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The Tests
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Adobe was the first event of Operation Dominic. A free-fall airdrop, it was a test of the LANL XW-50X1-Y2 warhead, dropped in the Mk-39 Mod-1 Type 3 casing. The cloud from the explosion rose to an altitude of 60,000 feet. Five B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 30,000 to 60,000 feet. The USS Conserver supported the JTG 8.5.2 water-wave experiments. Line of site between the explosion and ground based instruments was heavily obscured to clouds. The W-50 warhead would eventually be stockpiled in three different versions: Y1 (60 kt), Y2 (200 kt), and the Y3 (400 kt). It was deployed on the Nike Zeus surface-to-air missile and the Pershing surface-surface ballistic missile. The Adobe test device was similar to those tested in the subsequent Aztec, Kingfish, and Bluegill Triple Prime shots.
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Aztec, another free-fall airdrop, was a test of the XW-50X1-Y3 warhead, a LASL design. The bomb was dropped in a Mk-39 Mod-1 Type 3 drop case. The device used a spherical secondary stage and had a yield-to-weight ratio of 2.21 kt/kg. The yield was slightly lower than predicted and the mushroom cloud rose to an altitude of 65,000 feet. Seven B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 37,000 feet to 65,000 feet.
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The Arkansas shot was postponed from April 29 due to unfavorable weather. This was the first parachute-retarded drop of Dominic and missed its intended target (a raft moored off the coast of Christmas Island) by 600 feet. This was a test of the LRL XW-56X2 (Fife-I) warhead, deployed on the Minuteman missile, and later tested during the Swanee and Bluestone events. Nine B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 40,000 to 62,000 feet between H+85 to H+190 minutes.
This warhead was similar to the W-47 warhead deployed on the Polaris missile. The W-56 had the same yield as the high-yield variant of the W-47 (1.2 megatons), but weighed 133 pounds less. The device, which used a Fife secondary stage, had a yield-to-weight ration of 4.00 kt/kg.
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Questa viewed from
Christmas Island |
Questa was a test of the LASL XW-59 warhead, dropped in a Mk-39 Mod-1 Type 3 case. Similar in design to the devices tested in the later Alma, Rinconada, and Sunset events, the yield was considerably lower than expected. The yield-to-weight ratio of the device was 2.68 kt/kg. The cloud reached an altitude of 62,000 feet, with the base of the cloud reaching a height of 35,000 feet. Eight B-57 aircraft participated in cloud sampling missions, ranging in altitudes from 43,000 feet to 62,000 feet. The Hq KC-135 did not participate in the shot. This was the last shot on which water-wave experiments were conducted.
The W-59 warhead was developed from the J-21 design and competed with the LRL's W-56 warhead to arm the Minuteman I missile. It was also intended for the Skybolt air-launched ballistic missile, bu the Skybolt program was canceled in December 1962. Eventually, both W-59 and W-56 warheads were deployed on the Minuteman I missile. The W-56, due to its higher nominal yield, was later deployed on the Minuteman II missile, while the W-59 retired from service with the end of the Minuteman I missiles.
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Frigate Bird was a unique test in the history of the United States' nuclear weapons program. It was an operational test of the Polaris missile system, the first and only test of its kind ever conducted by the United States. The primary objective of the shot was to proof test the system under an ideal combat situation. The secondary objective of Frigate Bird was to test the W-47 warhead in weaponized form. The Frigate Bird test was added to the Dominic series on March 3, 1962.
The submarine USS Ethan Allen (SSBN-608) launched the missile while submerged about 1,500 nautical miles east-northeast of Christmas Island. The USS Ethan Allen, launched on November 22, 1960, was the first of the second-generation ballistic missile submarines launched by the United States. It had an armament of 16 vertical tubes for the Polaris missle and four 21” torpedo tubes.
USS Ethan Allen |
The Mk-1 RV (re-entry vehicle) and warhead flew 1020 nautical miles downrange toward Christmas Island before re-entering the atmospheric 12.5 minutes later. The warhead detonated at an altitude of 11,000 feet. The missile detonated with an accuracy of 2,200 yards. The warhead, a W-47 Y1, had a yield-to-weight ratio of 1.84 kt/kg. The Y2 version, later tested during the Harlem event, had a yield-to-weight ratio of almost double that of the Y1 at 3.61 kt/kg. The Mk-1 RV had a beryllium heat-sink heat shield, and with the 717 lb warhead, had a gross weight of 900 lb.
Two ships observed the explosion within 30 miles of the burst point; the Tench-class submarine USS Medregal (SS-480) and the USS Carbonero (SS-337). A launch hazard area was designated around the Ethan Allen, which had a 100 nautical mile radius. The burst point hazard area had a radius of 120 nautical miles from the intended ground zero of the explosion.
