How can they unscrew the fuse from a WW2 bomb that was rotting under the ground or in water for 80 years, when you may have to use brutal force, heat, etc to remove bolts from a 10-year-old car (and the bolt will snap anyway)?

Question

I would expect that you wouldn’t be able to loosen anything on an old, rusty bomb, especially that it is so unstable and can go off anytime.

In: 1985

Answer 1

One option is to “vent” it. A small shaped charge is used to poke a hole in the casing and ignite rather than detonate the explosive compound. In regards to fuzes into bombs, there are remote options, but also it’s simply a matter of force and friction.