Effects of an Atomic Detonation on Aircraft Structures on the Ground; Operation Buster Nevada Proving Grounds October-November 1951. Project 3.8

97 pages [stated]. Illustrations. Table. Appendix: Instrumentation Details. Includes an Introduction, Procedure, Test Results, Discussion, and Conclusions and Recommendations. Mailing label on back cover. Made from best copy available. Copy appears to have been made in 2007 based on the number 20070104098 on back cover. Declassified to UNCLASSIFIED, was originally SECRET RESTRICTED DATA. Operation Buster-Jangle was a series of seven (six atmospheric, one cratering) nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States in late 1951 at the Nevada Test Site. Buster-Jangle was the first joint test program between the DOD (Operation Buster) and Los Alamos National Laboratories (Operation Jangle). As part of Operation Buster, 6,500 troops were involved in the Operation Desert Rock I, II, and III exercises in conjunction with the tests. The objective of Project 3.8 was to determine the effects of an atomic detonation on parked aircraft with respect to structural damage. The two aircraft allotted to this project were flown to Yucca Lake landing strip and then moved overland to the test location. For Dog Shot, the fighter (F-47) was positioned with tail toward the blast at a ground range of 4,250 feet from the target ground zero. The bomber (B-17) was located with the left side toward the blast at a ground range of 6,510 feed from the target ground zero. Damage to the fighter from Dog Shot was confined primarily to the control surfaces, whereas damage to the bomber included a severs fuselage buckle aft of the wing, burning of the rudder fabric, and extensive local skin damage. The aircraft were relocated for Easy Shot. The fighter was postitioned with the tail toward the blast at a ground range of 2,675 feet. The bomber was placed with the nose toward ground zero at a range of 5,847 feet. The fighter was severely damaged, one wing failing completely. The bomber sustained additional damage to skin panels, and the bomb-bay doors were buckled inward. 2007 Reprint Distributed to by DTIC (Defense Technical Information Center).…