that low clouds in the target area partially obscured initial data.
The mission of the weather aircraft on "X" day was successful
from the standpoint of tracking the cloud and reporting weather information.
With the exception of the incident involving the loss of a
propeller on Immitation Two referred to above, all weather aircraft
performed their missions as required.
Rapid transportation of test samples and photographic film to the
Zone of Interior immediately following H-hour was accomplished by .the
use of four (lh) C-5) type aircraft which were ready for take-off at Eniwetok beginning a few hours after the detonation.
scheduled but not needed.
A fifth aircraft was
The four aircraft departed Eniwetok during
the next twenty-four (2) hours as cargo became available and flew non~
stop to Hickam Field.
Here trans~-shipment was effected to awaiting
aircraft which were immediately flown to the Zone of Interior.
2.
"Y" DAY OPERATIONS
Air operations on "Y" day were the same as those accomplished on
"X" day with the following exceptions.
A drone at 20,000 feet altitude
was removed from the air pattern and placed at 30,000 feet to simulate
the dropping of an atomic bomb on the target.
This drone followed a
course which would have enabled it to drop an atomic bomb aimed at the
Zero tower timed to explode at H-hour.
The aircraft was immediately
over the explosion at time of detonation and was at a slant range suf-
ficiently great at the time the shock wave hit it that no structural
Section VIII
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