e

=z

possible yield, because of doubt as to the complete reactions.

With

this thought in mind, the Positioning Committee concurred and posi-

tioned the B-36 at 50,000 feet horizontal range and 33,000 feet alti~

tude, and the B~4’7 at 48,000 feet horizontal range and 35,000 feet
altitude.

BRAVO was detonated at 0645 on 1 March.

It was the only

shot during the entire operation to be fired on schedule.

Ground

Zero was in a cab on the reef 2,950 feet from the southwest tip of
Wemu Island in Bikini Atoll.
\———

Early fireball and Bhangmeter results

The take-off schedule for aircraft was closely adhered to and
sample collecting by manned aircraft commenced.
two FB-36's were used for sampling.

Fifteen F-84's and

It was considered that twelve

i
oe

operational F-84's would constitute the required number of samplers.

In addition, one WB-29 with a “shoe box" type sampler was employed
at H plus one hour for obtaining samples which the scientists hoped

would.contain heavy elements.

The two FB-36's were used in an at-

tempt to obtain samples at higher altitudes.

Specifically, it was

desired to obtain samples in the main clow to determinewhether
they were more representative than the samples below the main portion.

Sampling progressed as planned and the heavy nuclide samples

from the WB-29 and several gas samples from the F-S4's were transported from Eniwetok to Parry in minimum time by H-19's and L-13's.
The other samples, destined for the United States, were removed from

the aircraft, packaged and transported to the C-97 courier for shipment.

A C=47 on stand-by at Eniwetok for recovery of samples at Bi-

kini was not needed.

AFWLHO

-

The equipment in the control RB-36H operated

a

67

Select target paragraph3