[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Ed,

Good grief! Are you actually claiming the Germans tested an atom bomb???

I've known about the I-400 since the story was presented at the Northeast Aero Historians meeting at the Air Force Museum about 1963. It was a phenomenally good talk and I waited in vain for it to be transformed into a book. It was only when Terry Treadwell published his book Submarines with Wings, followed by an updated version entitled Strike from Beneath the Sea (1985) that the story finally was in print. The NASM has an especial interest in this subject due to the fact that they have an Aichi M6A1 Sieran in their collection. Thus, in no way, was this a mythical endeavor, as both the talk and the book are profusely illustrated. There was also a video that included information on the subject, complete with actual footage.

Nor has there been any question as to the presentation of information by one of the world's leading experts on camouflage and markings. Photos of camouflaged German aircraft abound and having one person attempt to make sense of it all has no mystery, indeed, just hard, diligent effort and a passion to understand.

You and I butt heads whenever the subject of super secret activities that really haven't seen the light of day are built upon, sandcastle by sandcastle. I know that there is a furor, a real thirst for such far out information, in Europe.

Maybe I haven't looked in the right place. What I do look at are reports dealing with aircraft. The subject matter invariably is understandable in terms of the then known technology. There is no Buck Rogering within any of these papers. No super secret aircraft project. Smith & Creek have laid out the history of the Me 262 for all to see. Four volumes worth. 880 pages or so. Find one Buck Rogerism in there, if you can.

Thus, from the practical to the extreme, I have a great degree of difficulty accepting claims that press credulity, especially in light of all the reports out there. Recently, I was given a gift of a 158-page listing of almost all of the CIOS, BIOS, FIAT, and JIOA intelligence reports from 1944 to 1947. I seriously doubt that I will find any report in there suggesting that the Germans actually had constructed an atom bomb, let alone set one off.

This stuff, if it exists, is at least 60 years old. The making of an atom bomb can probably be found in many texts. Had a German atom bomb existed, the technology would be ancient and of no real secretive value. Thus, I would suggest, if you really want to prove your case, to use the F.I.O.A. and obtain the original German records, complete with bomb test results. A sketch of a possible bomb design hardly serves as proof.

As for our first bombs, we've all seen photos and videos of them, so even our government has taken the wraps off of these early bombs. No reason to keep photos of supposed German bombs a secret at this late date, either.

Sorry, Ed, but you press my buttons when you get on this subject.

Regards,
Richard