Operation Redwing
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Operation Redwing was a United States series of 17 nuclear test detonations from May to July 1956. They were conducted at Bikini and Enewetak atolls by Joint Task Force 7 (JTF7). The entire operation followed Project 56 and preceded Project 57. The primary intention was to test new, second-generation thermonuclear weapons. Also tested were fission devices intended to be used as primaries for thermonuclear weapons, and small tactical weapons for air defense. Redwing demonstrated the first United States airdrop of a deliverable hydrogen bomb during test Cherokee. Because the yields for many tests at Operation Castle in 1954 were dramatically higher than predictions, Redwing was conducted using an "energy budget": There were limits to the total amount of energy released, and the amount of fission yield was also strictly controlled. Fission, primarily "fast" fission of the natural uranium tamper surrounding the fusion capsule, greatly increases the yield of thermonuclear devices, and constitutes the great majority of the fallout, as nuclear fusion is a relatively clean reaction.
All shots were named after various Native American tribes.
Redwing series tests
| Name | Date time (UT) | Local time zone | Location | Elevation + height | Delivery Purpose | Device | Yield | Fallout | References | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lacrosse | May 4, 1956 18:25:29.9 | MHT (11hrs) | Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll 11°33′14″N 162°20′53″E/11.55392°N 162.34808°E/ 11.55392; 162.34808(Lacrosse) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 5m (16ft) | dry surface, weapons development | TX-39 primary | 40kt | Mockup of the TX-39. Left a visible Crater off Runit Island, next to Cactus Dome, 600ft (180m) in diameter. | ||
| Cherokee | May 20, 1956 17:50:38.7 | MHT (11hrs) | Namu (Charlie), Bikini Atoll 11°44′23″N 165°20′23″E/11.73973°N 165.33985°E/ 11.73973; 165.33985(Cherokee) | 0 + 1,320m (4,330ft) | free air drop, weapons development | TX-15-X1 | 3.8Mt | The United States' first air deliverable thermonuclear device. Navigation error landed weapon 4mi (6.4km) off aim point (Namu), negated effects data gathering and placing unprotected military personnel facing the blast they had been arranged to have their backs to. The air force identified the test technician that disclosed the miss as Airman First Class Jackson H. Kilgore, for which he was reprimanded. Effects test, but also an international political statement about readiness to drop thermonuclear weapons. | ||
| Zuni | May 27, 1956 17:56:00.3 | MHT (11hrs) | Eninmen (Tare), Bikini Atoll 11°30′12″N 165°22′14″E/11.50325°N 165.37049°E/ 11.50325; 165.37049(Zuni) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 3m (9.8ft) | dry surface, weapons development | Mk-41 Bassoon | 3.5Mt | First test of 3 stage device. Clean version using lead tamper, 85% fusion; Tewa is dirty version of same bomb. Design evolved into Mk-41, largest deployed US bomb. | ||
| Yuma | May 27, 1956 19:56:?? | MHT (11hrs) | Aomon (Sally), Enewetak Atoll 11°36′56″N 162°19′10″E/11.61569°N 162.31935°E/ 11.61569; 162.31935(Yuma) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 60m (200ft) | tower, weapons development | Swift | 190t | Smallest (5in (130mm) diameter), lightest (96lb (44kg)) air defense warhead to date, a boosted, asymmetrical linear implosion device. Fizzled when boost didn't work. | ||
| Erie | May 30, 1956 18:15:29.3 | MHT (11hrs) | Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll 11°32′24″N 162°21′29″E/11.53999°N 162.35793°E/ 11.53999; 162.35793(Erie) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 90m (300ft) | tower, weapons development | TX-28C primary | 14.9kt | Test of boosted primary for TX-28C (for "clean") thermonuke. | ||
| Seminole | June 6, 1956 00:55:30.0 | MHT (11hrs) | Bokon (Irene), Enewetak Atoll 11°40′20″N 162°12′37″E/11.67226°N 162.210367°E/ 11.67226; 162.210367(Seminole) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 2m (6ft 7in) | dry surface, weapons development | TX-28 primary | 13.7kt | Exploded in a water tank to simulate underground nuke test. Left crater 660ft ×32ft (201.2m ×9.8m). | ||
