Atomic Cannon

[Sayeret]

http://www.vce.com/grable.html

[VooDooII3dfx]

Thats sweet.

[Mark Sman]

http://www.vce.com/AtomicGallery/movies/cannon.mov

http://www.aracnet.com/~pdxavets/sup10.jpg

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/w9.htm
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8966/Military2.html
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8966/Military1.html

[ZeroPositive]

I read about it on the Los Alamos website and to see the cannon in person rocks ****TTTTTT

[LordHalbert]

If you look you can actually see the projectile in at least one of the frames of the video (or may be it was a sabot).

There was only a few seconds between the firing and detonation so the distance between the canon and the explosion could not have been more than a few miles at most - unless it was a super uber fast projectile.

I would imagine that if the wind was blowing in the direction of the cannon fom the detonation point, fallout and radiation would effect anyone near the canon.

[Mark Sman]

They may have cut time out of the film.

It seems that some of the smoke trails appear suddenly.

From the distance to target, and speed of projectile listed, they must have cut part of this video. Too bad.

Still uber BA.

[Raistlin]

I know that Russia had the same thing. No idea if it was actually tested.

[Moledet]

If you look you can actually see the projectile in at least one of the frames of the video (or may be it was a sabot).

There was only a few seconds between the firing and detonation so the distance between the canon and the explosion could not have been more than a few miles at most - unless it was a super uber fast projectile.

I would imagine that if the wind was blowing in the direction of the cannon fom the detonation point, fallout and radiation would effect anyone near the canon.
From the link:
"On May 25, 1953, a 280 mm cannon fired an atomic projectile a distance of 7 miles at the Nevada Test Site."
Very nice link Sayeret, thanks.

[Thor]

I think it was common that even 155 mm cannons were supposed to shoot atomic projectiles.

[dumdidum]

They may have cut time out of the film.

It seems that some of the smoke trails appear suddenly.

From the distance to target, and speed of projectile listed, they must have cut part of this video. Too bad.

Still uber BA.The sound is also added in post production.

[BusterHyman]

You think that is cool. How would you like to be the one using the Davey Crocket. I heard you only fire it once.

[Durandal]

I have to say, those videos were pretty cool...the DVDs that is. A friend of mine has the set and we sat down and watched them one night. Pretty cool stuff. A bunch of footage I have never seen.

[FB]

I think it was common that even 155 mm cannons were supposed to shoot atomic projectiles.

For us it was the 203mm of the M110 (the "big brother" of the M109) howitzer. The USA had somewhere the nuclear ammo to be used with our weapons.

Best regards

[elguapo]

They may have cut time out of the film.

It seems that some of the smoke trails appear suddenly.

From the distance to target, and speed of projectile listed, they must have cut part of this video. Too bad.

Still uber BA.

Isn't it weird that the blast sound arrives simultaneously with the light? for 7.5 miles there should be a big lag

[LordHalbert]

Looking at the video, it took a little under 3 seconds from firing to detonation. I'll give it a benefit of a doubt and say it's 3 seconds.

Doing the calculation:

( 7 Miles / 3s ) * 3600 = 8400 mph (13518 kph)

I seriously doubt that shell is going 8400 mph.

[VorpalDoom]

would only take about 1.5 seconds for the sound to hit you, and about .00005 seconds for the light

[LordHalbert]

Your math seems a littly faulty.

I'm assuming the following things:
* The distance from the cannon to the detonation point was 7 miles
* The speed of sound is 761 mph (1,223 km/h) - see level speeds.
* The listener is at the location of the canon.

Given the data above, we can calculate how long it would take for you to hear the sound of the detonation (from the location of the canon).

7 / 761 * 3600 = 33 seconds

However, the blast wave is initially moving faster than the speed of sound so my equation may not be entirely correct.