0:12 - That nighttime freecall drop is of a modified Mk-15 bomb-casing used to hold a thermonuclear warhead test-device for one of the test-shots in the 1962 Operation Dominic test series (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dominic), that was the very last atmospheric test-series conducted by the USA before the 1963 Partial Test Ban treaty came into effect.
That B53 laydown series... wow... thats some really incredible footage. I never really appreciated the size of that weapon till I saw it come out of the bomb bay... 9MT of sun in a can... B-)
What impressive skill and professionalism. And what capabilities. The SAC crews were top notch. The BUFFs were flying down around 200 ft on a lot of those drops. Most impressive. I think Ivan knew never to push too hard. Where did this testing occur? Nellis?
The point of laydown is that it was meant to give the bomber a low altitude approach to the target. The bombs would land and literally lay there for a bit while the bomber escaped the blast area. Imagine seeing one of these BUFFs coming in and laying one down... Run which way!?
I was in a test squadron back in the 90s and was able to piece together a lot of footage from test missions to make my videos. I'm not sure about any others beyond my channel.
Did you guys pick up and repack the practice bombs after exercises for reuse? I imagine they get dinged up pretty badly, but it seems like the typical government pennypinching thing to do.
cannot really say about the normal day-to-day training missions as I was never stationed at a range to see if they did any clean up. However, if it was a weapons test, we usually recovered the weapon or cleaned up the site afterwords.
During a lay down delivery, the bomb is released at low altitude, is slowed down by many parachutes and laysdown on teh desert floor, a timer the starts and whatever its set to will then detonate the nuke. Set that weapon to 45 secs and the B-52 lots of time to escape.
At 53 seconds into the video, in the 60s I would have been sent to prison if I took a picture of that. How things have changed. B-52 aircraft no longer carry these? And to show how they drop? On RUclips? Geeeez!
B52s stopped carrying gravity bombs in 2011. They're just cruise missile trucks now. The B28 was retired in 1991. The photo is actually an officially released photo.
0:12 - That nighttime freecall drop is of a modified Mk-15 bomb-casing used to hold a thermonuclear warhead test-device for one of the test-shots in the 1962 Operation Dominic test series (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dominic), that was the very last atmospheric test-series conducted by the USA before the 1963 Partial Test Ban treaty came into effect.
That B53 laydown series... wow... thats some really incredible footage. I never really appreciated the size of that weapon till I saw it come out of the bomb bay... 9MT of sun in a can... B-)
What impressive skill and professionalism. And what capabilities. The SAC crews were top notch. The BUFFs were flying down around 200 ft on a lot of those drops. Most impressive. I think Ivan knew never to push too hard.
Where did this testing occur? Nellis?
Nice "Hunt for Red october" music
Critical targets like weapons storage or command and control centers would get two in case one was a dud. Same with missile silos and sub bases etc.
The first bomb is a B-28FFI, really cool..MK-19 (I think) then a B-61. I'm unsure of the very last one, it came along after I left the USAF.
The point of laydown is that it was meant to give the bomber a low altitude approach to the target. The bombs would land and literally lay there for a bit while the bomber escaped the blast area. Imagine seeing one of these BUFFs coming in and laying one down... Run which way!?
How would you like to step out the front door and find a Mk53 ticking away:) Honey, pack the bags!!!
What is the source of this incredible footage? Is there any more on RUclips beyond your channel?
I was in a test squadron back in the 90s and was able to piece together a lot of footage from test missions to make my videos. I'm not sure about any others beyond my channel.
Let me ask. For what purposes was the dropping of two B-83's at the same time practiced?
Nope, that was a blooper...Lol
Did you guys pick up and repack the practice bombs after exercises for reuse? I imagine they get dinged up pretty badly, but it seems like the typical government pennypinching thing to do.
cannot really say about the normal day-to-day training missions as I was never stationed at a range to see if they did any clean up. However, if it was a weapons test, we usually recovered the weapon or cleaned up the site afterwords.
The parachute is cool, and all, but I think there's not enough time for the airplane to outrun the fireball...
During a lay down delivery, the bomb is released at low altitude, is slowed down by many parachutes and laysdown on teh desert floor, a timer the starts and whatever its set to will then detonate the nuke. Set that weapon to 45 secs and the B-52 lots of time to escape.
At 53 seconds into the video, in the 60s I would have been sent to prison if I took a picture of that. How things have changed. B-52 aircraft no longer carry these? And to show how they drop? On RUclips? Geeeez!
B52s stopped carrying gravity bombs in 2011. They're just cruise missile trucks now.
The B28 was retired in 1991. The photo is actually an officially released photo.