Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
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Top 10 Most Powerful US Nuclear Tests
Redwing Tewa - 5 Mt
Castle Union - 6.9 Mt
Dominic Bighorn - 7.65 Mt
Dominic Housatonic - 8.3 Mt
Hardtack Oak - 8.9 Mt
Hardtack Poplar - 9.3 Mt
Ivy Mike - 10.4 Mt
Castle Romeo - 11 Mt
Castle Yankee - 13.5 Mt
Castle Bravo - 15 Mt
Actually, this digitally restored footage from the otherwise tactically stupid M65 Atomic Canon in the Upshot–Knothole Grable test of the "merely" 15 kt W9 artillery warhead is my favorite.
W9 (nuclear warhead)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W9_(nuclear_warhead)
The W9 was an American nuclear artillery shell fired from a special 11 inch howitzer. It was produced starting in 1952 and all were retired by 1957, being superseded by the W19.
The W9 was 11 inches (280 mm) in diameter, 55 inches (138 cm) long, and weighed 850 pounds (364 kg). It had an explosive yield of 15 kilotons.
The W9 was a gun-type nuclear weapon, using around 50 kilograms of highly enriched uranium in one large rings assembly and one smaller "bullet", which was fired down a tube by conventional explosives into the rings assembly to achieve critical mass and detonate the weapon.
The W9 units which were retired in 1957 were recycled into lower yield T-4 Atomic Demolition Munitions. These were the first (semi) man-portable nuclear weapons.
W19 (nuclear artillery shell)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W19_(nuclear_artillery_shell)
The W19, also called Katie, was an American nuclear artillery shell, derived from the earlier W9 shell. The W19 was fired from a special 11-inch (28 cm) howitzer. It was introduced in 1955 and retired in 1963.
The W19 was 11 inches (28 cm) in diameter, 54 inches (140 cm) long, and weighed 600 pounds (270 kg). It had a yield of 15-20 kilotons and was, like its predecessor the W9, a gun-type nuclear weapon.
W23
The W19 nuclear system was adapted into a nuclear artillery shell for the US Navy's 16 inch (406 mm) main battery found on the Iowa-class of battleships, the W23. Production of the W23 began in 1956 and they were in service until 1962, with a total of 50 units being produced.
The W23 was 16 inches (406 mm) in diameter and 64 inches (160 cm) long, with a weight given variously as 1,500 or 1,900 pounds (680 or 860 kg) in reference sources. As with the W19, yield was 15-20 kilotons.
Redwing Tewa - 5 Mt
Castle Union - 6.9 Mt
Dominic Bighorn - 7.65 Mt
Dominic Housatonic - 8.3 Mt
Hardtack Oak - 8.9 Mt
Hardtack Poplar - 9.3 Mt
Ivy Mike - 10.4 Mt
Castle Romeo - 11 Mt
Castle Yankee - 13.5 Mt
Castle Bravo - 15 Mt
Actually, this digitally restored footage from the otherwise tactically stupid M65 Atomic Canon in the Upshot–Knothole Grable test of the "merely" 15 kt W9 artillery warhead is my favorite.
W9 (nuclear warhead)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W9_(nuclear_warhead)
The W9 was an American nuclear artillery shell fired from a special 11 inch howitzer. It was produced starting in 1952 and all were retired by 1957, being superseded by the W19.
The W9 was 11 inches (280 mm) in diameter, 55 inches (138 cm) long, and weighed 850 pounds (364 kg). It had an explosive yield of 15 kilotons.
The W9 was a gun-type nuclear weapon, using around 50 kilograms of highly enriched uranium in one large rings assembly and one smaller "bullet", which was fired down a tube by conventional explosives into the rings assembly to achieve critical mass and detonate the weapon.
The W9 units which were retired in 1957 were recycled into lower yield T-4 Atomic Demolition Munitions. These were the first (semi) man-portable nuclear weapons.
W19 (nuclear artillery shell)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W19_(nuclear_artillery_shell)
The W19, also called Katie, was an American nuclear artillery shell, derived from the earlier W9 shell. The W19 was fired from a special 11-inch (28 cm) howitzer. It was introduced in 1955 and retired in 1963.
The W19 was 11 inches (28 cm) in diameter, 54 inches (140 cm) long, and weighed 600 pounds (270 kg). It had a yield of 15-20 kilotons and was, like its predecessor the W9, a gun-type nuclear weapon.
W23
The W19 nuclear system was adapted into a nuclear artillery shell for the US Navy's 16 inch (406 mm) main battery found on the Iowa-class of battleships, the W23. Production of the W23 began in 1956 and they were in service until 1962, with a total of 50 units being produced.
The W23 was 16 inches (406 mm) in diameter and 64 inches (160 cm) long, with a weight given variously as 1,500 or 1,900 pounds (680 or 860 kg) in reference sources. As with the W19, yield was 15-20 kilotons.
