On Mike Shot, the B-36 aircraft was to be flying straight and

burst time and shock arrival,

Since allowable temperature rise was the

controlling factor, aircraft position was based on slant range at time
zero and not at shock arrival,

The minimum safe distance at burst time,

based on a 20 MT yield, was calculzted to be 91,200 ft; the expected
slant range at shock arrival thus tecame 140,000 ft.

Figure 2.18 shows

the flight pattern designed to position the 5-36 aircraft for Mike Shot.
Intended positions at time zero and shock arrival are shown,
The B~36 aircraft left Kwajelein Air Base at 0300 hours on the

morning of shot day and flew to the assigned orbiting area over the

Eniwetok Atoll, arriving approximately 3 hours before scheduled shot
time. The prescribed orbit was maintained by means of radar navigation

using an I.P. (initial point) on Runit Island.

:

During the orbiting,

flight instruments such as altimeters and airspeed indicators were cross-

checked and wind velocity determined.

vee eee!

.0 8. ow

level at an altitude of 40,000 ft and heading away from ground zero at

oes
ONY SoeLS,es

we?

Be36 Aircraft

Knowing wind velocity and the pre-

scribed maneuver after leaving the orbit, it was possible to calculate

/ 7

ore ae
7

2ehed

the exact time, based upcen time zero, the aircraft must leave the I.P.

in order to be in proper position at the time of detonation, With this
information, and knowing the time recuired to complete one revolution
of tne orbit, it was possible to determine the exact time the aircraft
must pass over the I.P. each pass up to shot time. Slight corrections®
were made each revolution to keep crossing the I.P. at the calculated

wee te

Beginning in the afternoon of shot day minus one, a complete in-

spection end functional check-out of the instrumentation was conducted.
Ail cameras were checked, loaded after sunset, and set for remote control operation, Approximately two and one-half hours before take-off
time on shot day, another complete instrumentation check-out was begun.
After take-cff, the instrumentation eoudpment was turned on and all chan

tat

On the last pass the aircraft flew straight over the I.P., con-

tired in straight and level flight for the proper time interval, then
made a 90° turn to the left and flew straight away from the vertical
line through ground zero as shown in the sketch referred to above. Test
altitude was maintained for a short peziod after shock arrival to permit
an instrumentation check.

7

All strain channels were calanced while the aircraft was in a
leg of the orbit, that is, in straight and level flight. Thus, loads
measured would be those in excess of the normal (one g) flight loads.
Balancing of strain gages continued until 15 minutes before time zero,
at which time a new magazine was installed in the oscillograph. At this
point all instrumentation equipment was operating but the recording
equipment was not turned on. Five minutes before time zero protective
coverings were placed over all winiows, Ten seconds before scheduled
shot time all recording equipment was activated. The equipment was allowed to run until at least one minute after shock arrival, A clearing
run was made about 10 rinutes after sock arrival while the aiccraft
was still at the test altitude.
On King Shot, the second shot of IVY, the B~36 aircraft was reexposed in a manner similar to vu hat
a employed for Mike Shot, The predicted

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nels checked while climoing to the test altitude of 40,000 ft.

Symmons

mm.

tins.

Select target paragraph3