Fireball touches ground dirt and other debris are sucked into the rising column, creating mushroom cloud. Pressure creates suction, drawing wind into blast area at up to 620 m.p.h. When reflected wave catches up with the original, pressure doubles.Ĭ. The following blast forms wall of pressure, moving about 2 miles per second. Resulting fireball creates a heat wave traveling at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second).ī. With the flash of bluish-white and ultraviolet light, air is heated to about 18 million degrees. The Hiroshima explosion created a cloud that has become a signature of nuclear destruction. * Enola Gay pilot Tibbets carried poison pills for his crew in case they were shot down.
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Jacob Beser was the only man to fly on both atomic strike planes. * In 1945, the Gallup Poll reported that 85% of Americans endorsed the dropping of the A-bombs today about 59% do so. * The Enola Gay was 400 miles away from Hiroshima before the crew could no longer see the mushroom cloud. * 23 American POWs were killed in Hiroshima.
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* It would take approximately 2,000 B-29s to carry enough conventional explosives to equal the blast at Hiroshima. 6 bombing, returned home and also survived the Aug. * Nine Nagasaki shipbuilders, sent to work in Hiroshima, survived the Aug. * Americans received valuable weather data from a Chinese guerrilla leader: Mao Tse-tung. ** Does not include later deaths from radiation How the atomic attack deaths compare to other notable bombing targets of World War II:ĭATE LOCATION DEATHS August-October, 1940* England 14,000-plus Aug. Conventional charge behind uranium bullet detonates, driving bullet into uranium target, causing explosion. Radio waves from radar bounce off ground, reach bomb’s antennae, closing final switch.ĥ. At 5,000 feet, next switch closes, allowing current to reach small radar set.Ĥ. After 15 seconds, timer closes second switch current continues to another, controlled by height detector.ģ. Bomb drops, closing first switch and initiating timer that holds all circuits open, allowing bomber to begin getaway.Ģ. That explosive drove a small piece of uranium down a “gun barrel” and into a larger piece, achieving the volume necessary for explosion-critical mass. The Hiroshima bomb used a set of switches to guide electrical current from batteries to a detonator. 50-caliber machine guns and one 20-millimeter cannon all guns except 20-mm cannon in tall were removed from atomic bombers.
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Power: Four Wright 18-cylinder engines, 2,200 horsepower each It could lift its crew and load above 30,000 feet, out of range of most ground weapons and interceptors. The airplane that delivered the atomic bombs was the first intercontinental, pressurized bomber. Thomas Ferebee.Ĩ:14 a.m.: Crew dons Polaroid goggles to protect their eyes.Ĩ:15:17 a.m.: Bomb falls clear and Ferebee yells “Bomb away!” Enola Gay, at 328 m.p.h., begins steep power dive and right turn to escape blast.Ĩ:16 a.m.: After a 5.5-mile drop, the bomb detonates 800 feet southeast of the Aioi Bridge. and 9,200 feet, head toward Japan.Ħ:30 a.m.: Parsons completes arming the bomb Tibbets informs crew they are carrying atomic weapon Enola Gay begins climb to attack altitude.ħ:09 a.m.: Air-raid warning sounds in Hiroshima as American scout plane Straight Flush approaches to check weather conditions.ħ:25 a.m.: Straight Flush advises Enola Gay, now at 26,000 feet, that weather is clear Tibbets informs his crew target will be Hiroshima.ħ:31 a.m.: All-clear signal given in Hiroshima.Ĩ:05 a.m.: With Enola Gay at 30,800 feet, Van Kirk announces they are 10 minutes from aiming point, Aioi Bridge.Ĩ:12 a.m.: Van Kirk informs Tibbets they have reached initial point of bombing run.Ĩ:13:30 a.m.: Tibbets declares, “It’s yours,” passing control of plane to bombardier Maj. 91, camera plane, arrive all three ascend to 9,000 feet.ĥ:05 a.m.: The three form a loose V formation, Enola Gay leading, and at 205 m.p.h. (Japan time, one hour behind Tinian): Enola Gay begins to circle over Iwo Jima.Ĥ:55 a.m.: Great Artiste, carrying instruments to measure the blast, and No.
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William Parsons begins to arm the bomb.Ĥ:52 a.m. Enola Gay is on its three-hour leg to the Iwo Jima rendezvous point.ģ a.m.: Weaponeer Capt.