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M65 Atomic Cannon ("Atomic Annie")
US Army Gun, Heavy, Motorized, 280mm, M65 Atomic Annie | 12 August 2012 | Tankograd Technical Manual Series N° 6001

Posted on 08/12/2012 3:45:46 PM PDT by moonshot925

20 cannons were manufactured from 1951 to 1953.

The cannon fired a W9 or W19 nuclear artillery shell with a maximum range of 24-29 miles.

5 Field Artillery Battalions were deployed to the 7th Army in West Germany between October 1953 and April 1954. The units were hosted by the 42nd Field Artillery Group.

Each battalion had 3 280mm guns, 30 officers, 7 warrant officers and 401 enlisted men.

All of the cannons were retired in December 1963.


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans; Science
KEYWORDS: artillery; cannon; m65; nuclear
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To: KoRn
I bet those were pretty risky for the guys on the ground, depending on which way the wind is blowing and all.


41 posted on 08/12/2012 5:39:52 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Congrats to Ted Kennedy! He's been sober for two years now!!)
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To: DugwayDuke

I used to wonder for years about the smoke trails, then read that they were to get a reading on shock waves. There are actually two shock waves of interest to weaponeers figuring out optimum burst height, an air wave and ground wave. These join up and interesting things happen. The smoke gives them an idea what is going on.


42 posted on 08/12/2012 5:51:18 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: moonshot925
There was also the W-23 naval nuclear artillery shell, deliverable from the 16 inch guns of an Iowa-class battleship.

At 15-20 kt, it would have made a hell of a shore bombardment.

43 posted on 08/12/2012 5:58:18 PM PDT by PapaBear3625 (A deep-fried storm is coming, Mr Obama.)
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To: VeniVidiVici

Andlele, andele! Vamos muchachos.......


44 posted on 08/12/2012 6:07:34 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: OldCorps
You forgot about these; smaller still:


45 posted on 08/12/2012 6:13:04 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: KoRn
They are smoke rockets fired near the blast site to allow accurate scaling to be derived from photos.

Cheers!

46 posted on 08/12/2012 6:20:20 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: DugwayDuke

As many have answered here, they are markers to help gauge the yield.

More significantly, back in those days, say early 50s, guys like Feshbach and Morse out of MIT were considered experts in “Acoustics”. Acoustics was the 50’s buzzword for studying atmospheric phenomenon associated with atomic/nuclear blasts. While much could be calculated, the clouds and trails provided hard evidence of how the detonations actually effected the physical domain.

Explosions tend to be many rates of reaction occuring in very short periods of time, with the products of one reaction also effecting subsequent reactions, with many having exponentially rapid rates of reaction.

While theoretical calculations indicated what blast yields might evolve, it wasn’t known if other rates of reaction of targeted areas wouldn’t exponentially further the initial detonation. Nor was it clearly known how the atmosphere at various elevations, temps and pressures might react to the event.

This became more prolific with thermonuclear tests. I had read some at the Bikini tests had posited the detonation could trigger a self sustaining reaction consuming all the planet’s oxygen, though not shown to be the case.


47 posted on 08/12/2012 6:23:35 PM PDT by Cvengr (Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)
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To: KoRn
They are smoke rockets fired near the blast site to allow accurate scaling to be derived from photos.

Cheers!

48 posted on 08/12/2012 6:26:25 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: Talisker; Attention Surplus Disorder; PapaBear3625; doorgunner69; VeniVidiVici
There was also the W-23 naval nuclear artillery shell, deliverable from the 16 inch guns of an Iowa-class battleship.

Yes. Development began in 1952 and the first W23 projectile was delivered in 1956. A total of 50 were produced. USS Iowa, USS New Jersey and USS Wisconsin had an alteration made to Turret II magazine to incorporate a secure storage area for these projectiles(USS Missouri was decommissioned in 1955 which is why she was not altered). This meant that an Iowa class battleship could fire several Hiroshima sized weapons to a range of up to 23 miles and have them hit target very accurately.

49 posted on 08/12/2012 6:31:14 PM PDT by moonshot925
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To: moonshot925
FTA: The units were hosted by the 42nd Field Artillery Group.

My LANCE battalion was part of that group when I was in West Germany, well after the time Atomic Annie had been sent to the Field Artillery Museum at Fort Sill OK. The article doesn't state but the cannon follow-ons for the group were the 8" howitzer and the 175mm gun. The rocket/missile units were Honest John and Sergeant. My battalion converted from the Sergeant system about 5 years before I got there.

50 posted on 08/12/2012 6:33:01 PM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: Talisker; Attention Surplus Disorder; PapaBear3625; doorgunner69; VeniVidiVici
W23 nuclear shell


51 posted on 08/12/2012 6:35:14 PM PDT by moonshot925
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To: VeniVidiVici

That gif has me laughing!


52 posted on 08/12/2012 6:36:06 PM PDT by Eaker (When somebody hands you your arse, don't give it back saying "This needs a little more tenderizing.")
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To: moonshot925

Love to know how fuzing was done and adjusted........


53 posted on 08/12/2012 6:49:56 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: tanuki
Annie should always be remembered for helping to end a war and save lives-without firing a shot in anger.

She might also be remembered for ending Goldwater's chances at the presidency. I think this is what he meant by "tactical nuclear weapons" that he might be willing to unleash in Vietnam. That made a lot of people's jaws drop. Barry's penchant for speaking his mind in those days might have been just a bit injudicious.

He might have lost anyway; but I think this issue made it a nuclear defeat.

54 posted on 08/12/2012 6:50:37 PM PDT by Migraine (Diversity is great; until it happens to YOU.)
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To: Eaker

I laugh every time I look at it :)


55 posted on 08/12/2012 7:12:33 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Congrats to Ted Kennedy! He's been sober for two years now!!)
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To: moonshot925
This looks like something (size wise) I came across along the boundary between China Lake and Ft Irwin. At the time I thought it was a 16inch round from a battleship (yes, it was huge) but wondered how the hell it got out in the middle of nowhere. This makes a "little" more sense.


56 posted on 08/12/2012 7:31:42 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Congrats to Ted Kennedy! He's been sober for two years now!!)
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To: moonshot925

I had a toy one in the fifties. It was one of the best toys I ever had because not only did it have the cannon which shot a 2”-3” projectile a good 80’, but it also came with the two trucks (front and back) that transported it. Three toys in one. When my mother discovered that I was shooting cars that passed the house she took the rubber tipped projectiles and hid them from me. I then discovered it would shoot sticks or arrows just as effectively. With the two tractors, the whole thing was about three feet long and I think it was made by the Marx Toy Company.


57 posted on 08/12/2012 7:53:28 PM PDT by Free_SJersey (Celebrate Diversity------------ Divide and Conquer?)
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To: Free_SJersey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wOgX3VIGGw


58 posted on 08/12/2012 8:10:47 PM PDT by Western Phil
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To: Western Phil

More better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeWGeoZIp2g&feature=related


59 posted on 08/12/2012 8:16:50 PM PDT by Western Phil
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To: Western Phil
That wasn't it, I was mistaken. It wasn't Marx, it was Ideal

http://www.playsetmagazine.com/kaneShow_Spring05.html

60 posted on 08/12/2012 8:18:26 PM PDT by Free_SJersey (Celebrate Diversity------------ Divide and Conquer?)
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