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).Blumenson, Martin and Hugh D. Hexamer (1956). A History of Operation Redwing: The Atomic Weapons Tests in the Pacific. Joint Task Force Seven Headquarters, Washington, D.C. p. 19. 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
+ United States' Redwing series tests and detonations Name The United States, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known. Date time (UT) Local time zoneTo convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. All historical time zone data are derived from here: LocationRough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area. Elevation + height Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together. Delivery Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (PTBT). Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.Purpose Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down. DeviceDesignations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed. YieldEstimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie). FalloutRadioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released. References Notes Lacrosse 18:25:29.9 MHT (11 hrs) Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll + dry surface,weapons development TX-39 primary
Mockup of the TX-39. Left a visible Crater off Runit Island, next to Cactus Dome, in diameter. Cherokee 17:50:38.7 MHT (11 hrs) Namu (Charlie), Bikini Atoll 0 + free air drop,weapons development TX-15-X1
The United States' first air deliverable thermonuclear device. Navigation error landed weapon 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 17:56:00.3 MHT (11 hrs) Eninmen (Tare), Bikini Atoll + dry surface,weapons development Mk-41 Bassoon
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 19:56:?? MHT (11 hrs) Aomon (Sally), Enewetak Atoll + tower,weapons development Swift
Smallest ( diameter), lightest () air defense warhead to date, a boosted, asymmetrical linear implosion device. Fizzled when boost didn't work. Erie 18:15:29.3 MHT (11 hrs) Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll + tower,weapons development TX-28C primary
Test of boosted primary for TX-28C (for "clean") thermonuke. Seminole 00:55:30.0 MHT (11 hrs) Bokon (Irene), Enewetak Atoll + dry surface,weapons development TX-28 primary
Exploded in a water tank to simulate underground nuke test. Left crater . Blackfoot 18:26:00.3 MHT (11 hrs) Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll + tower,weapons development
Small air defense prototype. A near-minimal diameter spherical implosion system, in diameter. Flathead 18:26:00.1 MHT (11 hrs) NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll 0 + barge,weapons development TX-28S
TX-28S (for "salted") test, intentionally dirty high fallout, 73% fission. Kickapoo 23:26:?? MHT (11 hrs) Aomon (Sally), Enewetak Atoll + tower,weapons development Swallow
Linear implosion, air defense warhead test. Osage 01:13:53.1 MHT (11 hrs) Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll 0 + free air drop,weapons development XW-25
Proof test of XW-25. Inca 21:26:?? MHT (11 hrs) Rujoru (Pearl), Enewetak Atoll + tower,weapons development XW-45 Swan
Test of tactical warhead, evolved into XW-45. Dakota 18:06:00.2 MHT (11 hrs) NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll 0 + barge,weapons development TX-28C
Prototype of XW-28C. Became the most versatile, widely used design in the US, from 1958 to 1990. Mohawk 18:06:?? MHT (11 hrs) Ebiriru (Ruby), Enewetak Atoll + tower,weapons development Swan/Flute
Apache 18:06:00.2 MHT (11 hrs) Elugelab (Flora), Enewetak Atoll 0 + barge,weapons development XW-27 / Zither
Same primary as Lacrosse; Prototype of XW-27 warhead for Regulus missile. Navajo 17:56:00.3 MHT (11 hrs) NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll 0 + barge,weapons development TX-21C
95% fusion, cleanest shot fired until 1958. Tewa 17:46:00.0 MHT (11 hrs) Yurochi aka Irioj (Dog), Bikini Atoll 0 + barge,weapons development Mk-41 ? "Bassoon Prime"
87% fission; first US 3 stage device, dirty version of Bassoon tested in Zuni, with tamper change. Developed into Mk-41. Huron 18:16:00.1 MHT (11 hrs) Elugelab (Flora), Enewetak Atoll 0 + barge,weapons development XW-50 ? Proto "Egg"
2 Stage thermonuke, XW-50 prototype.
Gallery
References
External links
Summary and review of The Atomic Times