Despite the intentions of conducting the Polaris missile test with conditions as close as possible to those that would be seen during a time of war, special modifications were done to the missile chosen for the test. Tracking beacons and destruction mechanisms were added to the missile, in addition to the batteries which powered them. The missile's surface detonation fuses were dismantled, to prevent a low-altitude or surface detonation which would produce extensive fallout.
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Yukon was a parachute-retarded test of the Calliope II device. The LRL sponsored test was the first of a planned family of light weight, high-fusion/low-fission devices, the purpose of which were to increase the yield-to-weight ratio of ICBM warheads. Similar devices would later be tested during the subsequent Muskegon and Chetco shots. The yield of the explosion was slightly higher than predicted, with the cloud rising to an altitude of 57,000 feet.
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Mesilla was a free-fall air drop of the LASL Zippo-I device in a Mk-15 Mod 0 Type 3 drop case. The purpose of this shot was to test advanced primary and secondary stage concepts. The bomb missed its intended target by 700 feet and the yield was considerably lower than expected. This device was later tested during the Dulce test. Five B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 40,000 to 49,000 feet.
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This was a LNL sponsored airdrop of the Calliope IV device in Mk-36 drop case. The bomb missed its designated zero point in the air off the coast of Christmas Island by 1,000 feet. This shot tested advanced lightweight, low-yield fission design concepts. The yield was considerably lower than expected. Eight B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from
35,000 feet to 56,000 feet.
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This was a free-fall airdrop test of the XW-43Y5 warhead, a LASL design. The warhead was deployed in the Mk-43 bomb, which came in five different variants ranging in yield from 70 kilotons to 1 megaton. Encino was a verification test of a reduced yield version of the device fired during Hardtack Elder. The purpose of this was to establish a reference point for future high yield warhead designs. The bomb missed its intended zero point in the air by about 1000 feet. The cloud from the explosion reached an altitude of 62,500 feet. Five B-57 aircraft participated in cloud sampling missions ranging in altitude from 47,000 feet to 59,000 feet.
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Swanee was a parachute retarded airdrop of the XW-56 warhead, a LRL design. The device, similar to that of the Arkansas and Bluestone devices, was dropped in a Mk-36 bomb case. This was an experimental weapons development shot intended to collect valuable hydrodynamic and neutronic data on a clean weapon design to serve as a prototype of an anti-ballistic missile warhead. The mushroom cloud created by the explosion reached an altitude of 55,000 feet. Seven B-57 aircraft participated in cloud sampling missions ranging in altitude from 38,000 feet to 57,000 feet.
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Checto was a LRL sponsored test of the Calliope I device, an advanced concepts test of a light weight warhead design. The Mk-36 bomb missed its intended zero point by only 200 feet. An official report stated this test resulted in “the finest diagnostic data to date in this series”. Eight B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 38,000 feet to 57,000 feet between H+54 and H+123 minutes. The raft used as the drop target measured at 0.75 R/hr four to six hours after the explosion, the highest rate measured during Dominic by a factor of 10.
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Tanana was a parachute-retarded airdrop of the Calliope III device, a LRL design. Dropped in a Mk-36 drop case, the secondary stage failed to fire, resulting in a fizzle. The device was described as a “radical” advanced concepts design. The cloud rose to an altitude of only 23,000 feet. The shot was postponed several days due to unfavorable weather.
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Nambe was an advanced concepts LASL test of a Zippo-II device in a Mk-15 Mod 0 Type 3 drop case. The yield was lower than predicted. Good weather during shot time permitted in excellent test measurements. The mushroom cloud reached an altitude of 61,000 feet. Five B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 47,000 feet to 54,000 feet.
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Alma had been postponed for several days due to unfavorable wind conditions. This was a free-fall airdrop test of the LASL Mk-59 warhead using a Mk-39 Mod 0 Type 3 drop case. The test achieved a substantially higher yield than the Questa shot and caused light damage at several sites on Christmas island and resulted in the demolishing of light structures that were located on the southern end off Christmas Island at D-site. Glass and lights were broken at the main base camp. The yield-to-weight ratio of the device was 3.12 kt/kg.
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Truckee was a LRL test of the XW-58 missile warhead in a Mk-36 bomb case. A developmental and verification test for the Polaris A2 missile, the test produced satisfactory results. Six B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 40,000 feet to 59,000 feet between H+60 to H+135 minutes.
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Yeso was a free-fall LASL test of the “16-M” device. This was an advanced concepts test similar to the Hardtack Koa shot. Dropped in a Mk-39 bomb case, the test device performed as expected. This was that fourth largest Dominic explosion and the most powerful to date. The yield-to-weight ratio was 4.22 kt/kg.
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This was a parachute-retarded LRL airdrop test of the W-47 Y2 warhead, deployed on the Polaris missile. The device used a Tuba thermonuclear secondary stage and was dropped in a Mk-36 bomb case. The higher yield Y2 variant doubled the W-47 Y1 yield, which achieved a yield-to-weight ratio of 3.42 kt/kg.
