(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Air Force Museum: Cold War bombs and missiles (photo diary) [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2023-11-03
The Cold War Gallery in the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio includes some Cold War era bombs and missiles.
According to the Museum:
The Cold War dominated the second half of the 20th century. This confrontation grew out of the clash between the ideologies of the Western democracies led by the United States -- and the communist nations led by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The ever-present threat of nuclear weapons made this period the most dangerous one in world history, but the diligent efforts of the men and women of the U.S. Air Force helped bring this conflict to a peaceful end.
The Cold War era was focused on the possibility of nuclear war.
According to the Museum:
During the Cold War, scientists created increasingly powerful nuclear weapons. American test explosions took place mostly in Nevada and in the South Pacific. The end of World War II began the nuclear age with the United States’ invention and use of the first atomic bombs. The US continued developing the bomb because its tremendous power was valuable in the postwar world. The main US political and military rival was the USSR. Nuclear weapons are amazingly complex. They release huge amounts of energy stored in the simplest and smallest particles—atoms—of elements like uranium, plutonium, and hydrogen. The first nuclear weapons, usually called atomic bombs, were “fission” weapons. Fission happens when certain atoms are “split” to release energy. Later, more powerful bombs were called “fusion” weapons because they rammed atoms such as hydrogen together to release even more energy than fission. This is the origin of the term “hydrogen bomb ” or “H-bomb.” Fusion bombs are also called “thermonuclear” weapons due to the great heat and pressure required to trigger the explosion. Fusion is the same process that powers the Sun, and the temperature inside a thermonuclear explosion can be many times greater than the Sun.
Lockheed XF-90
The Nuclear Deterrence Exhibit features the wrecked remains of the XF-90 jet fighter which was subjected to nuclear test explosions.
Mark 5 Nuclear Weapon
Full production began in 1952 and the last Mk-5 weapons were retired in 1963.
Mark VI Aerial Bomb
According to the Museum:
Developed in 1949, the Mark VI Aerial Bomb was basically an improved version of the "Fat Man" bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945. An implosion bomb (involving implosion-triggered plutonium fission), it had a higher yield, was lighter and had improved ballistic (flying) characteristics. It could be carried internally on B-29, B-36, B-47, B-50 and B-52 aircraft, and the bombardier could set the height above ground of the explosion while the aircraft was in flight. The Mark VI underwent seven modifications -- Mod 0 to Mod 6 -- between 1951 and 1955. It was the first mass produced nuclear weapon. The last Mark VI was retired in 1962.
Mark 7 Nuclear Bomb
According to the Museum:
The Mk-7, initially produced in 1952, was the first nuclear weapon that could be carried by USAF (and U.S. Navy) fighter aircraft. Although it was carried externally by fighters (F-84, F-100 and F-101), it also could be carried internally by bombers such as the B-57. Because of the lack of ground clearance when hung under a fighter, the Mk-7 had a lower fin that was stowed in a retracted position on the ground and was extended once the carrier fighter was in the air. Capable of either an air or ground detonation, the Mk-7 had a yield in the kiloton range. It became obsolete in 1968 and is no longer in service.
Mark 17 Thermonuclear Bomb
According to the Museum:
The MK-17 was the first operational USAF thermonuclear "H-Bomb" (The "H" refers to the hydrogen which was fused under intense heat conditions to produce unprecedented energy yields). The MK-17 was carried by B-36s and was in service from 1954 until 1957. By today's standards, it was extremely large and heavy. It had a casing 3 1/2 inches thick, a length of 24 feet 10 inches, diameter of 5 feet 2 inches and a loaded weight of 41,400 pounds. When the bomb was test-dropped, pilots said the bomber might soar upward several hundred feet, having been lightened of such a load. The MK-17 had an explosive force (yield) in the megaton (one million tons of TNT) range. A 64-foot ribbon chute stabilized the MK-17 bomb when dropped and slowed its descent, giving the bomber greater time to escape the area of detonation. (Note: a plastic cover has been added to protect the parachute while on display.) Miniaturization has been one of the major advances to affect the size of nuclear weapons from the 1950s until today for size is no longer an accurate gauge of a weapon's yield.
Mark 28 Thermonuclear Bomb
According to the Museum:
The Mk-28 hydrogen bomb was first produced in 1958 and remained in service until the early 1990s. Aircraft carried a streamlined variant externally or non-streamlined version internally. Used by various fighter and bomber aircraft (F-100, F-104, F-105, B-47, B-52, B-66 and others), these weapons also armed Hound Dog and Mace missiles. The artifacts on exhibit are BDU-16/E training variants of the Mk-28 and are displayed on an MHU-7/M Bomb Lift Trailer.
