oul
“= -
| MGMscx)
Project 5.6 ~ In-Flight Participation of an F~101A Aircraft - Capt M, H,. Lewin
OBJECTIVE
The objective of Project 5.6 is to determine the responses of an
in-flight F-1OlA aircraft to the thermal blast and gust effects of a
nuclear detonation,
A correlation of the responses, combined with known
characteristics of any weapon, will be used to define the maximum safe
delivery capability of the aircraft,
INSTRUMENTATION
The aircraft was instrumented with radiometers, calorimeters and !
pressure transducers to measure the thermal and blast inputs and with
strain gages, thermocouples and various other instruments to measure the
aircraft response to the inputs,
ForSEINEspache) shot, the aircraft
was positioned to receive a high caloric input, 101 Cal/cn*, at a low
angle of incidence,
At this position the aircraft would theoretically
receive aAT of 350°F on the ,020 inch skin covered honeycomb surfaces
based on positioning yield and the on-time position,
At this position the
aircraft would receive 40% design limit load on the stabilator,
AIRCRAFT POSITION IN SPACE
The aircraft was to fly at 15,000 feet absolute altitude on an inbound
heading of 040° at a ground speed of 950 fps,
It was planned that the
aircraft would be 19,100 feet beyond ground zero at time zero with the
shock arriving 24 seconds later at a horizontal range of 59,000 feet,
Actual shot position was 900 feet beyond and 50 feet to the right of planned
position at time zero, with shock arriving 71.52 seconds later ata
horizontal range of 70,200 feet.
- 23-
23