The change with time of the direction of interest is illus
the vectors shown in Figure 53, which shows the patterns flown
by VP-29
P2V aircraft based at the Kwajalein Naval Air Station in searc
transient shipping on D-2 and D-l, and the special added flight
itself.
PREPARATIONS
The general plan for Bikini operations
(including BRAVO) wa
to with-
draw work and scientific parties to the fleet units in the lago
ships could clear the lagoon and assume their night steaming st
southeast of the atoll before dark on the evening before the pr
a
t
In preparing for BRAVO, the firing party, a small group fro
weapon design laboratories, proceeded to the location of the em
vice and started the arming process.
This consisted of mechani
ing the device to create a circuit capable of carrying the firi
to the device.
This circuit was still not complete, however, ag
gap existed in the firing bunker at Station 70 on Eneu.
a similar
After
rk at the
device was completed, the firing party and the military police
tailed to
guard the device withdrew to Eneu.
before
The fleet cleared the lagoon
the arming process was completed, thus ensuring that task force
rsonnel
(except for the firing party) were never in the atoll while the Hevice
could be detonated.
The firing party was left on Eneu in the firing bunker and the small
boat or helicopter crew and military police that had provided trfnsportation and protection rejoined the fleet.
Final links in the firilhg circuit
were then closed, and the device was ready for detonation.
DOD ACTIVITIES
The DOD-sponsored experiments for BRAVO included 29 projectsfin TU 13
of TG 7.1.
@
TU 13 projects were:
Program 1, Blast and Shock; Projects l.la-l.ld,
l.2a-b, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6
203