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5th Feb 1958


antarmike

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The Tybee Bomb incident:-

 

The Tybee Bomb is a 7,600 pound (3,500 kg) Mark 15 hydrogen bomb that was lost in the waters off Tybee Island near Savannah, Georgia, USA on February 5, 1958. The bomb was jettisoned during a practice exercise after a B-47 bomber carrying it collided in midair with an F-86 fighter plane. Following several unsuccessful searches, it was presumed lost somewhere in Wassaw Sound off the shores of Tybee Island.

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The B-47 bomber was on a simulated combat mission from Homestead Air Force Base in Florida. It was carrying a single 7,600 pound (3,500 kg) bomb. At about 2:00 AM, the B-47 collided with an F-86. The F-86 crashed after the pilot ejected from the plane. The B-47 was damaged but still operational. The crew then requested permission to jettison the bomb. Permission was granted and the bomb was jettisoned at 7,200 feet (2,200 m) while traveling about 200 knots (370 km/h). The crew did not see an explosion upon impact. They then managed to land the B-47 safely at Hunter Air Force Base.

 

Starting on February 6, 1958, the Air Force 2700th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron and 100 Navy personnel equipped with hand held sonar and galvanic drag and cable sweeps mounted a search. On April 16, 1958 the announcement was made that the search efforts had been unsuccessful. Based upon a hydrologic survey, the bomb was thought to lie buried under 5 to 15 feet (2 to 5 m) of silt at the bottom of Wassaw Sound.

 

In 2004, retired Air Force Colonel Derek Duke incorrectly claimed to have found the possible resting spot of the bomb. He and his partner located the spot by trawling the area in their boat with a Geiger counter in tow. The Air Force released its report in June 2005, which stated that high radiation measurements are from naturally occurring radioactive materials, and that the location of the bomb is still unknown.

 

The 12-foot (4 m) long Mark 15 bomb weighs 7,600 pounds (3,500 kg) and bears the serial number "No. 47782". It contains 400 pounds (180 kg) of conventional high explosives and highly enriched uranium. The Air Force maintains that the bomb's nuclear capsule, used to initiate the nuclear reaction, was removed prior to its flight aboard the B-47. As noted in the Atomic Energy Commission "Form AL-569 Temporary Custodian Receipt (for maneuvers)" signed by the aircraft commander, the bomb contained a simulated 150 cap (which was made of lead).

 

In 2001, the United States Air Force conducted a study to determine whether the bomb posed a threat to residents of the surrounding area. The study concluded that the bomb does not pose a significant threat because it is missing the nuclear capsule. The bomber pilot maintains that the weapon did not have the nuclear capsule when he took off. The Air Force says with certainty that the bomb contains conventional explosives and highly enriched uranium, which could pose an environmental or proliferation threat. The Air Force determined that it was prudent to leave the bomb entombed in mud at the bottom of the sea floor rather than disturb it and risk the potential of detonation or contamination. (wiki) (make what you will of the clear contradictiction.)

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8th Feb 1958, Just three days later!

A nuclear weapon was inadvertently dropped from a B-52D bomber parked at a pad and ready to be unloaded at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. Preliminary reports indicated that an airman erred and pulled the manual release handle which released the weapon from the bomb bay and through the unopened bomb bay doors. Damage to the weapon included a dented afterbody, two smashed fins, and a displaced secondary. There was no capsule aboard the aircraft. The bomb was loaded aboard a trailer and removed to a weapons maintenance depot at Rushmore AFB, South Dakota. The damaged weapon was later exchanged for an operational weapon from stockpile.

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11th March 1958

A USAF B-47E-60-LM, 53-1876A, from Hunter AFB, Georgia, jettisons nuclear weapons casing from 15,000 feet over rural section of Florence, South Carolina, high-explosives detonate on impact causing property damage, several civilian injuries. No fuel capsule installed on bomb.

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The Tybee Bomb incident:-

 

The Tybee Bomb is a 7,600 pound (3,500 kg) Mark 15 hydrogen bomb that was lost in the waters off Tybee Island near Savannah, Georgia, USA on February 5, 1958. The bomb was jettisoned during a practice exercise after a B-47 bomber carrying it collided in midair with an F-86 fighter plane. Following several unsuccessful searches, it was presumed lost somewhere in Wassaw Sound off the shores of Tybee Island.

 

Curiously just a month or so back on satellite I saw a recent programme about yet another operation to try and find and recover this bomb. Nope.

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