Mark 39 Thermonuclear Bomb
According to the Museum:
The MK39 was basically an improved MK15 equipped with parachutes to provide more release options for the delivery aircraft. It was carried by B-47 and B-52 bombers. Development of the MK39 began in 1955, and the first bombs entered the national inventory in 1957. The MK39 featured a shock-absorbing aluminum honeycomb nose and used four parachutes for retarded deliveries. A six-foot pilot chute began the sequential deployment of a 28-foot drogue chute, a 68-foot deceleration chute, and finally a 100-foot main canopy. The MK39 weighed 10,000 pounds and had an explosive yield measured in megatons (a megaton is equal to one million tons of TNT). The last MK39 was removed from service in 1966.
Mark 41 Thermonuclear Bomb
According to the Museum:
The Mk-41 "hydrogen" bomb, first produced in 1960, is now obsolete and no longer in USAF service. Designed to be carried by B-47, B-52 and B-70 aircraft, it was to be released at high-altitude, using parachutes to retard its fall, thereby permitting the releasing plane to escape from the target area safely. The parachutes used for this 10,500-pound bomb were one 5-foot pilot chute and one 16.5-foot ribbon chute. Having either and air or contact burst option, the Mk-41 was in the megaton yield range.
B53 Thermonuclear Bomb
According to the Museum:
An enduring symbol of the Cold War, the B53 was one of the longest-lived nuclear weapons fielded by the United States, and it remained a key element of nuclear deterrence until retired in 1997. First produced in 1962, the Mk-53 "hydrogen" bomb -- later redesignated B53 -- was carried internally by B-47, B-52 and B-58 aircraft. It was equipped with five parachutes: one 5-foot pilot chute, one 16-foot chute and three 48-foot chutes. However, the "can" containing the parachutes could also be jettisoned for a free-fall delivery. With a yield in the megaton range, B53s had an air burst, contact burst, and "laydown" (delayed action detonation) capability. The Mk-6 re-entry vehicle installed on the Titan II ICBM contained a W53 warhead, basically the same as the B53 bomb. Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Pantex (B&W Pantex) dismantled the retired B53s at its facility near Amarillo, Texas, for the US Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The B53 on display was the last B53 in US inventory, and B&W Pantex completed its dismantlement in October 2011.
CBU 58 Cluster Bomb
GBU-24 Paveway III
According to the Museum:
The Guided Bomb Unit-24 (GBU-24) is a laser guided bomb used to destroy hardened targets. It consists of the nose-mounted laser guidance unit and the Paveway III tail assembly fitted to a 2,000-pound BLU-109 bomb with its special steel casing. The original Paveway I demonstrated the usefulness of precision guided munitions in OPERATION DESERT STORM, and F-15E AND F-16 aircraft effectively delivered GBU-24s against a broad range of high-value targets in Kosovo and Afghanistan.
M K82 Air Inflatable Retarder (Air) Bomb
According to the Museum:
The MK82 AIR is a 500-pound bomb modified with a BSU-49 high drag tail assembly. The "ballute" air bag, which deploys from the tail, provides a high speed, low altitude delivery capability by quickly slowing the bomb and allowing the aircraft to escape the blast pattern. The pilot may select either a high drag of low drag configuration depending on mission requirements. This weapon saw widespread use in Operation Desert Storm.
Martin TM-61A Matador
According to the Museum:
As the U.S. Air Force's first pilotless bomber, the Matador used a concept similar to the German V-1 "buzz bomb" of World War II. Originally designated the B-61, the TM-61A surface-to-surface tactical missile carried either a conventional or nuclear warhead. Launched from a mobile 40-foot trailer by a booster rocket that fell away, the Matador continued toward its target powered by a jet engine. Unlike the V-1, however, the Matador was controlled electronically from the ground during flight. Development of the Matador began in August 1945, and its first launch took place in January 1949. Operational TM-61s became the first tactical guided missiles in the USAF inventory. For test and training purposes, the USAF organized the first Pilotless Bomber Squadron (Light) in October 1951, and the first TM-61 unit deployed overseas to bolster NATO forces in West Germany in March 1954. Matador units also deployed to Korea and Taiwan. Martin delivered the 1,000th Matador in mid-1957, but in 1959 a phase-out of the Matador began in favor of a more advanced version, the Martin Mace.
