Saratoga at Bikini Atoll - Aircraft onboard questions
Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:25 pm
Saw a great show last night on the Saratogo and other ships on Discovery Science channel last night.
The question is, not about ships, but when they dove into the ship, they had Helldivers in there and live bombs....
To the question, does anyone know of what serial# of the aircraft that sit on Bikini Atoll's and others in the ocean that may have taken place to test nuclear capabilties?
I for one would NOT want to be near that place, with all the radiation and such, but it was really neat to see those ships underwater like that!
The question is, not about ships, but when they dove into the ship, they had Helldivers in there and live bombs....
To the question, does anyone know of what serial# of the aircraft that sit on Bikini Atoll's and others in the ocean that may have taken place to test nuclear capabilties?
I for one would NOT want to be near that place, with all the radiation and such, but it was really neat to see those ships underwater like that!
Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:48 pm
Paul, the ships are no longer considered "hot".
Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:28 pm
Sure, then the next thing you know, your pee is glowing in the dark and hey where did that third testicle come from? 
Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:33 pm
I think I saw that one. The host was the President from 24 right?
Anyway, Why would they leave the plane in there let alone live bombs?
Anyway, Why would they leave the plane in there let alone live bombs?
Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:41 pm
systemofadown1162 wrote:I think I saw that one. The host was the President from 24 right?
Anyway, Why would they leave the plane in there let alone live bombs?
Simplest answer: to make the tests as genuine as possible. After the tests the are was contaminiated to the point where the already dangerous task of disarming the munitions was made far too dangerous to consider. As for the planes, like so many others, they were obsolete scrap.
And the probably didn't have tourism in mind when they blew it up in the first place
Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:36 pm
They were testing the survivability of the warships caught in a nuclear blast. The ships were fully fueled and armed. For the carrier that meant aircraft on the hangar deck as well as munitions. I believe there's a TBM there also.
Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:02 pm
RickH wrote:They were testing the survivability of the warships caught in a nuclear blast. The ships were fully fueled and armed. For the carrier that meant aircraft on the hangar deck as well as munitions. I believe there's a TBM there also.
Yep. I bet Mike Rawson would love to have access to all these patterns...
http://www.seawolfproductions.com/Shipw ... picsp5.htm
Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:27 pm
that documentary was shot many years ago. those helldivers & the unexploded ordinance that survived must be 100 times as fragile since then!!!
Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:36 pm
Tom, Secrets of Pearl Harbor was filmed in 2004.
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Sat Aug 19, 2006 3:06 am
Who has a third testicle???????
must be popular at parties!!!!
sorry...............couldn't resist.............
Digger
must be popular at parties!!!!
sorry...............couldn't resist.............
Digger
Re: Saratoga at Bikini Atoll - Aircraft onboard questions
Sat Aug 19, 2006 4:16 am
Paul Krumrei wrote:I for one would NOT want to be near that place, with all the radiation and such, but it was really neat to see those ships underwater like that!
Don't get close to some CAC Mustangs flying in the USA nowadays then - they also were nicely cooked by a nuclear blast.
Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:46 am
rick, the footage i saw was shot back in the late 70's early 80's., your documentary title probably covered the same info, i'd be curious to see that film made in 04!!
Re: Saratoga at Bikini Atoll - Aircraft onboard questions
Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:19 am
Raven wrote:Don't get close to some CAC Mustangs flying in the USA nowadays then - they also were nicely cooked by a nuclear blast.
Five of the six Emu test airframes were brought to the US in 1968 and were subsequently broken down for parts for the Cavalier Aircraft Corporation's stocks.
The tailcone of A68-72 is known to have been used on the current N651JM, which was built up by Cavalier for Indonesia.
The other CAC airframe parts may have been used to build the other Peace Pony II aircraft, or might have been among the parts sold to Gordon Plaskett after Cavalier went out of business.
Either way, you're probably correct that parts of those nuked Mustangs may be flying currently on various aircraft.
Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:31 am
Collings Foundation's 909 was nuked. It sat out in the desert for about 14 years before Floyd Stilwell at Marsh Aviation flew her out after doing some sheetmetal repair and engine changes.
I thought that several of those CAC Mustangs are flying as intact airframes? The pictures I saw of them on the test site showed them to be intact with rudder damage caused by a truck running down the line and wacking them.
I thought that several of those CAC Mustangs are flying as intact airframes? The pictures I saw of them on the test site showed them to be intact with rudder damage caused by a truck running down the line and wacking them.
Sat Aug 19, 2006 12:40 pm
RickH wrote:I thought that several of those CAC Mustangs are flying as intact airframes? The pictures I saw of them on the test site showed them to be intact with rudder damage caused by a truck running down the line and wacking them.
Yes, at least one of the Aussie nuclear test mustangs still exists as a complete airframe. It was the first of the type in RAAF service actually, A68-1, and was owned and raced by Gary Levitz at one time. I am not sure, but I think it's serial number is 44-15757. It still flies, and is now owned by Wiley Sanders I believe.
Cheers,
Richard
PS. I had heard that it was shipped to the US along with six other airframes, but that these other airframes were vandalized by some anarchist wackos at Long Beach, and ended up being broken down for spares. Perhaps these are the airframes that Randy was referring to.