[Milsurplus] MAW-1 HOTSY-TOTSY

[Unserviceable but Repairable]

2 MR beta+gamma distance is about 12" out.

50MR beta+gamma was sure enuf contact & 2MR gamma-only was same place.

Advice observed to avoid sleep within 2MR dose region.  There goes
the MAW -> teddy bear conversion plans.

Lotta fb other suggestions.  Number two on the Letterman list after
sleep precaution is 3X happy birthday as hand-wash timer.  I've
been practicing

>From what I've read, a viable procedure might be to spray cover plate 
& knobs w. WD-40 to fix dust.  Then take 'em off over the butcher paper & 
swab with gasoline while wearing disposable film parka & painter's 
respirator.  Then discard parka, respirator, & paper in yard-leaf bag.
Following that, re-do the WD-40 on the metal parts.

Take readings on bag & parts to see what happened.  Dispose of bag
by ditching on a hospital loading dock w. yellow tag marked "Low
level rad waste" in red or purple

Frankly, tho I'll probably never get around to that beaut.  Best 
realistic idea is just give it to Paris Island or MCAS-Beaufort for 
their museums

Robt. D, fb on Corsairs over Chosan.  My data from that USAF AT6 spotter
& he probably got AD right - there's a web page about VAW-13  Marines 
flying 'em off Kearsarge.  My 'mosquito man' acquaintance sed the rumor 
was those prop jobbies got down so close they returned w. mud in their 
flaps - & hence origin of a nickname

= = = = = = = oddball mfgr.s = = = = = = =

Hoffman, Espey, Midwest all consumer electronics outfits fm
40s & 50s.

Midwest fm Cincy, my home town.  Famous for over-stuffing chassis w.
tubes.  Like 4 6J5s as a p-p parallel phase inverter.

Espey probably name of some company who's principal's initials were S & P.
Like Southern Pacific.

Hoffman made lotsa TVs.  See Sams index


= = = = = = Radium 225 is the source, notes = = = = = = = 

half-life of 1600 years so nothin's changed since MAW made.  I haven't
researched this but have always heard flourescing paint was mixed w. radium
to "get the glow."  Web source here sez there's natural luminescence.  But
were plain radium used on dials they wouldn't "wear out."  So I'm
gessing flourescing paint mix OK.

Radium spits out gamma rays, betas (electrons), & alphas (heavy helium
nucleii - 2 protons). Alphas go nowhere beyond paint & it's the betas & 
gammas the GM tube sees

I may go back now that it's dark & try a visual.  Warm weather.

= = = = = = = finale = = = = = =

I repeat, that MAW-1 is a piece of industrial art.