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Mk 8

Mk 8
Aircraft bombUnited StatesGun-type fission
No freely licensed photo of this device yet.
Yield · TNT equivalent25–30 kt

Key specs

Design
Gun-type fission
Type
Aircraft bomb
Weight
1.48 t
Length
3.35 m
Diameter
370 mm
In service
1952–1957
Number built
40

Overview

A slim gun-type uranium bomb built to penetrate hardened targets before detonating. Only 40 were made; its yield was 25–30 kt.

Effect radii: estimates

Calculated for 30 kt

Fireball, maximum radius
≈ 240 m
Initial radiation, 500 rem (5 Sv)
≈ 1.6 km
Blast 5 psi: most buildings collapse
≈ 2.2 km
Thermal: third-degree burns
≈ 2.7 km
Blast 1 psi: windows shatter
≈ 6.8 km

Estimated ground ranges for an air burst at the optimum height over flat, open ground, computed from the yield with standard scaling laws. These are not measurements: real effects depend on the height of burst, terrain, buildings and weather.

Formulas from: Glasstone & Dolan, The Effects of Nuclear Weapons (1977), chapter II; Carey Sublette, Nuclear Weapons FAQ, section 5

Sources

  1. Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Weapon Archive (Carey Sublette)
  2. Mark 8 nuclear bomb, Wikipedia