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Rinconada was a free-fall airdrop of the LASL XW-59 “Wall” device using a Mk-15 bomb case. The test successfully pushed the yield of the W-59 warhead higher than previous tests (yield-to-weight ratio was 3.48 kt/kg. The test had to be postponed two days due to unfavorable wind conditions. The mushroom cloud rose to an altitude of 65,000 feet.
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Dulce was a free-fall airdrop of a LASL device in a Mk-15 Mod 2 Type 3 bomb case. The experimental light weight, high efficiency design was similar to that tested during Mesilla. The mushroom cloud rose to an altitude of 58,000 feet. Five B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 42,000 feet to 56,000 feet.
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Petit was a parachute-retarded advanced concepts test of the LRL Oboe device using a Mk-36 bomb case. The test resulted in a fizzle due to the failure of the secondary stage to ignite. The mushroom cloud rose to an altitude of 24,000 feet.
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Otowi was a LASL test of the Zippo-III device using a Mk-15 bomb case. The yield-to-weight ratio was 1.08 kt/kg. Four B-57 aircraft collected samples of the cloud at altitudes ranging from 41,000 feet to 56,000 feet.
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Bighorn had to be postponed three times between June 24-26 due to unfavorable wind conditions. This was a LRL test of the Cello I-C device using a Mk-36 bomb case. The test was an advanced concepts test geared toward increasing thermonuclear yield-to-wight ratios. The test produced the second largest yield of any Dominic shot. The yield-to-weight ratio was 4.14 kt/kg. Nine B-57 aircraft sampled the atomic cloud which rose to an altitude of 61,000 feet. Six rockets were fired into the cloud from Christmas Island for sampling, three of which were later recovered by Air Force H-21 helicopters.
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Bluestone was a parachute retarded test of the LRL XW-56X2 Prime device using a Mk-36 bomb case. A new Strategic Air Command crew dropped the device on its first drop mission after receiving extensive training at Kirtland Air Force base. The device was similar to that tested during Swanee and Arkansas. The test proved to be very successful, achieving the full design yield for the W-56 warhead. A 4.96 kt/kg yield-to-weight ratio, the highest during Operation Dominic, was achieved. The mushroom cloud rose to an altitude of 58,000 feet. Eight B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 47,000 to 61,000 feet. A rocket used for device debris collection was fired at H+10 minutes and was later recovered by Air Force helicopters.
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Sunset was a high yield test of the XW-59 warhead using a Mk-15 Mod 2 Type 3 drop case. This test had to be postponed one day so as not to conflict with the Starfish Prime shot at Johnston Island. The LASL device successfully reached the full design yield of the W-59, with a yield-to-weight ratio of 4.06 kt/kg. This device was similar to those tested in Questa, Alma, and Rinconada. The mushroom cloud rose to an altitude of 60,000 feet. Six B-57 aircraft sampled the cloud at altitudes ranging from 48,000 feet to 61,000 feet.
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| Sunset Video |
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Pamlico was a parachute-retarded test of an LRL device using a Mk-36 drop case. This was a test of advanced principles for achieving high-efficiency thermonuclear burn. The test successfully confirmed theoretical predictions. This was the last Christmas Island airdrop and the third largest test of Operation Dominic. The yield-to-weight ratio was 0.934 kt/kg.
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Androscoggin was the first airdropped test at Johnston Island during Operation Dominic. The LRL device (possibly a Ripple device), which was intended to have a high yield, fizzled. All of the instrumentation was carried on RC-121, C-130, KC-135, and AFSWC RB-52B aircraft, a first for a U.S. Nuclear test. One B-57 sampler lost engine number two but landed safely at Johnston Island.
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Radioactive cloud samples collected
by aircraft are removed for transport
following the Bumping shot |
Bumping was a LRL retest of the Oboe device which fizzled during Petit. It was dropped in a Mk-36 bomb case and had a yield of 11.3 kilotons, much lower than expected. This was an advanced concepts test to improve warhead yield-to-weight ratio. The mushroom cloud rose to an altitude of 50,000 feet. Diagnostic data was taken by the USS Forster and two C-130 aircraft.
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Chama was a free-fall LASL test of the Thumbelina device using a Mk-36 bomb case. Chama tested light weight, small diameter design concepts, possibly for a replacement for the W-38 warhead. The results were described as being “thoroughly successful”. The yield was below the predicted range.
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Calamity was a LRL test using a Mk-15 bomb case. It was the third test of a specific device, the purpose of which was to maximize yield-to-weight ratio. The bomb missed its target by less than 500 feet and as a result excellent diagnostic and effects data was obtained by the instrumentation aircraft. The cloud reached an altitude of 63,000 feet.
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Housatonic was the largest test of Operation Dominic and also the last airdrop test ever conducted by the United States. A LRL Ripple II device was tested using a Mk-36 bomb case. The bomb missed its target by only 100 feet. Housatonic was a retest of the failed Androscoggin test and proved to be highly successful. Yield-to-weight ratio was 2.56 kt/kg.
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