| Blackfoot | June 11, 1956 18:26:00.3 | MHT (11hrs) | Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll 11°32′46″N 162°21′09″E/11.54598°N 162.35252°E/ 11.54598; 162.35252(Blackfoot) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 60m (200ft) | tower, weapons development | 8kt | Small air defense prototype. A near-minimal diameter spherical implosion system, 11.5in (290mm) in diameter. | |||
| Flathead | June 11, 1956 18:26:00.1 | MHT (11hrs) | NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll 11°36′00″N 165°27′05″E/11.6°N 165.4514°E/ 11.6; 165.4514(Flathead) | 0 + 4.5m (15ft) | barge, weapons development | TX-28S | 365kt | TX-28S (for "salted") test, intentionally dirty high fallout, 73% fission. | ||
| Kickapoo | June 13, 1956 23:26:?? | MHT (11hrs) | Aomon (Sally), Enewetak Atoll 11°36′56″N 162°19′10″E/11.61569°N 162.31935°E/ 11.61569; 162.31935(Kickapoo) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 90m (300ft) | tower, weapons development | Swallow | 1.5kt | Linear implosion, air defense warhead test. | ||
| Osage | June 16, 1956 01:13:53.1 | MHT (11hrs) | Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll 11°32′37″N 162°21′15″E/11.54374°N 162.35408°E/ 11.54374; 162.35408(Osage) | 0 + 210m (690ft) | free air drop, weapons development | XW-25 | 1.7kt | Proof test of XW-25. | ||
| Inca | June 21, 1956 21:26:?? | MHT (11hrs) | Rujoru (Pearl), Enewetak Atoll 11°37′42″N 162°17′18″E/11.62831°N 162.28828°E/ 11.62831; 162.28828(Inca) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 60m (200ft) | tower, weapons development | XW-45 Swan | 15.2kt | Test of tactical warhead, evolved into XW-45. | ||
| Dakota | June 25, 1956 18:06:00.2 | MHT (11hrs) | NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll 11°36′10″N 165°27′05″E/11.6028°N 165.4514°E/ 11.6028; 165.4514(Dakota) | 0 + 2m (6ft 7in) | barge, weapons development | TX-28C | 1.1Mt | Prototype of XW-28C. Became the most versatile, widely used design in the US, from 1958 to 1990. | ||
| Mohawk | July 2, 1956 18:06:?? | MHT (11hrs) | Ebiriru (Ruby), Enewetak Atoll 11°37′38″N 162°17′38″E/11.62717°N 162.29393°E/ 11.62717; 162.29393(Mohawk) | 2m (6ft 7in) + 90m (300ft) | tower, weapons development | Swan/Flute | 360kt | |||
| Apache | July 8, 1956 18:06:00.2 | MHT (11hrs) | Elugelab (Flora), Enewetak Atoll 11°39′52″N 162°11′40″E/11.66451°N 162.19446°E/ 11.66451; 162.19446(Apache) | 0 + 2m (6ft 7in) | barge, weapons development | XW-27 / Zither | 1.9Mt | Same primary as Lacrosse; Prototype of XW-27 warhead for Regulus missile. | ||
| Navajo | July 10, 1956 17:56:00.3 | MHT (11hrs) | NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll 11°41′15″N 165°22′57″E/11.68743°N 165.38263°E/ 11.68743; 165.38263(Navajo) | 0 + 6m (20ft) | barge, weapons development | TX-21C | 4.5Mt | 95% fusion, cleanest shot fired until 1958. | ||
| Tewa | July 20, 1956 17:46:00.0 | MHT (11hrs) | Yurochi aka Irioj (Dog), Bikini Atoll 11°40′44″N 165°20′26″E/11.67896°N 165.34042°E/ 11.67896; 165.34042(Tewa) | 0 + 4.5m (15ft) | barge, weapons development | Mk-41? "Bassoon Prime" | 5Mt | 87% fission; first US 3 stage device, dirty version of Bassoon tested in Zuni, with tamper change. Developed into Mk-41. | ||
| Huron | July 21, 1956 18:16:00.1 | MHT (11hrs) | Elugelab (Flora), Enewetak Atoll 11°40′19″N 162°22′09″E/11.6719°N 162.3692°E/ 11.6719; 162.3692(Huron) | 0 + 2m (6ft 7in) | barge, weapons development | XW-50? Proto "Egg" | 250kt | 2 Stage thermonuke, XW-50 prototype. |
Gallery
- Redwing-Tewa device within shot-cab.
- Redwing-Tewa event crater.
- Redwing-Seminole test device.
- Redwing-Seminole, 13.7-kilotons.
- Redwing-Apache, 1.8-megatons.
- Redwing-Zuni, 3.5-megatons.
- Redwing-Tewa, 5-megatons.
- Redwing-Lacrosse, 40-kilotons.
- Redwing-Dakota., 1.1-megatons.
- Redwing-Cherokee, 3.8-megatons.
- Redwing-Huron, 250-kilotons.
External links
- The short filmis available for free viewing and download at theInternet Archive.
- The short filmis available for free viewing and download at theInternet Archive.