister ferry to the one the saboteurs sank
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Carl_D
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #2 on: Oct 6th, 2005, 8:45pm » |
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Beautiful pics,as usual. I liked the Ruffians pic too.
BTW - any thong pics? 
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Kevin_M
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #3 on: Oct 6th, 2005, 11:46pm » |
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Thanks very much Chuck for the excellent history and pictures of the "heavy water" ordeal in Norway. I had read the entire story of the Norwegian heros that pulled off those missions to keep the German's atomic bomb hopes dashed depite increasing the production of the byproduct heavy water with a new catalytic exchange process at Vermork after the German occupation of Norway, April 9, 1940. The book "Before the Fallout" has the entire story in great detail. The German nuclear program under Werner Heisenberg became stalled and any nuclear bomb "not feasable or available during the course of the war." Norwegian resistance made sure it never reached Germany.
Thanks Chuck
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| « Last Edit: Oct 7th, 2005, 12:18am by Kevin_M » |
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ClusterChuck
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #4 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 4:39am » |
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Svenn pointed out to me that the peak of this is 1000 meters higher than the point we are at. Also, he says that from the tip of that mountain is where you can see 1/6th of Norway. I thought it was on the peak that we were on. Me bad!!!
Chuck
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Woobie
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #5 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 5:52am » |
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All I'm seeing is Red X's..........dang it! 
I am enjoying your pictures, Chuckiepoo.... Norway is beautiful - and I'm jealous!
Take care of Svenn............. hug him for me!!!!
Now, why cant i see the pics?? I saw the ones on the other threads yesterday........... 
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ClusterChuck
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #6 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 6:02am » |
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Woobie, Svenn and I have been wondering this same thing. I posted these on my computer, around 4am, here. I was able to pull them up and look at them, after I posted. This morning, Svenn tried to look at what I did, using HIS computer, and all he got was the infamous red X's. Yet I can pull them up on my computer.
We have been trouble shooting most of the morning. What I just discovered, is that the site, Shutterfly, is down. Maybe for repairs, or upgrades, or something. That is probably why you and Svenn can't pull them up. I think (WOW is that dangerous to do!) that once you pull up a picture, like those, the picture is stored in some file, somewhere in your computer. Therefore, the next time you go to that post, with pictures, it does NOT go to the link, it goes to what you already have in your computer. That is why I can pull them up, and Svenn can't. He has never pulled them up, yet. I have.
Does that make sence?
Anyhow, if you wait a while, hopefully Shutterfly will be back up, and then you can see the pictures.
Chuck
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Woobie
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #7 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 6:07am » |
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but the other pictures in the other threads work.......... right now even............... so is it really shutterfly?? 
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ClusterChuck
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #8 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 6:27am » |
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on Oct 7th, 2005, 6:07am, Woobie wrote:| but the other pictures in the other threads work.......... right now even............... so is it really shutterfly?? |
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Damn ya, Tina!! Quit being a ditzy FEMALE!! (Oh, wait ... You can't help being what you are ...  )
Quote:I think (WOW is that dangerous to do!) that once you pull up a picture, like those, the picture is stored in some file, somewhere in your computer. Therefore, the next time you go to that post, with pictures, it does NOT go to the link, it goes to what you already have in your computer. That is why I can pull them up, and Svenn can't. He has never pulled them up, yet. I have.
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The reason is, that you have already accessed those pictures, once (or more) time. When you did that, your computer stored them in a temporary file, somewhere. Possibly in your temporary internet files folder. I am not 'puter literate, so maybe some who is, can verify what I am saying, or explain it better. But seeing you already have them in your 'puter, when you access them again, instead of going to shutterfly, your 'puter goes to its temporary files and pulls them up from there, instead.
Do you understand NOW, Ditz Tina?
Chuck
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Woobie
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #9 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 6:30am » |
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hey - some of us are ditzy - some of us are OLD and forget names................
tra la la la
LMAO
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unsolved1
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #10 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 7:47am » |
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Great pics Chuck
UNsolved
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LeLimey
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #11 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 8:17am » |
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Wow Svenn thanks for the stunning photo's!
I know I've got no head for heights ( I can get dizzy on a new carpet!! ) but I would never have thought looking at a photo could make me feel giddy 
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Jeepgun
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #12 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 10:21am » |
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Fantastic!! Very nice, Chuck! Lovely country you live in, Svenn!
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Charlie
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #13 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 12:22pm » |
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Beautiful pictures Chuck. Such a purdy country.
Didn't know they sunk the ferry part of the story. Thanks for that.
Charlie
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rextangle
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #14 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 1:21pm » |
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Chuck, truly enjoyed the pics, but one question...
"WHY ARE THE SABOTEURS UPS EMPLOYEES???"
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LeLimey
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #15 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 2:05pm » |
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on Oct 7th, 2005, 1:21pm, rextangle wrote:Chuck, truly enjoyed the pics, but one question...
"WHY ARE THE SABOTEURS UPS EMPLOYEES???"
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Isn't it obvious Rexie?!!
The FUCKEN post office staff wouldn't work FUCKEN overtime!!
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Jeepgun
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Re: Norway and a slice of history
« Reply #16 on: Oct 7th, 2005, 2:09pm » |
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ROFLMMFAO!!!! 
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