Everything you've been told about the 'Chickenpox bomber' is wrong
The 'Chickenpox bomber' story involves mathematician Abraham Wald correcting military officers' armor placement misconceptions during World War II. Lessons on critical thinking and source verification are underscored for future conflicts.
Read original articleThe story of the 'Chickenpox bomber' has been widely misunderstood and misrepresented. The tale involves mathematician Abraham Wald, who corrected military officers' misconceptions about where to add armor on bombers to increase survivability. Wald pointed out that the officers were analyzing the bombers that survived, not the ones that were shot down, leading to a more effective armor placement strategy. However, the story has been embellished over time, with various versions circulating, including a simplified drawing that became popular. While Wald's recommendations were implemented during World War II, the lessons learned were not consistently applied in later conflicts like Korea and Vietnam. The importance of accurate information and critical thinking is highlighted in this narrative, emphasizing the need to question and verify sources before drawing conclusions.
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The author knows more about plane survivability than most, but couldn't see past the facts to understand the meaning.
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