Delivery Systems

Delivery Systems

The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History has a large collection of aircraft and rockets that were designed to carry and employ nuclear weapons. The collection is not available for public viewing currently. When the museum moves to its new facility, The National Museum for Nuclear Science and History, these as well as other nuclear carriers will be on display.

The B-29 delivered the first atomic bomb. The B-29 was a revolutionary aircraft, the first intercontinental bomber. At 70,000 pounds, it was the heaviest production bomber built. Its 135,000 pounds fully loaded required an 8,000-foot runway for takeoff. It could cruise above 30,000 feet, out of range of flak and most enemy fighters.

Almost 4,000 B-29s were built during World War II. The “Fat Man” atomic bomb, dropped by a B-29, destroyed Nagasaki. After the war, the 509th Division continued to use the B-29s for post-war testing of nuclear weapons in the Pacific. The B-29s were later replaced by more modern bombers.

The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History maintains B-29 #45-21748 at Kirtland Air Force Base. This B-29 will be on display at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History when it opens at the Albuquerque Balloon Park in the fall of 2006.

For more than 44 years, B-52 Stratofortresses have been the primary manned strategic bomber for the United States. Since becoming operational in 1955, the Boeing Stratofortress B-52 has been the main long-range heavy bomber of the Strategic Air Command. Affectionately known as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fella), it first flew on April 15, 1952. Nearly 750 B-52s were built when production ended in October 1963, of which 170 were D models. The D models were modified to carry conventional bombs externally, and later series had provisions for Hound Dog air-to-surface missiles and Quail decoy missiles. On January 18, 1957, three B-52Bs completed the world’s first non-stop round-the-world flight by jet aircraft, lasting 45 hrs. 19 mins., with only three aerial refuelings en route.

A B-52 also made the first known airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. Engines: Eight Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines. Weight (max. takeoff): 420,000 lb. Speed: Maximum 597.68 mph. Armament: One M-61 20mm gun in General Electric rear turret with Emerson ASG-21 automatic fire control system.

1954—The first surface-to-surface guided missiles arrived in Europe, assigned to the 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany.  The Matador was the first guided missile ever deployed by the United States Air Force. Until its replacement by the Mace in June of 1959, it was the longest range missile in the U.S. Arsenal. With the deployment of the Matador “A,” the nuclear capacity of the U.S. Tactical Air Command in Europe increased significantly. With these missiles, TAC could now strike enemy targets that were too heavily defended to use manned aircraft against.

In 1951, a supersonic tactical fighter-bomber replaced the F-84F. The result was the F-105 “Thunderchief,” later affectionately nicknamed the “Thud.” The F-105 Thunderchief was the replacement for the earlier F-84 fighter/bombers. Though initially designed to deliver only nuclear payloads, in Vietnam it became famous for its conventional bombing capability. The first 105-B was delivered to the Tactical Air Force Command in August of 1958. By 1975, F-105s had been converted into F-105Gs or withdrawn from service.

The LANCE short-range, mobile, guided surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile carries a W70 warhead. The Lance, or MGM-52C, was the last battlefield missile deployed by the United States Army. It was for use against large formations of enemy armor. The missile’s mobility and range made the Lance the most formidable SRBM in the world in the 1970s and 1980s. Compared to the Sergeant and Honest John weapons it replaced, the Lance is an easier weapon to operate. Because its liquid fuel motor can be fired effectively at extremes in temperature, the missile does not require pre-launch heating systems.

A7 Corsair II
This lightweight attack aircraft was developed for the Air Force, Navy and Marines. The Navy carrier fighter-bomber on display was originally a single seat A7B model manufactured in 1968. During its first eight years, the aircraft was on numerous cruises, including several Vietnam deployments. It had 731 carrier launchings and landings. In 1976, the aircraft was modified to a two-seat A7C aircraft. It was used to train pilots in nuclear weapons delivery tactics and to develop and test weapons for the aircraft. In 1992, A7s were phased out of active duty.

Jupiter
The Jupiter was the first mobile strategic intermediate range ballistic missile to use the ablative (melting or vaporizing) heat shield on the nosecone section. It was a single-stage, liquid-fueled missile using an inertial guidance system. Some modified versions of the Jupiter were used as first-stage boosters for early U.S. space satellite launches. The Jupiter was deployed in Turkey and Italy from 1961 - 1963.

Atomic Cannon
The 280MM Atomic Cannon was the largest nuclear capable mobile artillery piece manufactured by the United States. On May 25, 1953, a 280mm cannon fired an atomic projectile a distance of 7 miles at the Nevada Test Site. Twenty 280mm cannons were manufactured.

These objects are not delivery systems but are nuclear-related:
SNAP 10A System
SNAP 10A System for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (or Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power) is a nuclear powered electrical source On April 3, 1965, an ATLAS Agena D, launched from the Western Test Range, put a SNAP 10A into a nominal 1300km orbit, where it generated more than 500 watts of power for over 43 days. It used thermoelectric elements. The shutdown was by a spacecraft malfunction, not a problem with the SNAP.

Nuclear Rocket Components
In 1955, the US initiated a development program to develop high efficiency Nuclear Rockets for military and space uses. Conventional liquid rockets require a fuel and an oxidizer pumped from separate storage tanks and combined to produce hot, high velocity, exhaust gases. The importance of the nuclear rocket is that it eliminates the weight of one tank, one fluid, one pump, and the need for combustion, by using a thermal reactor to heat a gas passing through it.