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THE ATOMIC
CANNON
Operation:
Upshot Knothole
Shot Name: Grable
Shot number: 10
Date: May 25, 1953
Detonation: Airburst |
Yield: 15
kt
Height of Blast: 524 ft
Location: Frenchman Flat - Nevada Test Site
Mark 9 Gun Weapon
Sponser: Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory |
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The Atomic
Cannon, at 280 mm, was the largest nuclear capable mobile artillery
piece manufactured by the United States. On May 25, 1953, a 280
mm cannon fired an atomic projectile a distance of 7 miles at
the Nevada Test Site. Twenty 280 mm cannons were manufactured.
None were used in battle.
SEE MORE ABOUT THE ATOMIC CANNON IN "TRINITY
AND BEYOND" and "ATOMIC
FILMMAKERS"
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Original
AEC Press Release - UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE OPERATION - GRABLE EVENT ...Frenchman
Flat, Nevada, May 25, 1953. Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson
and designated Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Arthur
W. Radford observing history's first atomic artillery shell explosion
here today. The shell, fired from the Army's new 280 mm artillery
gun, burst with precision accuracy over the designated target
area where railroad cars, trees, bridges and other equipment had
been located.
- MOVIES
-
Cannon
Detonation - 1.3 Mb
Widescreen Bomb - 1.2 Mb
Trees - 489Kb
Vehicles - 881 Kb
Blastline - 605 Kb |
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| Within milliseconds
of the detonation, the fireball is formed. The smoke trails are
visible to the right. The small box at bottom left indicates the
area covered on the bottom frame. |
This frame
shows the precursor which is formed by the blast. The boxed area
indicates the area covered on the bottom frame. |
This frame
is an enlargement of the frame above and shows a train and bus.
The device in the background is a very tall tower containing cameras
and instruments. The precursor is visible in the upper right of
frame.
Other Links
Atomic Cannon Pictures |
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The ATOMIC CANNON
is now a beautifully restored 14 x 20 Collector's
Edition Print from VCE
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