Martin CGM-13B Mace
According to the Museum:
A replacement for the TM-61A Matador, the Mace was a tactical surface-launched missile designed to destroy ground targets. Initially designated the TM-76, then the MGM-13, and finally the CGM-13B, the Mace could be launched from either a mobile trailer or a bomb-proof shelter. Like the Matador, a booster rocket launched the Mace, and a jet engine propelled it to the target. Development of the Mace began in 1954, and the first test firing occurred in 1956. The first version of the Mace, the "A," employed a terrain-matching radar guidance system known as ATRAN (Automatic Terrain Recognition And Navigation) which matched the return from a radar scanning antenna was matched with a series of onboard radar terrain "maps." The guidance system corrected the flight path if it deviated from the maps. In the spring of 1959 the U.S. Air Force deployed the "A" version in Europe, and they remained in service until the mid-1960s. Afterward, some became target drones because their size and performance characteristics resembled those of a manned aircraft. Development of the "B" model began in 1959. In addition to having a jam-proof inertial guidance system, the CGM-13B had twice the range of the earlier version. Initial deployments of the CGM-13B to operational units started in 1961, and they remained operational in Europe and the Pacific until the early 1970s. The Mace "B" on display was based on Okinawa prior to its delivery to the museum in 1971.
Northrup SM-62 Snark
According to the Museum:
The Snark, a pilotless nuclear missile, represented an important step in weapons technology during the Cold War. The SM-62 (Strategic Missile) program lasted from 1945-1961, and it gave the U.S. Air Force valuable experience in developing long-range strategic nuclear missile systems. The SM-62 was a significant forerunner of cruise missiles developed many years later. In 1945 the U.S. Army Air Forces asked for proposals for a pilotless bomber that could deliver a 2,000-pound conventional (later nuclear) warhead. Northrop Aviation proposed the Snark design, an early and ambitious example of an intercontinental-range cruise missile. Guidance of the vehicle to the target proved to be the biggest technical challenge for the missile technology of the 1950s. To solve the problem, the near-supersonic Snark used an innovative guidance system that relied on inertial navigation updated and corrected by star tracking. Development of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and newer, faster manned jet bombers complicated the SM-62's prospects. However, the Snark concept remained attractive because it was cheaper than ICBMs, and unlike bombers, did not risk aircrews, needed no tanker fleet for air refueling, and was easier to maintain. Guidance and aerodynamic issues, though, slowed the SM-62's progress, even as design variations made the Snark bigger, faster and able to deliver more powerful nuclear warheads. While several test Snarks were launched from fixed platforms, operational missiles were to be launched from mobile platforms. At launch, solid rocket motors helped the Snark quickly gain speed, then dropped away as its jet engine took over. When the Snark approached its target, the nose separated, and the nuclear warhead inside continued on a ballistic path to the target. The USAF placed its first Snark on alert in March 1960 with the 702nd Strategic Missile Wing (SMW), Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine. Soon after, however, the USAF withdrew the missile from service. In June 1961 the 702nd SMW was inactivated after President John F. Kennedy declared Snark obsolete compared to the newest nuclear ballistic missiles and manned bombers.
North American AGM-28B Hound Dog
According to the Museum:
The Hound Dog was an air-launched supersonic nuclear missile designed to destroy heavily defended ground targets. Specially modified B-52 bombers carried two AGM-28s, one beneath each wing. No AGM-28s were ever used in combat, but typically a Hound Dog would be launched at 45,000 feet, climb to over 56,000 feet, cruise to the target area, and then dive to the target. The missile's range of more than 600 miles allowed long-distance "stand-off" launching, which reduced the risk to the B-52. The AGM-28A entered service with the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in December 1959. In 1960 SAC developed a method for using the missiles' jet engines to provide extra power for the B-52 carrier in flight or on takeoff. The missiles could then be refueled in flight from the bomber's fuel tanks. The AGM-28B, an advanced version of the A, first flew in May 1961. It incorporated an improved guidance system and had greater range. Almost 700 AGM-28s were built before production ended in 1963; 428 of them were Bs. In 1976 the AGM-28 was removed from alert status, and the last Hound Dogs left the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1978.
McDonnell Douglas AIR-2A Genie Rocket
This is an air-to-air rocket with a nuclear warhead designed for use against formations of enemy bombers. It has no guidance system. It was first launched in 1956 and remained in service until the mid-1980s.
Boeing AGM-69A SRAM
Mighty Mouse Rocket
This weapon was developed in the late 1940s and was used until the late 1950s.
More Memorabilia
Air Force Museum: B-52 nose art from Desert Storm (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: Interwar years memorabilia (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: Southeast Asia War memorabilia (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: Korean War Memorabilia (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: World War I memorabilia (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: Early Years memorabilia (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: World War II guns and bombs (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: World War II memorabilia (photo diary)
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/11/3/2202989/-Air-Force-Museum-Cold-War-bombs-and-missiles-photo-diary?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
