More about Washingtons and A-bombs in the Pacific

Two Washingtons, WW353 and WW354, came to Australia in 1952 on behalf of the British Ministry of Supply, to assist in various weapons and other trials at Woomera and other South Australian locations. The first arrived in September, and the second in December of 1952. The two aircraft were operated by the RAAF’s Aircraft Research and Development Unit Trials Flight. Eventually they were placed into storage whilst the British and US governments considered their fates. They were finally broken up in 1957. Whatever their relationship to Project Totem, they did not actually drop the bombs, which were detonated from steel towers at Emu Plains. . .
In 1956 Britain resumed nuclear testing, at Trimouille and Alpha Islands, in the Monte Bello Islands off north-west Australia (at approximately 20º 30′ S 115º 53′ E, about 70 mls. north of Onslow, WA).
These were the Mosaic series, with the devices detonated from metal towers. During the tests, the R.A.A.F. contributed three 11 Sqn. Neptunes for security patrols, and a Canberra crew from 2 Sqn., as well as a number of C-47s. The second Mosaic test, on 19 June 1956, produced the highest yield of any nuclear test in Australia – 98 kt – breaking an assurance about yield limitations made to Australian Prime Minister Menzies.
Mosaic was followed, in September and October 1956, by the four tests in the Buffalo series, at Maralinga, South Australia. No R.A.A.F. aircraft were contributed, but a Canberra crew of 6 Sqn. R.A.A.F. was provided, to fly a R.A.F. aircraft. The Buffalo tests were of Red Beard or Blue Danube weapons, yielding up to 15 kt. Three were tower or ground bursts. Commonwealth military observers were allowed to watch the effects of blasts on military, electronic and medical equipment, including aircraft and a Centurion tank.
The third test, at 15:27 local time on 11 October, 1956, was Britain’s first air drop burst. It was carried out using Vickers Valiant B.1 WZ366 of 49 Sqn. RAF. The weapon detonated at 150 m. Originally to have had a 40 kt core, fears about the results of a mishap led to it having a low yield core instead. Yield was 3 kt.
A test program known as Grapple was conducted at Malden and Christmas Islands, in the Pacific, to develop a hydrogen bomb, between May 1957 and September 1958. Nine air or balloon bursts were conducted in the series, with most yields in the megaton range.
The first test, on 15 May 1957, was of Britain’s first “H-bomb”, air-dropped by Valiant B.1 XD818 off Malden Island, again of 49 Sqn. RAF. The second and third, at Malden, were also airbursts, on 31 May and 19 June.
The remaining Grapple tests were at or near Christmas Island. On 8 November, a device was airdropped by 49 Sqn’s Valiant B.1 XD824. It was followed, on 8 April 1958, by an air-drop by Valiant XD825. On 22 August came a balloon burst, followed by air drops by Valiant XD822 on 2 September, Valiant XD827 on 11 September, and a final balloon burst on 23 September.
The Grapple tests overlapped with the Antler series, carried out at Maralinga, South Australia. These were a miscellany of three tests, two from towers followed by one balloon burst, between 14 September and 9 October 1957.
A number of peripheral tests were also conducted at Maralinga and Emu. The Kitten series, from September 1953 to May 1961, involved the development of neutron initiators. Five tests took place at Emu and 94 on one of the Maralinga test areas. Whilst Antler represented the last major tests in Australia, the two Vixen series (June 1959-April 1961 and April 1961-April 1963) investigated the dispersal of radioactive material, and the effects of accidents on nuclear weapons. Australian support was extensive, including a Canberra crew to fly a R.A.F. aircraft.
After Antler, Britain ceased independent nuclear tests. Having proved itself able to develop its own nuclear weapons, Britain became a partner of the United States again, and shared in a number of tests at facilities in Nevada from 1962. Christmas Island was also lent to the U.S. for a series of tests in 1965. . . .
http://users.chariot.net.au/~theburfs/vbomber.html

A little more from the same source – regarding B50 survivors:
“The B-50As began phasing out of SAC in mid-1954, when the 93rd Bombardment Wing finally began receiving its long-awaited B-47s. As obsolescence approached, all surviving B-50As (including the TB-50A conversions) were converted to KB-50J three-hose tankers.”

Time to wheel out my Bockscar photo again! Taken at Dayton last year.

MiG-21UM Lancer B

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From page 27 of Air International Vol 64 No. 4 April 2003

Further to your comments, BigVince76, my RAF flights were on VC10s and Britannias with rear-facing seats.

(I hope you don’t mind me putting up one of my favorite pix here)

When I was in the RAF a million years ago, all the transport aircraft had rear-facing seats. That was OK for me, and I would actually prefer rear-facing seats on civil airlines too. However I read somewhere long ago that airlines discovered that most people want to face forwards.
In my own personal opinion, I would rather increase my survival chances than face forwards! On the other hand, I’ve always been the odd one out – at least I think so! Is there anyone else out there who would not mind facing backwards when flying (as a passenger of course!). A poll might be a good idea, but for starters let’s see what avid forum readers think.